Introduction to Virtual Reality in Education
Purdue University’s White Lodging-J.W. Marriott, Jr. School of Hospitality and Tourism Management (HTM) has introduced a brand new way of learning for its students. The school has acquired six Meta virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) headsets, which shall be used to coach students in various facets of hospitality and tourism management.
What Can Students Do with VR?
With the VR headsets, students can tour venues and upscale hotels virtually, practice event planning, and even simulate customer relationship management scenarios. They can even practice performance evaluations or terminations in a virtual restaurant setting. This hands-on approach to learning will help students gain practical experience and construct their confidence in real-world scenarios.
Benefits of Virtual Reality in Education
According to Susan Gordon, associate professor of hospitality and tourism management, "With our field being so hands-on and practical, I feel there’s a whole lot of potential for this." The use of VR in education will help bridge the gap between the classroom and the true workplace. Students can practice and learn in a protected and controlled environment, which will help reduce mistakes and improve their overall performance.
How Does it Work?
The VR headsets are equipped with a subscription to Engage VR, which provides quite a few environments like convention centers, meeting rooms, and even bars. These environments are customizable, allowing students to practice and learn in a wide range of scenarios. The exercises might be viewed on a big television monitor for the remainder of the category to see, making it a collaborative and interactive learning experience.
Student Feedback
HTM senior Havyn Midkiff was considered one of the primary students to check out the VR headsets. She found it easy to get used to and appreciated the power to practice and learn in a virtual environment. Midkiff also saw the potential for VR to show students about accessibility and learn how to design events and spaces which are inclusive for all.
Graduate Students’ Perspective
A gaggle of HTM graduate students also had the chance to check out the VR headsets. They were impressed with the technology and saw its potential to reinforce their research and teaching. PhD candidate Roya Alavi Pour believed that VR could help students work in additional natural scenarios when coping with customers, while Ben Wang saw the potential for VR to reinforce restaurant design and food safety training.
The Future of Virtual Reality in Education
While the present variety of VR headsets is proscribed, the varsity plans to proceed to introduce more students to the technology. Gordon and Jung, the instructors behind the initiative, see the potential for VR to be utilized in a wide range of courses, including human resources and customer relationship management. They also envision using artificial intelligence (AI) enhanced VR, which could provide students with much more realistic and interactive learning experiences.
Conclusion
The introduction of virtual reality in education is a major step forward for Purdue University’s White Lodging-J.W. Marriott, Jr. School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. The use of VR headsets provides students with a singular and interactive solution to learn and practice, which will help improve their confidence and performance in real-world scenarios. As the technology continues to evolve, it’s going to be exciting to see the way it is used to reinforce education and supply students with the talents and knowledge they need to achieve their careers.
