Virtual Reality Classroom

The MSE Online program piloted virtual reality (VR) classroom in Meta Horizon Workrooms. As part of the pilot and subject to our terms and conditions, the MSE Online program students were issued Meta Quest Pro headsets. During the pilot period, VR classes were offered to MSE Online students at least once a semester.

The pilot tested whether VR classroom technology offered advantages over traditional video call software.

• Spatial audio and video allow students to hear speakers to their left or right and to turn to face those speakers during conversations.
• Hand tracking allows students to raise their hands to signal to the instructor and others that they have questions or to interact with virtual controls at their desks.
• Face tracking allows students to visually communicate shared understanding or confusion using facial expressions, allowing students to communicate better during class with the instructor and their fellow students.

In addition, students could integrate their laptop or desktop computers into the virtual classroom to support real-time note-taking, student presentations and shared work with other students using Google Apps, Mural and other cloud-based collaboration tools.

The VR classroom pilot ended in Spring 2024.