CVRriculum Program Faculty Development Workshop: Outcomes and Suggestions for Improving the Way We Guide Instructors...

Area of Science:

• Educational Technology
• Higher Education Pedagogy
• Immersive Learning Environments

Background:

• Experiential education and student engagement are crucial for attracting and retaining students in higher education.
• Universities must adopt novel technologies beyond traditional methods to enhance learning experiences.
• Immersive technologies like virtual reality (VR) are emerging as powerful tools for educational innovation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the feasibility and effectiveness of integrating virtual reality (VR) into higher education curricula for teaching empathy.
• To assess VR as a pedagogical approach for enhancing experiential learning and interpersonal skill development.
• To lay the groundwork for future faculty development programs focused on VR in education.

Main Methods:

• A pilot study was conducted involving a faculty development workshop on VR integration.
• Five faculty members from a local university participated in the workshop.
• The study focused on embedding VR as a medium for teaching empathy and interpersonal skills.

Main Results:

• The integration of VR into the curriculum was found to be a feasible approach.
• VR provides an engaging learning environment for students.
• The pilot study indicated VR's effectiveness in teaching various interpersonal skills.

Conclusions:

• Virtual reality (VR) presents a viable and effective method for enhancing experiential education in higher education.
• The pilot workshop successfully demonstrated VR's potential for pedagogical applications and faculty training.
• Further development and pan-university implementation of VR-based training programs are recommended.