Seton Hall University has expanded its use of virtual reality (VR) in education, with the Teaching, Learning and Technology Center (TLTC) leading efforts to incorporate this technology into teaching, training, and professional development. Two VR carts have been deployed on campus—one in Jubilee Hall and another at the Interprofessional Health Sciences (IHS) campus—to make these resources more accessible across the university.
The TLTC worked with both academic and nonacademic departments to pilot VR initiatives over the past year. The aim is to provide students with immersive experiences that help them better understand complex concepts and apply their learning in practical scenarios.
In one recent example, nursing students used VR for a “First Responder Mass Triage Training,” where they simulated triaging patients during a large-scale accident. Leslie Rippon, Ph.D., commented on the benefits: “The use of VR technology has allowed students to work in a low-stakes, simulated environment not easily accomplished in the physical world. Through immersive experiences, students apply the skills they are learning in their coursework, receive immediate feedback and engage collaboratively with their peers. Student feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with many reporting increased knowledge, confidence and empathy.”
VR tools have also been introduced for communication skills development. Renee Robinson, Ph.D., piloted the VirtualSpeech app with students in the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) over the summer. The application allows users to practice public speaking in simulated settings while providing instant feedback on eye movement, hand gestures, pacing, and audio delivery. Recordings from these sessions are available for review and reflection.
“VR and VirtualSpeech will also be implemented in the graduate curriculum this semester in the Training and Development course,” Robinson said. “The app allows for a host of soft-skill immersion role plays that assess student communication behaviors ranging from active listening to conflict management to leadership communication in various contexts to name a few.”
Further information about current offerings can be found by visiting Seton Hall’s dedicated VR website.
