What inspired or motivated you to use this tool/resource?
Archaeology and Heritage seminars often rely on site reports, 2D images and written descriptions as a basis for student understanding of historic landscape, artefacts, and buildings. Field trips have proven to be a much more engaging way to build student understanding of sites and artefacts, providing a tangible and immersive experience (Jones & Washko, 2021). However, field trips are not always a feasible option, particularly for students with accessibility barriers, and in light of restrictions on university budgets and staff availability. I was motivated to provide a more immersive experience for students within the seminar environment, to bring historical resources into the modern day and re-enthuse students with the study of particular sites and artefacts beyond the laborious reading of ancient and often dull site reports.Ìý
What did you use the tool/resource for? Ìý
To achieve an immersive experience, I turned to V.R headsets. The learning objective of the seminar was to have students discuss the funding differentials in some of Wales’ medieval castles as part of their Introduction to Heritage module and generate a wider discussion about the allocation of preservation funds, promotion and improved accessibility of Medieval English castles in Wales, such as Harlech castle, compared to those of the Welsh princes such as Castell Y Bere. The students visited the castles using the VR headsets from the comfort of the seminar room, a full immersive experience that placed them within the castle walls while removing the accessibility barriers of access, time and funding that would accompany a field trip. Ìý
How did the tool/resource impact your teaching?Ìý
The in-class discussions were far more animated than previous seminars which had depended on images and written descriptions alone. It proved a catalyst for student engagement, and lead to a more discursive discussion and prompted students to demonstrate the higher order thinking skills outlined in Blooms taxonomy of analysis, critical thinking and ultimately creation in their exploration of possible solutions to the problems they had identified (Bloom et al., 1956).Ìý
How well did the tool/resource perform, would you recommend it?
The VR headsets were a resounding success and proved popular with students with many identifying the seminar as a particular highlight of the course on the module evaluation form. The technology did require some planning and co-operation from the IT department, for example the removal of a streaming firewall to allow other students to view what the user was experiencing. There were also some unexpected barriers to use of the headsets, for example some students highlighted that the headsets were uncomfortable for those wearing spectacles, and some reported anecdotally that VR had induced migraines during personal usage (prior to their use in the seminar). Those students who faced barriers to wearing the headsets still participated in the seminar through viewing the live stream of other users and contributed their opinions to the research question in equal measure as those within the VR space.
Share a ‘Top Tip’ for a colleague new to the tool/resourceÌý
My top tip for VR headsets is to familiarise yourself with the headset and its software prior to introduction in the classroom and ensure the room you are working in is set up accordingly, in terms of the space and technology required.Ìý
How would you summarise the experience in 3 words?Ìý
Engaging, Exciting and CatalysingÌý
References:
Bloom, B. S, & Krathwohl, D. (1956). Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: The Classification of Educational Goals, Volume 1.Ìý
Jones, J. C., & Washko, S. (2021). More than fun in the sun: The pedagogy of field trips improves student learning in higher education. Journal of Geoscience Education, 70(3), 292–305.
www.CADW.comÌý
Contact for more information:
Dr Leona Huey : L.Huey@Bangor.ac.ukÌý