Extended Reality (XR) is a term used to describe immersive technologies like Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR). XR is gaining momentum in higher education, enabling students to gain concrete experience by providing “hands on” practice, promoting student engagement with learning materials and deepening student interaction with complex problems.
Extended realities are set to transform learning by providing students with multisensory experiences that would not be possible otherwise. Check out the innovative projects below that are taking place in higher education throughout the province and Canada.
| Institution Name | Lead Name | Title | Type | Subject | Description | Link |
| Georgian College | Rob Theriault | Immersive Technology Manager | VR | Indigenous language education | Immersive Indigenous Language House that provides students in the Anishnaabemowin and Program Development program a unique and fun way to learn and practise their speaking skills. | https://www.simcoe.com/community-story/10419279-georgian-students-learn-indigenous-language-using-virtual-reality/ |
| Mohawk College | Dr. Marilyn Powers | Director of Academic Technology Integration and Innovation | AR | First aid training | Using a specialized AR headset, the program will deliver emergency first aid and CPR-B training using interactive and digital training scenarios, superimposed on a users’ view of the real environment. | https://www.mohawknewsdesk.ca/pulse-lifesaving-partners-with-mohawk-to-develop-augmented-reality-first-aid-training/ |
| St. Clair College | James Linton | Professor/ Coordinator,
Biomedical Engineering Technology |
VR | Biomedical engineering technology program | The program usesv 9 virtual reality units used to teach anatomy, physiology and more. | https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/st-clair-college-vr-biomedical-technology-1.5441123 |
| Ryerson | Dr. David Cramb | Professor, Dean of the Faculty of Science | AR | First-year chemistry & biology | The Ryerson Augmented Learning Experience (RALE) virtual labs will include real-time collaborative Zoom sessions with lab technicians and fellow student lab partners complemented with AR lab exercises that allow students to project into their home the lab materials required for each experiment. | https://www.ryerson.ca/news-events/news/2020/09/faculty-of-science-delivers-ar-holograms-in-virtual-labs/ |
| Northern College | William Durocher | Professor, Global Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology (GBET) Program | VR | Heavy Equipment and Trades | VR is used to enhances Northern College’s experience in technology training in our five major program areas: Construction, maintenance and electricity; industrial, mechanic and millwright; heavy duty equipment technician; general carpentry and; automotive technician. | https://www.timminstoday.com/local-news/at-northern-college-the-future-is-here-with-virtual-reality-training-now-part-of-a-students-learning-experience-614317 |
| Trent University | Kim English | Professor of Nursing | VR | Nursing | Trent University’s School of Nursing and eCampusOntario has partnered with local tech company AVROD to develop virtual reality (VR) lessons for nursing students that will educate on incivility and how to deal with it in the workplace. | https://www.ptbocanada.com/journal/2020/8/11/trent-us-nursing-program-to-introduce-virtual-reality-course-lessons-created-by-peterborough-technology-startup |
| Mount Royal University | Dr. Tony Chaston | Professor of Psychology | VR | Psychology | The Digital Frontier: Perception, AI and Virtual Reality is a Psychology course both about, and takes place in, VR. Students access the course through headsets and inhabit worlds created by Dr. Tony Chaston, PhD, a professor in the Department of Psychology. | https://www.mtroyal.ca/AboutMountRoyal/MediaRoom/Stories/2021/09/bell-rings-for-first-virtual-reality-class-at-mount-royal-university.htm |
| University of Waterloo | Dr. Jen Parks | Director, Geological Engineering | VR | Geology | To better prepare students for field experiences, faculty in the Earth and Environmental Science use virtual reality. | https://uwspace.uwaterloo.ca/handle/7012/15693 |
| Laurentian University | VR | Nursing | The simulations, based on existing curriculums, will be developed to run on Lumeto’s Involve XR immersive learning platform, which provides remote synchronous immersive learning (learners and instructors, regardless of location, can enter the same virtual environment for simulation training), a learning insights engine, advanced and interactive medical equipment and drug library, AI-driven virtual patients, and flexible “no-code” lesson creation.
The twelve modules will be accessed via low-cost all-in-one VR headsets or via Involve XR’s flat-screen observer mode software. |
https://www.canhealth.com/2021/06/09/vr-based-training-for-nurses-in-ontario/ | ||
| Senesca College – King Campus | Tania Killian | Professor of Nursing and Program Coordinator, Workplace Safety and Prevention | VR | Nursing, Veterinary Technician, Underwater Skills | Using VR to supplement the Nursing, Veterinary Technician, Underwater Skills programs. | https://www.senecacollege.ca/news-and-events/seneca-news/king-campus-gets-a-dose-of-virtual-reality.html |
