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Virtual Reality Enhancing Creativity in Art Therapy Classes

Virtual Reality Enhancing Creativity in Art Therapy Classes
VR helps students become more creative in art therapy classes

Students in Professor Joyce Yip Green’s course on marriage and family therapy went to a desert oasis, a magical forest, and a cosy campfire all in the course of one class session. Because of a relationship with the Office of Online Learning (OOL) and the use of Victory XR VR technology, this was possible. Green, who was awarded an Academic Technology Grant for 2023, wanted to use big changes in technology to improve her courses.

Three years ago, Green used virtual reality (VR) technology in two of her classes. Students in her course on psychological testing and evaluation in the fall of 2023 explored virtual worlds and used drawing tools in the metaverse. The Oculus glasses were given to them, and they were told to make art in these simulated worlds.

Green stressed how important it is to be flexible and adaptable when using VR in the classroom, since moving around in a virtual area is different from moving around in the real world. It needs a different way of thinking about how to experience space and place. She stressed how important it was for the educational design team to help make the VR experience a success. Together, they planned lessons, thought ahead about problems that might come up, and helped with technology in class, which was very helpful.

Green had help in the classroom with her grant project from OOL Multimedia Specialist Thi Nguyen and Senior Instructional Designer Nick Somsavanh. Both of them were trained virtual reality teachers with a lot of Victory XR training. Nguyen said that people who are new to VR might feel uncomfortable at first and have trouble connecting. The team was able to solve these problems by changing broken tools and talking to students to figure out what was wrong by working closely with Green, Somsavanh, and their boss Jeff Schwartz. They also had review talks to make sure that future events would go more smoothly.

By the spring term of 2024, Green was more sure of her ability to use VR to improve her healthcare and modern art therapy class. A lot of the students in this class had used Oculus glasses and Victory XR last term, which let them learn more about the tech. Green had them work together in small groups to make different hospital settings in the metaverse. This was a fun way to get them to work together and be creative.

Somsavanh watched the classes and noticed how excited the kids were as they used the VR technology. He could tell that the interactive experience encouraged innovation and teamwork by how engaged and excited they were.

Because these VR classes were interactive and fun, they helped students come up with new ways to treat patients. Some groups made a desert oasis with plants and tea to help clients relax, while others set up a cosy campfire for people to gather around. Green thinks that virtual reality (VR) has a lot of promise to make therapy easier to get to, especially for people who can’t move around or travel. Because the virtual setting can be modified and has so many artistic options, it gives clients a place to express themselves that feels like they are really there.

The Office of Online Learning and the Instructional Technology team are still great places for teachers to get help if they want to use VR in their classes. Jeff Schwartz, Senior Director of Digital Learning and Innovation at the OOL, talked about how VR can be used to teach and learn. He said that because it is practical and engaging, teachers can use models and solo tasks to make classroom talks more interesting. It also helps build a sense of community that regular videoconferencing doesn’t always do.

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