Immersive Environments: exploring current practice and barriers in Higher Education

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Booking Open

Date

13 December 2024

Book Before

6 December 2024

University of Leeds

HELIX, Level 7, EC Stoner building, Vernon Road, Leeds, LS2 9JL

About the Event

This event is at the University of Leeds

In 2018, UCISA DEG hosted an event on immersive environments, then a growing area. In this follow-up event, we will consider what has changed in HE over the last 6 years. Has the use of immersive environments/virtual reality expanded into more disciplines? Is cost still a barrier or are there ways to implement this technology with a constrained budget? How has the technology moved on? Are there other potential constraints e.g. accessibility, and how are these being overcome?

This event will showcase examples of practice taking place across different institutions, outlining the value that they are offering to students and the practicalities of creating these environments and experiences.

This event will be hosted simultaneously at two venues: The University of Leeds and Birkbeck, University of London. There will be activities specific to each venue with keynotes streamed between venues.

Speakers

man with virtual goggles

Gary Burnett

Professor in Digital Creativity

Loughborough University

person looking at the camera

Katie Gardner

Lecturer in Arts-based Pedagogical Practices

University of Leeds

person smiling at the camera

John-Paul Mills

Senior Lecturer in Simulation and Digital Innovation

Liverpool John Moores University

Melanie Barrand

Digital Systems Lead

University of Leeds

person looking at the camera

Dave Holloway

Senior Digital Learning Advisor

University of Sheffield

More Info

Dave Holloway is a Senior Digital Learning Advisor at the University of Sheffield. A filmmaker in a previous life, Dave works with academic and professional staff to develop learning and teaching projects using emerging technologies, digital pedagogies and creative storytelling.

person smiling at the camera

Sophie Ward

Digital Learning Adviser

University of Sheffield

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Sophie Ward is a Digital Learning Adviser at the University of Sheffield. Sophie supports staff with digital accessibility and media development. In particular, Wonda VR is used at the University of Sheffield to create engaging 360/3D/AI generated learning materials

person smiling at the camera

Josh Gregg

Innovation Technologies Specialist

University of Leeds

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Josh has a research background in immersive and interactive audio. He has developed metaverse musicals with virtual production, platforms for exploring heritage spatial acoustics, enhanced audio solutions for more accessible AR and low-latency immersive networked music performance systems.

Dr Imants Latkovskis

Extended Reality (XR) Strategy Lead

University of Glasgow

More Info

Dr Imants Latkovskis is the XR Strategy Lead at University of Glasgow. He manages XR facilities on campus, and leads on identifying new opportunities for XR implementation, forging partnerships with industry and academic stakeholders He is passionate about finding new ways immersive technology can unlock educational possibilities, improve student outcomes, and facilitate innovative research across disciplines.

Event Schedule

Friday

09:30

Registration opens

10:00

Welcome and introductions

DEG committee members
10:05

Keynote 1 (live-streamed from Birkbeck): On-boarding HE students for immersive experiences: The need for an XR ‘driving test’

Gary Burnett, Professor of Digital Creativity, Loughborough University
10:50

What’s happening where you are?

Melanie Barrand, Digital Education Systems Team, University of Leeds
11:10

How WondaVR and Immersive Technologies are being used at the University of Sheffield

Dave Holloway, Senior Digital Learning Advisor and Sophie Ward, Digital Learning Adviser, University of Sheffield
11:50

Comfort break

12:05

Leeds/Glasgow

Josh Gregg, Innovation Technologies Specialist, University of Leedsand Imants Latkovskis, University of Glasgow
12:45

Lunch and tours

14:15

Keynote 2 (live-streamed from Leeds): Developing Students' Digital Creativity through Virtual Reality: Approaches to Balancing Open-Ended Exploration with Readily Available Experiences

Katie Gardner, Lecturer in Arts-based Pedagogical Practices, University of Leeds
15:00

VR in Healthcare Simulation: Applying Theory and Practice to Support VR Design and Delivery

John-Paul Mills, Senior Lecturer in Simulation and Digital Innovation, Liverpool John Moores

15:40

Closing remarks

15:45

Close