Building a Research Community Centered on VR
Conrad Tucker
Associate Professor of Engineering Design and Industrial Engineering
College of Engineering
Description
We are excited to announce Conrad Tucker as our second TLT Research Fellow, helping us explore virtual reality and wearable technology. Our research fellows help drive our local community in research endeavors residing at the intersection of technology and pedagogy by organizing and hosting various symposia around specific topics. Throughout 2015-2016, we will be working with Conrad to create a research community interested in exploring VR and wearables, and how these emerging technologies will impact teaching and learning in the future.
Some of Conrad’s early work will be examining the current state of VR around the University.
What are current instructors doing with VR, in both curricular and co-curricular settings? Up until now, these technologies have been limited to specific engineering disciplines with technical individuals who possess the expertise to create immersive VR environments in a seamless and efficient manner. While immersive VR technologies have had significant impact in engineering, their applicability to the broader STEM fields (e.g., chemistry or physics) has been limited.
Conrad has deep expertise in this area, having received a grant from the Center for Online Innovation in Learning (COIL) to explore VR as an educational tool. He’s also published on the topic, uncovering how VR might be used to enhance student learning experiences in engineering courses. If you are interested in being notified about research meetings focused on VR, please let us know!
The Team
Bart Pursel
Cohort
2015
Focus Area
Immersive Experiences
Theme: Community of Practice