Making Virtual Space and Expanding the VR World: 3D Scanning, Virtual Museums and Design Thinking

Description

This project aims to bring virtual reality (VR) into the humanities classroom. One of the project’s major goals is to get students to think rigorously about embodied space and audience. To accomplish this, students will build sophisticated VR museum spaces and design their own museum exhibitions. The focus is to encourage students to move from consumers to creators of digital content — fostering critical thinking and digital fluency — and become skilled in spatial storytelling that showcases an object’s history and meaning.

“This project is “offering students the opportunity to apply their learning in an active, creative capacity,” said Kupfner. “Students will be empowered to build exhibitions in virtual reality, using 3D scans of objects encountered in their own lives. Students will not only construct exhibitions that include images and text, but they will have the tools to design and construct holistic environments. Their virtual museums will not simply house materials but foster experiences.”

The use of virtual reality in the class setting will help increase the availability of museums to a wider audience and students will be encouraged to focus on how to make their VR spaces welcoming to a wide array of audiences.

Cohort

2024-2026

Focus Area

Immersive Experiences
Theme: Digital Fluency: A Sense of Wonder for Curiosity and Creativity