Empowering learners : How the first Immersive Rooms in UK universities are enhancing student engagement and understanding
UWTSD’s state-of-the-art Immersive Rooms at its campuses in Swansea and Carmarthen provide students and partners with world leading learning spaces which transform education.
Working with AV partners IDNS, Samsung and Igloo Vision, and part funded by the Higher Education Council Funding Wales (HEFCW), the rooms utilise the latest Samsung LED screens across three walls creating a fully immersive virtual and augmented reality user experience.
It’s been 12 months since the rooms were unveiled and they have already proven to be a transformative force in education, utilising 16.4 meters of state-of-the-art Samsung 1.5mm LED screens to provide an unparalleled learning experience.
Immersive learning is a hugely effective way for many learners to develop their knowledge and skills. It provides artificial, digitally created content and environments that accurately replicate real life scenarios so that new skills and techniques can be learned and perfected. Learners aren’t simply passive spectators; they get to be active participants who directly influence outcomes. It also offers a risk-free and safe space where learning can be repeated, and success can be accurately measured.
James Cale, UWTSD’s Director of Digital Services said: “Immersive Technology has revolutionised learning for our students, unlocking exciting, new opportunities for exploration and engagement.
“It is essential for students because it also promotes deeper understanding, fosters creativity, and prepares them for the increasingly digital world they will navigate in their future careers.
“Both the Immersive rooms at UWTSD’s Swansea and Carmarthen campuses have become hubs for innovation and collaboration, serving as dynamic platforms for a variety of applications, from bespoke learning and teaching content creation by all academic teams to community engagement.”
Key highlights of the Swansea and Carmarthen Immersive Rooms first-year success include:
Bespoke Learning and Teaching Content: Staff from the University’s academic institutes have harnessed the immersive capabilities of the room to work with the Digital Experience and Engagement team to develop bespoke learning and teaching content, pushing the boundaries of traditional education, and offering students an unparalleled and immersive learning experience.
Student-Centric Learning: Students have embraced the immersive technology for their coursework, leveraging the room to enhance their understanding of course content through visually rich experiences. The room has become an integral part of the academic journey for UWTSD students in Swansea.
Community Engagement: The Immersive Room has welcomed various schools and community groups, fostering collaboration and engagement beyond the higher education sector. The community usage has facilitated interactive learning experiences for diverse age groups and interests.
James Cale added: “The collaboration between IDNS, Igloo, and Samsung has resulted in a seamless integration of technology, creating an immersive environment that pushes the boundaries of traditional education. The partners remain committed to advancing the capabilities of the Immersive Rooms and look forward to continued growth and success in the years to come.”
UWTSD lecturer Kara Lewis, who teaches Welsh learners as part of the University’s Rhagoriaith team said: “The immersive technology helps my students to engage in language learning in new and innovative ways. I still use my current methods of teaching in the classroom, but I use this technology to scaffold and support their development using simulation. For example, when learning how to navigate using Welsh language, students are introduced and practice using traditional methods in the classroom such as laminated prompt cards, then as part of formative assessment and as an innovative way to engage in the learning, they act as tour guides using Google Street View or other 360 environments.”
Laura Emmanuel of the University’s Centre for Teacher Education added: “ The Immersive Room has transformed our practice; allowing us to sit within a classroom collectively and discuss the children’s learning taking place, without imposing on any teaching. Our student teachers felt this immersive introduction into teaching gave them a full insight into the career ahead of them, and as lecturers we could support and guide this experience for them, within the comfort of the room.”
To mark the one-year anniversary of the Swansea Immersive room, the University’s Digital Experience and Engagement team are putting on an all-day drop-in session on Monday, March 18, between 10am – 4pm, showing the immersive technology on offer, including the other technologies such as VR/360 cameras and Drones.
The team will also be showing the bespoke content that has been created over the year and will give an insight of what content can be created to enhance teaching and learning.
Further Information
Rebecca Davies
Executive Press and Media Relations Officer
Corporate Communications and PR
Email: rebecca.davies@uwtsd.ac.uk
Phone: 07384 467071