New grant supports VR headsets, new learning opportunities in Health Promotion & Behavior

The University of Georgia College of Public Health Department of Health Promotion & Behavior has received a grant to expand its use of technology in the classroom, enhancing students’ learning experiences.

The grant funded the purchase of five virtual reality (VR) headsets and two new computers, that can be used to develop custom applications for specific courses, edit 360-degree videos and more.

George Mois, Ph.D.

“Primarily, we’re interested in how an immersive experience can support learning outcomes,” said George Mois, an assistant professor in the Department of Health Promotion & Behavior. “This gives students a more hands-on experience in cases in which going out to the community may be more challenging.”

Mois, along with a committee of other college faculty and students, is developing strategies to leverage VR in the classroom and identify opportunities to utilize this technology across degree programs and courses, while exploring expanded options in the future.

One example is gerontology students learning to observe living spaces and noting potential safety hazards. This is typically done through photos or two-dimensional videos, especially in early coursework. But by replacing two-dimensional media with 360° videos and interactive simulations, students can develop deeper comprehension and retain concepts more effectively.

“If you look at photos of an older adult’s home, you’re only getting a lump perspective,” Mois said. “With VR, you can analyze things piece-by-piece. Is the table too close to the couch, or is the rug a potential tripping hazard? You can better identify how a home could be restructured to better support aging in place.”

In other health courses, students will be able to experience 3D models with an in-depth look at human anatomy and the physiological impacts of different habits, such as smoking or alcohol. It is also a low stakes way to practice how to effectively engage with community when students may feel reticent to do so, particularly in settings that are unfamiliar or with populations with whom they don’t typically work.

“This provides students with opportunities to engage in activities beyond traditional classroom instruction, both in person and in online learning environments,” said Lucy Annang Ingram, Department Head of Health Promotion & Behavior and UGA Foundation Professor of Human Health. “It can be used to enhance relevant health promotion and public health skills and subsequent employment opportunities and can expand the breadth, depth, and flexibility of learning opportunities within CPH”.

“An added benefit of VR headsets”, Mois said, “is that they create an interactive, but still enclosed, environment.”

“One of the great things about virtual reality that makes it stand out from other technologies, is that it truly positions someone in a space that is shared with another individual, and it’s fairly free of distractions,” Mois said.

Looking ahead, the committee plans to pilot additional interdisciplinary modules, refine custom applications, leverage commercial applications, and scale the program based on faculty interest. With VR headsets already in hand and more content under development, the campus is poised to become a leader in immersive education.

“Virtual reality provides an opportunity to expand the classroom experience into more immersive practices and providing a more in-depth approach for students to have more realistic experience of what they’re learning in the textbook,” Mois said. “We’re bringing those things to life through virtual reality.”

“In public health, we serve a diverse group of students who have different learning needs, interests and capabilities,” said Ingram. “Using immersive technology is a way to innovate in the student learning space all the while training future health promotion professionals.”

By Erica Techo