Integrating VR into your classroom can enhance learning experiences, foster engagement, and inspire curiosity. Use these guidelines to make your VR sessions safe, effective, and easy to manage.
Choose Appropriate Content: Select VR software that aligns with your lesson objectives. Review available programs before adding them to your curriculum to ensure they suit your students' learning needs. Resources like Bodyswaps and VictoryXR are excellent educational tools and offer immersive content tailored for student engagement.
Bodyswaps: Bodyswaps VR is an immersive training platform that uses virtual role-play to develop soft skills, allowing users to practice communication, empathy, and critical thinking in realistic scenarios.
VXRLabs by VictoryXR: VXRLabs is a VR platform designed for immersive education, offering virtual classrooms, science labs, interactive field trips and more. The software offers simulations covering subjects like biology, history, space exploration, criminal justice and much more.
Learn more about Bodyswaps and VictoryXR in additional sections of this LibGuide.
Hardware Set-Up Time: Quest for Business (the mobile device management system installed on all library headsets) will automatically walk students through how to set up their headset - adjust head straps, lenses, and settings. This process should take no longer than 5–10 minutes. Planning for this extra time will help students feel at ease and minimize distractions once the lesson begins.
Prepare the Classroom: VR experiences are more enjoyable and safer with sufficient space. Aim to provide at least 5’ x 5’ per device, ensuring students have ample room to move without bumping into desks or walls. While VR can be used seated or standing, standing is often preferable for mobility and immersion. Test your intended program in advance to determine which position works best for your specific lesson.
Use VR in Pairs: Running VR sessions in pairs or small groups can streamline setup time and foster teamwork when it aligns with your learning objectives. Pairing students reduces the number of devices in use and encourages collaboration, discussion, and shared learning, making the experience more interactive and impactful.
Reflection and Discussion: Setting time aside after a VR session for group discussion can help students process what they’ve experienced, connect it to the lesson’s objectives, and learn from each other’s insights. Group discussions can deepen understanding and encourage critical thinking about the content they’ve explored.
Consider Screen Casting: Use screencasting to enhance group learning. Most library-borrowed VR devices allow casting to nearby TVs or projectors, enabling the entire class to view what one student (or teacher) is experiencing. Screencasting encourages group discussions and peer feedback, adding an additional layer of engagement.
See the ‘Screen Casting’ section of this LibGuide for more information.
Ensure Devices are Charged: Devices borrowed from the library are typically pre-charged, but it’s a good idea to double-check. Make sure each VR device is connected to its USB cable within the charging cart and that the cart itself has been plugged into a wall outlet for at least two hours. This quick check helps avoid disruptions and ensures all devices are ready for uninterrupted use.
Clean and Charge: A quick cleaning can go a long way! If time allows, clean the headsets to maintain hygiene and prepare for the next use. Use alcohol wipes to remove smudges from the lenses and a non-corrosive cleaner (such as Windex or Simple Green) on the headset body. Encourage students to return devices to the cart and connect them to USB charging cables when finished. If you have time before returning the cart to the library, plug it into the wall for 1-2 hours to help ensure everything is ready for the next group.