Matt Ramirez, futures senior innovation developer at Jisc, a not-for-profit organization that supports education and research, shares several examples of how augmented reality is being used in education in the UK. In one example, medical students, trainee surgeons, and the general public were able to view the first virtual reality, 360-degree operation. The surgery, taking place at Royal London Hospital, was streamed live using multiple specialist cameras placed above the operating table. In another example, a team from the University of São Paulo and Duke University developed an immersive and interactive virtual environment that simulates an archeological site. Since it can be difficult to give students access to sensitive archaeological sites, the virtual environment acted as a “realistic, interactive 3D space that supports research and exploration.”
At UBC, a Geography course is using augmented reality field trips to create immersive and flexible learning experiences for students. UBC Studios has also created a virtual reality lab for faculty and staff to try emerging technologies.