Virtual Reality (VR) is often hailed as the future of education, but currently, teachers face challenges in accessing this innovative ecosystem. Addressing this issue, a team of researchers from IIT-Kharagpur embarked on developing a 360-degree VR educator platform.
Kaushal Kumar Bhagat, Assistant Professor at the Advanced Technology Development Centre, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, highlighted the core problem: teachers relying on others for creating immersive content. The goal was to empower educators by providing them with a no-code 360-degree VR platform.
The inspiration for this platform arose during the pandemic when online classes lacked the desired interaction. Bhagat expressed concerns about the effectiveness of online learning, emphasizing the need for a more collaborative and engaging environment.
VR, with its ability to offer interactive and immersive learning experiences through three-dimensional environments, was identified as a solution. However, developing content for 360-degree VR experiences traditionally demands significant resources, including manpower, high-end workstations, and expensive VR headsets. Bhagat aimed to simplify this process from the outset.
Over 18 months, Bhagat and his team developed an open-source 360-degree VR platform tailored for educators. The uniqueness lies in its no-coding requirement, making it user-friendly and enabling the creation of new content in under 30 minutes.
The platform operates on Android but is compatible with desktops. By leveraging the widespread use of smartphones and affordable VR headsets, such as Google Cardboard, the platform enables students, even in remote areas, to visualize school-taught concepts. The emphasis is on accessibility, ensuring that students, regardless of their location, can experience VR firsthand.
Teachers using the platform can easily develop VR content by following simple instructions, incorporating audio, quizzes, or gamification elements to enhance the learning experience.
Bhagat has conducted workshops to train school teachers on creating immersive educational content using the 360 VR educator platform. The platform has received support from the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT).
With funding from the Commonwealth of Learning (COL), the next phase involves taking the 360 VR Educator platform beyond India, potentially benefiting teachers in the 54 member states of the COL. This initiative aims to provide educators with a novel means of bridging the gap between theory and practice using VR technology.
