Beyond the known
DETAILS
Final Research Project (Individual),
Oct 2024-Present
Tools used
OVERVIEW
What if learning weren’t about giving out the right answers, but began from your imagination?
In a world obsessed with grades, outcomes, and productivity, this VR experience tries to reimagine learning topics like science and technology as an open, creative journey; one rooted in wonder, imagination, and self-discovery.
Drawing on personal educational experiences, this project becomes an alternative space to the rigid academic systems.This project is an embodiment to this vision of the future, where immersive technology helps nurturing creativity in areas like science and technology.
Currently it is in a working prototype phase. Planning to build it further and launch it on platforms like Quest store, SteamVR.
Opportunity Identification
Learning has been evolving based on technological advancements. Every new technology comes with new opportunities; therefore, a new opportunity to innovate. The literature research began with reviewing all learning theories at one place and understanding which approaches could make sense along with the emerging technologies.
Research
The research question I wanted to explore was:
How can we create novel learning experiences that can be afforded by the use of VR in teaching STEM subjects in museum settings to promote scientific creativity?
I refined my research by looking at VR-specific learning and pedagogies, and the final ideation was based on this analysis.
After ideation, I started with the basic outline of the selected idea, a VR learn and build gallery, with lessons telling about the evolving understanding of a topic (STEM-related topics like planets, dinosaurs, etc) and then leading you to build your reimagination (eg, your imagined dinosaur, your imagined planet, etc.)
IDeation
Testing the idea
I tested the idea on paper by showing participants how scientific understanding of dinosaurs had evolved. Using skeleton outlines, participants were invited to draw their interpretations, creatively extending the historical reconstructions. The engagement potential of this idea was quite high, with suggestions for music, social VR and better environment design.
final Output
User journey: Lesson 1- Reimagining dinosaurs
5. Lastly, the user can draw in 3D their peculiar features on their created dinosaur (eg. horns, feathers etc).
The final creation comes to life and joins the other created dinosaurs.
4. The user can choose things like fat/muscle, skin colour, skin type, etc just like we create game characters. Meanwhile the system teaches related things (eg bright colour means dinosaur from tropical region)
3. In the”Build” stage, the user starts with selecting the skeleton which they want to work with.
2. The lesson starts with an immersive animation and a voiceover where the user learns about the concepts
1. The user walks around in the environment and starts a lesson
The final outcome is a Virtual reality experience as a multi-island floating world where each “island” represents a themed lesson grounded in real science.
Each lesson is based around uncovering lesser-known but interesting aspects of scientific concepts. . From reimagining dinosaurs not just as giant lizards but as feathered, fast-moving creatures, to imagining the atmospheres and life forms on distant exoplanets, the experience invites playful speculation grounded in real science.
Vision forward
This VR experience could go beyond gaming platforms to science events and museums, and later become casual infotainment as VR goes mainstream. I wouldn’t put it in school curriculums, though; learning should be pressure-free.
I plan to add a social VR aspect where people can gather, share creations, and collaborate. In the future, it could grow into a platform where creators post their own lessons as new islands.
_gif.gif)
