Enabling Student Innovation through Virtual Reality Development
This addresses the problem of keeping computer science education relevant for students in a rapidly evolving tech landscape, though it is incremental in applying existing project-based methods to VR.
The paper tackles the challenge of integrating emerging technologies like Virtual Reality (VR) into slower-moving computer science curricula by using student-led VR projects to teach basic concepts, resulting in increased student engagement, learning, creativity, and inspiration for more students to try VR development.
It is clear, from the major press coverage that Virtual Reality (VR) development is garnering, that there is a huge amount of development interest in VR across multiple industries, including video streaming, gaming and simulated learning. Even though PC, web, and mobile are still the top platforms for software development, it is important for university computer science (CS) programs to expose students to VR as a development platform. Additionally, it is important for CS students to learn how to learn about new technologies, since change is constant in the CS field. CS curriculum changes happen much slower than the pace of technology adoption. As new technologies are introduced, CS faculty and students often learn together, especially in smaller CS programs. This paper describes how student-led VR projects are used, across the CS curriculum, as basic CS concepts are covered. The student-led VR projects are engaging, and promote learning and creativity. Additionally, each student project inspires more students to try their hand at VR development as well.