Immersive technologies - VR, AR and industry-grade tools - empower students to learn by doing.
While large universities are increasingly using augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and industry-grade tools and production processes to immerse students in new experiences for learning, research and career readiness, Campus Technology set out to understand where 2-year colleges and vocational programs are in their adoption of these new forms of technology. Although these smaller institutions are lagging in adoption, nearly half are already running pilots or in the planning phase.
While 2-year colleges are half as likely to implement immersive technologies than larger schools, they're more likely to be running pilots. Still, over a third of 2-year institutions have no plans to use immersive tech at all.
When 2-year colleges do use digital reality, it's most likely to be AR over VR (41% vs. 21%). However, among 2-year colleges that are in the planning process, VR tops AR (40% vs. 24%).
2/3 cite:
lack of funding
1/3 cite:
lack of faculty training
lack of faculty interest
... but new AR and VR experiences for education are being introduced every week - and much of it is free!
0% Developed by college
0% Developed from various sources online
0% Produced as open education resources
0% Produced by traditional publisher
Oftentimes, immersive learning experiences require dedicated space.
Here's what's in the college floor plan...
Have 52% |
Plan 36% |
Collaborative spaces | Have 71% |
Plan 16% |
45% | 30% | Makerspace | 35% | 28% |
36% | 33% | Active learning classroom | 62% | 25% |
18% | 24% | Innovation zone | 30% | 30% |
3% | 33% | Visualization lab | 34% | 28% |
18% | 12% | Incubation lab | 23% | 28% |
0% | 6% | Cave automatic virtual environment (CAVE) | 14% | 16% |
10 ideas suggested by our IT and education professionals if budget, resources and support were no object: