Aalto Online Learning - Online Hybrid Lab

360° boosts students experience

In this short article we discuss the importance of students' experience and give you a few more reasons to include 360 environments in your teaching practice.

Educators sometimes ask what is the added value of using 360° learning environments in teaching. One great advantage is the change in student's perception as they are involved in learning activities. 360° learning environments enable participants to experience the unique atmosphere of an authentic setting. Furthermore, 360° learning environments can be enhanced with real-life sounds or music of your choice.

Students can explore the 360° environment at their own pace. It is possible to take a break and return to the environment as many times as needed. That gives students flexibility and control over their learning practice. Being able to immerse in an interesting or exotic environment can have a positive impact on motivation.

Waterfall in Karkkila

Access to 360° learning environments

To maintain a great student's experience in a 360° learning space, it is crucial to think about how it will be accessed. Make it easy to access for your students. There are a few ways for your students to access a 360° environment:

They use a smartphone or another handheld device. No specialised app is needed, only an internet connection. It might be the least immersive experience for a student among all we mention since a smartphone screen is rather small.
They use a laptop or PC. This is a handy way to use all possible functions designed in a 360° learning environment. Students can easily use the browser to move around in the virtual space and click on materials to interact with them.
Students can use a VR headset and joysticks. Usually, those tools are accessible in VR hubs, universities, or even libraries. Access to a 360° environment with VR tools gives a student the most immersive experience, but naturally, those tools are not that common. You must also be aware that there might be functions available in 360° software that are not compliant with VR headsets.

Remember that not all students have access to a VR headset or a laptop. Design your space so it supports the access to all features you build into your learning environment with mobile phone and laptop.