UNLV has announced a strategic partnership with Dreamscape Learn to incorporate virtual reality (VR) into its STEM curriculum. This collaboration will establish an immersive learning facility at UNLV’s Lied Library by 2025, aimed at enhancing student engagement and success in introductory STEM courses. The 4,000-square-foot VR space will include a 16-seat immersive classroom and a free-roam pod, featuring content inspired by the creativity of the movie and theme park industries. The facility will offer realistic storytelling, visuals, sound effects, motion, lighting, and hands-on experiences, alongside a collaborative space for faculty and students to develop VR content.
UNLV President Keith E. Whitfield emphasized that this initiative is part of UNLV’s mission to better prepare students for specialized STEM careers, particularly through experiential learning that encourages intellectual curiosity and practical application of theoretical knowledge. The partnership seeks to replicate the success seen at Arizona State University (ASU), where the introduction of Dreamscape Learn’s VR technology led to significantly improved academic performance, especially among underrepresented student groups. Research at ASU showed that students using VR technology in introductory biology courses were nearly twice as likely to achieve A grades, with a median score of 96%.
Dreamscape Learn’s CEO Josh Reibel highlighted the potential of VR storytelling to boost student motivation and performance, addressing persistent gaps in STEM education.
The VR learning hub at UNLV will be funded through public and private donations and will complement other creative spaces in Lied Library, such as a patent and trademark office, a maker space with 3D printing, and a multimedia production facility.
This partnership marks UNLV as one of the first R1 research universities to explore high-tech interactive platforms for STEM education, aiming to set students up for early success in their college careers.
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