Virtual Reality: Bringing the Awe of Our Science into The Classroom with VR

The geosciences are rich in imagery, making them compelling material for immersive teaching experiences. We often work in remote locations, places where few others are able to travel. Flat 2 D images from the field have served explorers and scientists well from the lantern slides brought back from Antarctica to the images scientists and educators now use in powerpoint presentations. These images provide a backdrop to introduce the experience for formal classes and informal presentations. Our stories from the field bring the setting alive for the participants. The travelers presented and the audience passively listened. Immersive learning opportunities are much more powerful than lecturing. We have enlisted both VR and drone imagery to bring learners fully into the experience of science. A 360 VR image brings the viewer into the moment of discovery. Both have been shown to create an active learning setting fully under the learner's control; they explore at their own pace and following their own interest. This learning `sticks', becoming part of the participant's own unique experience in the space. We are building VR images of field experiences and VR data immersion experiences that will transport people into new locations, building a field experience that they can not only see but fully explore. Through VR we introduce new experiences that showcase our science, our careers and our collaborations. Users can spin the view up to see the helicopter landing in a remote field location by the ice. Spin to the right and see a colleague collecting a reading from instruments that have been pulled from the LC130 aircraft. Turn the view to the left and see the harsh windswept environment along the edge of an ice shelf. Look down and note that you feet are encased in snow boots to keep them warm and stable on the ice. The viewer is in the field as part of the science team. Learning in the classroom and through social media is now fully 360 and fully immersive.