Transforming higher education using WebVR: a case study

Abstract

The transformation of education through emerging technologies has been an imperative due to the pandemic of COVID-19, which has forced higher education institutions to propose strategies to provide better experiences for their students. The objective of this research was to identify the challenges and opportunities of using WebVR tools for the development of academic activities, with the intention of interpreting how these technological tools are combined with educational practices among teachers and students. The context was placed in an activity of a graduate level course in online format, in a private higher education institution in Mexico. A qualitative study was conducted with a case study design to account for the perception of the participants regarding the value of the user experience, the analysis of the integrated tools and the contribution of this WebVR tool to the development of competencies in educational practice. The results show that if the technical requirements and a basic level of appropriation of digital competencies are met, including this type of emerging technology will bring benefits to the educational practice, such as the development of transversal and disciplinary competencies, improvement of interaction and socialization of participants, as well as motivation by incorporating playful elements.