BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) \u2014 Learning at Kern Community Colleges is about to look very different. As part of a new push toward the future of education, artificial intelligence and virtual reality are being integrated into classroom instruction, giving students a more interactive, hands-on learning experience.<\/p>\n
Beginning this fall, professors across the Kern Community College District will start incorporating virtual reality headsets into their lesson plans. The goal is to boost student engagement and make complex subjects easier to understand through immersive technology.<\/p>\n
Todd Coston, Associate Vice Chancellor of Planning and Educational Technology for the district, says virtual reality allows students to step directly into their coursework rather than just read about it.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is an interactive narrative that leads you into the classwork,\u201d Coston said. \u201cThey get into the classroom, do their work, and they\u2019re excited to get back into the virtual reality lab.\u201d<\/p>\n
The idea was inspired by similar programs at Arizona State University, where data shows improved grades and higher levels of student engagement.<\/p>\n
\u201cStatistics are showing increases in grades and engagement because students are excited about it,\u201d Coston explained.<\/p>\n
Using the technology is simple\u2014students just put on a headset. During a demonstration, a short lesson appeared instantly, transporting students to new environments while they learned subjects like chemistry. In just 10 minutes, the experience felt more like a video game than a traditional lecture.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen students put on the headset, they feel like they\u2019re really there\u2014the vibration, the wind,\u201d Coston said. \u201cIt makes learning real.\u201d<\/p>\n
District leaders are now testing how virtual reality can be expanded across all Kern Community College campuses, including those in rural areas. Leo Ocampo, Director of Rural Initiatives, says the technology can give students access to experiences that would otherwise be out of reach.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can visit places that would normally cost thousands of dollars,\u201d Ocampo said. \u201cWith this mobile setup, students in rural communities can experience them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ocampo adds that virtual reality also helps educators reach students with different learning styles.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt helps us reach as many learning styles as possible,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
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