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Laila Gamaleldin, April 2021
Background
Background
As part of my second project, I conducted a survey to get a general sense of VR knowledge, interest, and use on campus. Both faculty members and students were sent the survey.
Methods
Methods
The survey can be found here. There are slightly separate tracks for faculty and students, but the difference in questions is largely contextual (e.g. 'have you ever taken a VR class' vs. 'have you ever taught a VR class'). The survey was advertised on Today@Brown as well as on social media and to several classes, departmental groups, and research labs. A full spreadsheet of where the survey was sent out can be found here.
In total, 30 people filled the survey out. 21 were students and 9 were faculty members.
Results
Results
Student Results:
Student Results:
Average: 4, Median: 4
Average: 3.86, Median: 4
Note: participants were given the option to pick multiple choices here. This question was left optional so that only those who hadn't been would answer it. Due to technical errors, this question contains answers from 3 faculty members.
Note: participants were given the option to pick multiple choices here. This question was left optional so that only those who hadn't been would answer it. Due to technical errors, this question contains answers from 3 faculty members.
Courses listed by survey responders included:
CSCI 1290: Computational Photography
CSCI 1430: Computer Vision
LITR 0110D(?): Cave Writing
Use case: Immersive digital language arts
HMAN 1971S: Introduction to iPhone/iPad Moviemaking Using 3-D and 360 VR Comparisons
Use case: Viewing 3D and 360 VR media on iPhone
AMST 1903I: Museum Histories
Use case: Class trip to the YURT
MUSC 1205: Reality Remix
Use case: Class was dedicated to completing a semester-long project in which students had to create a fully immersive VR experience
None of the respondents used VR collaboratively or for data visualization in their classes.
Average: 3.71, Median: 4
Project and Class Ideas pitched by respondents:
Explaining 2D to 3D mapping in computer vision
Virtual discussions and lectures
Exploring datasets or multidimensional arrays
VR anatomy and dissections
Virtual labs
YURT field trips for intro CS classes
Visualizing structures and diagrams
Cognitive experiments for neuroscience research
More realistic remote learning
MCM screenings
Class readings in VR
VR for architecture classes (both for exploration and for design)
Using VR alongside lectures on perception and vision in CLPS classes
VR/AR live performances
Linking VR with brain-computer interface technology
Documenting Brown's campus in VR yearly to show how it changes over time
Faculty Results:
Faculty Results:
Departments Represented:
Computer Science
Neuroscience
English/Comparative Literature
Molecular & Cellular biology
Cogut Institute for the Humanities
Behavioral and Social Sciences
American Studies
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Visual Arts
Average: 4.11 , Median: 4
Average: 3.56 , Median: 4
Top reasons for not having gone to the YURT included:
Not having heard of it
Not knowing how to access it
Top reasons for not having gone to the CAVE included:
Not having heard of it
Not knowing how to access it
Use cases:
"museum possibilities"
Medical imaging, animation, collaboration in CS137
Note: due to a technical error, only 3 of the faculty participants were able to reach this question
Use cases:
"museum possibilities"
Viewing dinosaur and human track formation simulations, viewing skeletal animations
Use cases:
Viewing 3D and 360 VR media on iPhones
The one respondent who had used VR collaboratively wrote "Used Yurt with Laidlaw and his students, as well as remote colleagues by video"
The one respondent who used VR for data visualization wrote that they made "Discrete element method (DEM) simulations with animated anatomical models"
Potential VR use cases listed by faculty respondents included:
Experiment with virtual exhibitions or test designs for exhibitions
Primarily exploration of complex datasets, as well as some presentation to non-specialists
collaboration on an artistic project at the Cave or the YURT but not as interested in headset-based VR
Conclusion/Takeaways
Conclusion/Takeaways
Some key takeaways included:
There seems to be a disconnect between VR interest and knowledge of how to access and use VR. Generally speaking, it seems as though students tend to be more interested but have less knowledge and access whereas faculty members have more knowledge and access but comparatively less interest.
The YURT and CAVE seem to be known among faculty members but less so among students. One suggestion brought up by a responder was to take intro CS students on a trip to the YURT. This could be challenging logistically but could be a great opportunity to get students familiar with VR on campus and to have students see a real-world application of the CS knowledge they're gaining.
Although VR knowledge among faculty respondents seemed to be higher than among students, some faculty members still cited needing support for their VR ventures or not knowing where to go if they were to potentially want to take on a VR project for their class or research. One potential future project could be to set up a program like the Data Science Fellows program but for VR.
There are currently Creative Technology Assistant jobs that students can do which involve VR along with working at the YURT or CAVE. Although those are amazing positions and programs, it seems as though there is a population of students who would be interested in taking on such roles but that feel intimidated due to lack of knowledge. There is concurrently a population of faculty members and researchers who
One thing to note with these numbers and conclusions is that the number of respondents (21 students and 9 faculty members) represented only a tiny sliver of the Brown population. Although respondents come from a wide variety of backgrounds on campus, their experiences are still not representative of the Brown population at large. Only some Departmental Undergraduate groups dispersed the surveys, and so students from those departments were more likely to be represented in the sample. The same goes for the classes who gave it out. Members of those classes share some academic interests based on their being in the same course. Finally, it's likely that those who opted into taking the survey did so due to some prior interest or experience with VR, making it possible that the VR interest and experience captured by the survey is higher than that of the general Brown population.
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