By Yiren Kong Educational Research & Grant Development Specialist yiren.kong@stonybrook.edu
Virtual reality (VR), characterized by its immersive experiences and interactive capabilities within virtual environments, has the ability to enhance educational experiences. The unique characteristics of VR and the availability of low-budget VR headsets in recent years signal great potential in using VR as a learning tool on a large(r) scale to help students learn effectively. Additionally, the growing popularity of VR in everyday lives speaks to a need to provide opportunities for students to familiarize themselves with VR at school.
Inspired by and building upon these premises, the Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT) at Stony Brook University has held a series of hands-on VR workshops over the past year to showcase the possibilities of using VR in higher education classrooms as an alternative learning option. This series of professional development events have been well received by faculty and staff members across both east and west campuses. Many have expressed interest in continuing the conversation with us and exploring feasible ways to integrate VR into their classrooms. Reflections on these events and discussions with different stakeholders has revealed the importance of helping faculty and staff members to have a deeper and more comprehensive grasp of VR, which could help them in make an informed decision about whether and how they will use VR as an optional learning tool to facilitate their students’ learning experiences.
Our VR studio is a great space for those looking to learn more about VR/AR in the classroom.
In order to familiarize faculty and staff members with VR as an effective learning option, CELT has made multiple efforts. In addition to offering workshops and collaborating with interested faculty members on research and grant projects centered around the theme of VR, CELT also just soft-launched a VR studio in Harriman Hall after working on the space for more than half a year. This VR studio serves as a collaborative space for faculty members to work closely with experienced instructional designers and educational researchers at CELT to develop VR learning activities.
The CELT VR studio features two VR stations which present two very different VR solutions and experiences. The first station is powered by an HTC VIVE and a gaming PC which is capable of providing a highly visual and immersive experience. The second station features a Meta Quest 2, which is an all-in-one headset that offers affordability, convenience, and accessibility. Different from the HTC VIVE, Meta Quest 2 does not need to be connected with a computer at all and can run VR applications by itself. Besides, the price for a Meta Quest 2 is much lower than an HTC VIVE, at the cost of lower graphic quality and performance.
Headsets such as the Meta Quest series have made VR more accessible to those who are interested.
Empirical research has pointed out that VR, when being used appropriately in a suitable learning environment, could help with both learning experience and outcomes. Moreover, integrating VR in classrooms could help mitigate digital divide and enable upward social mobility for underrepresented students in this digital age. If you are interested in developing a VR learning activity and try out in your classroom, or if you just simply want to learn more about VR, feel free to come and work with us in the newly launched CELT VR studio (appointment needed).
By Luis Colon Instructional Designer luis.colon@stonybrook.edu
Last month, members of CELT traveled to Buffalo, New York to attend the SUNY Conference on Instructional Technology (CIT) hosted by the University at Buffalo to participate in the event as well as present some of the work that we have been doing. The CIT conference started in 1992 and since has provided faculty and instructional support professionals a space to share their experiences, delve into common issues, work towards finding solutions, and explore the many innovative avenues that allow instructors to enhance the learning environment through the use of technology.
The theme of this year’s conference was: Creating Inclusive Innovation in Higher Education, and showcased engaging sessions from faculty and instructional support professionals focusing on topics such as course design, assessment strategies, artificial intelligence (AI), immersive technologies, and more. In addition to these sessions, there were also exhibits from sponsors including D2L, Lumen Learning, and Respondus, as well as other exhibitors showcasing products and other technologies that could be used in the classroom to enhance the learning experience as well as increase engagement.
The University at Buffalo was a great location for this year’s CIT 2024 conference.
During the conference, we presented at two different sessions. Our first session, Critical Conversation on Generative AI, focused on our response to the boom of AI tools to support teaching and learning in college classes at Stony Brook University. The session opened with the CELT AI Timeline, illustrating how CELT started with collaborations with the academic integrity office. CELT proactively communicated to the SBU faculty about the best practices on generative AI in their classrooms and provided ongoing support and training sessions. We stay abreast on the latest AI tools and explore the benefits, challenges, and potential use cases with interested faculty members at Stony Brook University. During the past one-and-a-half-year period, CELT hosted 22 AI events with 1,110 Attendees. The AI panel discussion series covers topics like academic integrity, AI best practices, AI ethics, student perspectives, creative AI in art education, AI, and research. Monthly AI talk sessions allow faculty to ask questions and share their experience. Generative AI in Higher Education workshop series focuses on AI tools training, AI guidelines, assessment redesign, and ethical and practical AI usage for teaching and learning.
Ultimately, as AI tools continued to develop and become more capable it became clear that we would need to expand our offerings to meet the needs and demands of interested stakeholders which we have done over the past year.
During the second half of the session, we opened up the floor to respond to questions for the audience to join the discussion and share their thoughts. The audience shared both valuable insights and ideas regarding AI usage as well as valid concerns regarding the capabilities and rapid growth of the technology. We shared resources at the end of the session and were able to speak to some of the audience members who had additional questions or were interested in continuing the conversation.
Our second session, Exploring VR Applications in College Classes – An SBU Showcase, focused on the applications of virtual reality (VR) of faculty members at Stony Brook University. They explored the capabilities of these types of tools and how they can fit into their course goals and enhance their overall instruction. We began by discussing how the effective utilization of VR can positively impact teaching and learning and discussed specific tools that provide diverse experiences in VR that can be incorporated into any course. This included 360° photo and video, WebXR tools such as FrameVR, and immersive VR tools used in simulation-based learning. We then discussed our collaborations with faculty and staff members at the university and how they are currently using or planning to utilize VR in their courses. This included the work of Mark Lang from the School of Marine and Atmospheric Science (SoMAS), Dr. Guleed Ali from the Department of Geosciences, Dr. Carol Carter from the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and Dr. Gary Marr from the Department of Philosophy in collaboration with Paul St. Dennis from the Department of Information Technology (DoIT). Then Dr. Guleed Ali presented via Zoom on VR virtual field trips as an inclusive pedagogy strategy in his Geoscience class.
The second part of our session was a hands-on immersive showcase, audience members could try on some of the VR applications we discussed. We set up three stations with Meta Quest headsets where audience members could see firsthand the diverse use cases of VR technology in the higher ed learning environment and familiarize themselves with working in VR. This also allowed us the opportunity to speak with audience members about their experiences with VR in the classroom, how they may be using VR in innovative and exciting new ways, and how they would like to be using VR in the classroom in the future.
CIT2024 was a great opportunity to gather insights and explore technology in teaching and learning!
The experience of attending and presenting sessions at CIT in Buffalo this year was an exciting and informative experience for our team. It was great to network and collaborate with other colleagues in teaching and learning more about the future of technology in our discipline. Our team returned with many great ideas and approaches that we are excited to implement in our own work.
By Luis Colon
Instructional Designer
luis.colon@stonybrook.edu
On April 12th, the Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching held their annual Teaching and Learning Symposium. Over the years, the event has allowed educators, researchers, administrators, and more to come together to discuss various aspects of teaching and learning as well as celebrate teaching and learning practices and initiatives at Stony Brook University. The central theme of the day was Innovative Pedagogy which was at the center of conversations and various learning experiences held throughout the day. The theme illustrates the importance of finding new and exciting ways to engage with and include students in the academic environment as well as empowering students to pursue lifelong learning. Close to 100 faculty members, graduate students, staff, and administrators attended the day-long event held in Ballroom A of the Student Activities Center.
The event opened with words from Dr. Carl Lejuez, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, and then led into the keynote event of the day. Dr. Marsha Lovett presented an interactive workshop on innovative teaching and how practice and feedback can be an impactful practice in the classroom. Dr. Lovett is the Vice Provost for Teaching & Learning Innovation at Carnegie Mellon University as well as a Teaching Professor of Psychology and former director of the Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence and Educational Innovation. Her passion for combining teaching and research is illustrated in the book How Learning Works, which has been translated into multiple languages and is now in its second edition with the new subtitle: How Learning Works: Eight Research-Based Principles for Smart Teaching.
Dr. Marsha Lovett delivered an informative and engaging keynote workshop.
The workshop focused on the importance of incorporating opportunities for students to engage in “deliberate practice” where they are challenged appropriately and focus on clear and specific goals. These opportunities allow for observed performance where students would be able to receive targeted feedback that they would be able to use to improve their skills and apply in further practice. To provide targeted feedback, Dr. Lovett recommended incorporating rubrics into assignments as a grading tool where criteria for success is outlined and to remind students to utilize the rubric before, during, and after working on the assignment.
To address the concern of allowing students to practice often without having a huge amount of grading, Dr. Lovett suggested incorporating opportunities for students to engage in active learning. She touched on many different examples of active learning strategies from shorter tasks to whole-class activities which provide students the opportunity to not only practice applying important skills but also allows students to receive feedback through the explanations of concepts and discussions that spark from active learning in the classroom.
Dr. Lovett closed with a discussion on how to provide effective SPACE (Specific, Prioritized, Actionable, Constructive, Expedient) feedback in a manner that is not only easy but also efficient and applicable to courses of all types and sizes. Her suggestions included framing your feedback in relation to your overall learning goals, highlighting priorities in the work, providing class-wide feedback on common pitfalls and errors, and developing a “key” or collection of frequently used comments to use during grading.
Following the keynote session were breakout sessions where Stony Brook University faculty and staff delivered sessions focusing on four different tracks highlighting major topics in teaching and learning today including Course Design, Student Engagement, Virtual Experiences, and Artificial Intelligence (AI). There were three breakout sessions where attendants had the opportunity to either stick to one particular track or attend sessions on different topics of interest. Faculty presenters from across both campuses discussed practical approaches and strategies to implement in classes and recounted their own observations with these innovative teaching practices.
Faculty and staff participated in learning sessions and activities throughout the all-day event.
The 2024 Teaching and Learning Symposium was an exciting event that provided an open forum for faculty, TAs, and staff to engage in discourse related to teaching and learning with their colleagues. From using generative AI as a “junk generator” and having students critique its outputs to effective practices to foster inclusivity in the classroom environment, this event addressed many facets of teaching and learning to help students feel welcomed, engaged, and appropriately challenged in their coursework and overall experience at Stony Brook University.
If you would like to learn more about how to make your courses effective, engaging, relevant, and inclusive, you can purchase a copy of How Learning Works: Eight Research-Based Principles for Smart Teachingby Dr. Marsha Lovettat this Amazon link. Linked below is the Google Collaborative Note-Taking Document from the day’s events to catch up with session materials and notes from the various sessions offered.
As a creative writing and literature teacher, I find myself in a unique position, having grown up in India and now teaching undergraduate students at Stony Brook University. My first language, Hindi, gifts me with a strong Indian accent when I speak English, and I fear that my words may be misunderstood by my students. At times, I worry that some students may wonder why an Indian woman is teaching Creative Writing & Literature in English. To address these concerns, I’ve designed a more inclusive syllabus that features stories and essays from writers of different countries, races, and backgrounds. My course, “Everyone has a story, let’s find yours,” helps students explore their voice through writing and tell their important stories. In class, we read stories from all over the world, including translated texts. Over time, I’ve realized that good stories don’t need to be written in a specific language to be considered good. The best stories transcend language and vocabulary limitations.
Students used MuBaBaO blocks to build and brainstorm their ideas for their stories.
In our class discussions about Arundhati Roy’s essay, “What is the morally appropriate language to think & write?” my students have diverse opinions. They often relate to the idea that we’re not always understood by even people who speak the same language as us. Surprisingly, about a quarter of the class is multilingual. They’re amazed when I share that the language of storytelling is not as crucial as evoking universal emotions and interest.
To overcome language barriers in storytelling, I introduced wooden blocks from MuBaBaO into our creative journey. Originating from Poland, these wooden blocks, also known as creative thinking blocks, were brought to us by the distinguished storyteller Michal Malinowski, who uses them in his own classroom while teaching undergraduate students at the University of Krakow. Prior to that, Michal employed these blocks with war refugees from Ukraine, who found it easier to articulate their experiences using building blocks rather than struggling with broken words and sentences. In Michal’s own words, ‘the blocks serve as a vehicle for storytelling, an instrument to make sense out of the chaos and create something out of nothing.’
When used in my class, the blocks sparked my students’ imagination. They built intricate structures like spaceships, bicycles, basketball courts, carriages, and houses. Each creation had a unique story behind it, reflecting the individuality of its creator. Even reserved students opened up and shared their creations. This exercise went beyond storytelling; it became a form of problem-solving and an exercise in critical thinking and communication. It reminded me that stories have historically been a way to address complex challenges. What’s remarkable is the impact these blocks have beyond the classroom. They create a means for interaction and collaborative artwork within the community.
MuBaBaO blocks helped students think creatively and solve problems during the writing process.
Exploratory studies with similar blocks showed that they can help learners understand course concepts, experience group dynamics, and build communication skills (Allen et al., 2009, Auvinen et al., 2013, Rick et al., 2005, Roos et al., 2004, Roos et al., 2018, Peabody et al., 2018). This visual approach to storytelling engages participants in dynamic and multi-layered exercises, fostering creative thinking, spatial intelligence, and effective communication. It adds depth by requiring participants to narrate a story related to their creation, including considering solutions to real-world challenges. These blocks can act as a universal language, uniting people from diverse backgrounds through the shared language of imagination and expression. They can also be applied in various fields to enhance organizational and leadership skills. Together, we can embark on a journey of discovery and growth, learning to appreciate the depth and power of storytelling beyond spoken words, and embracing the beauty of diverse voices in literature.
References:
Allen, S. J. and Hartman, N. S. (2009), “Sources of learning in student leadership development programming”, Journal of Leadership Studies, Vol. 3, No. 3, pp. 6-16. https://doi.org/10.1002/jls.20119
Auvinen, T., Aaltio, I. and Blomqvist, K. (2013), “Constructing leadership by storytelling- the meaning of trust and narrative”, Leadership and Organization Development Journal, Vol. 34, No. 6, pp. 496-514. https://doi.org/10.1108/LODJ-10-2011-0102
Rick, J., & Lamberty, K. K. (2005). Medium-based design: Extending a medium to create an exploratory learning environment. Interactive Learning Environments, 13(3), 179–212. https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820500401883
Roos, J., & Victor, B. (2018). How It All Began: The Origins Of LEGO® Serious Play®. International Journal of Management and Applied Research, 326–343. https://doi.org/10.18646/2056.54.18-025
Peabody, M. A., & Turesky, E. F. (2018). Shared leadership lessons: Adapting LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® in higher education. International Journal of Management and Applied Research, 5(4), 210-223.
By Yiren Kong, Ph.D. Postdoctoral Associate yiren.kong@stonybrook.edu
How will human beings ultimately choose to harness the power of ChatGPT and AI?
You have probably heard the word ChatGPT thrown around recently. It is the new trending artificial intelligence (AI) tool that can do a lot of things. One of the most well known features of ChatGPT is to produce content based on the prompt you give to it. As an example, I asked ChatGPT to write a poem about Stony Brook University and here is what it composed:
Beneath the sun and sky so blue, Stands Stony Brook, a sight to see. Where knowledge grows, and dreams take flight, A place where students shine so bright.
With halls of learning, and fields of green, A place where one’s true self is seen. Where diversity and inclusivity thrive, And the future is shaped by those who arrive.
From science to arts, and engineering too, Stony Brook has something for me and you. With professors who inspire and guide, And opportunities that cannot be denied.
A place of growth, and a place of pride, Stony Brook is where we reside. With memories made and friendships true, Stony Brook, we’ll always carry you.
Pretty impressive, right? So what is ChatGPT exactly? ChatGPT is an AI Chatbot developed by the company OpenAI. It was released in November 2022. GPT stands for Generative Pre-training Transformer. Essentially, ChatGPT is a large language model (LLM) which relies on the probability distribution of word sequences. Simply put, ChatGPT is trained with a large amount of text inputs, as explained in this video. It summarizes, predicts, and generates new information based on the information that was given. It is smart enough to not use nonsensical or grammatically incorrect word sequences (due to low probability) and instead to produce content that is more human-like.
ChatGPT is indeed a critical step forward for AI and technology. However, what does it mean for higher education? Is it easier for students to cheat on assignments and exams now? I believe a lot of us are worried about the impact of ChatGPT and AI on education.
A recent study published by professor Christian Terwiesch at the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School documented how well GPT-3, an earlier version of ChatGPT, could do in the final exam for one of the courses in the school’s MBA program. It turned out that GPT-3 performed pretty well on certain questions and not so well on others. Surprisingly, GPT-3 made mistakes on simple calculations while perfectly answering more complex questions such as those on process analysis. In the meantime, GPT-3 showed the ability to learn and adapt. Once GPT-3 was given more hints by the instructors, it was able to rectify the once incorrect answers. In the end, GPT-3 was able to receive a B to B- grade on this exam.
Surely, there is a sense of uncertainty and fear when we face something that seems so shiny and powerful. But do educators need to panic yet? In my honest opinion, probably not. As we have learned so far, ChatGPT relies heavily on learned information. It can produce “original” content but that does not equal “original” thoughts. If we grow more mindful towards the assignments and exams that we design, asking questions that elicit more meaningful and sophisticated answers, it will be very difficult for ChatGPT or AI in general (in its current form) to follow. Meanwhile, the anti-cheating AI technology to detect what is created by AI is also developing and that will greatly help combat the misuse of technology like ChatGPT. In addition, having more learning activities that require personal communication (i.e., presentations, group work) will also offset the potential negative effects on learning that may be brought by AI technology.
On the other hand, the power of ChatGPT can also be used by instructors in various ways to enhance their teaching strategies. For example, ChatGPT can answer straightforward questions about basic course requirements for the instructors so they have more time to answer content questions. In other instances, instructors can use ChatGPT to generate prompts for classroom activities or use it with students to brainstorm.
So-called new technologies can push us to reassess what we are doing and why. For example, there is an interesting quote by Socrates in the Phaedrus (274b-277a). Plato mentioned that his teacher once said, “[writing] will implant forgetfulness in their souls. They will cease to exercise memory because they rely on that which is written, calling things to remembrance no longer from within themselves, but by means of external marks.” But today, writing has become a routine and indispensable part of our life and helps us in numerous different ways. Similarly, let’s take a deep breath and take some time to truly understand what ChatGPT and AI means to us. After all, the most important thing is how we, the human beings, ultimately choose to harness the power of ChatGPT and AI.
Do you want to find out more? Do you have ideas for how to embrace or deter the use of ChatGPT as part of your teaching practice? Sign up for the CELT panel discussion: Trends and Tips: Assessment in the Classroom. Email CELT@StonyBrook.edu to sign up for our listserv and get the latest updates about this and more!
Why VR? Virtual Reality (VR) is a technology that allows a user to interact with a computer-simulated environment, which can be either a simulation of the real world or an imaginary world (Mandal, 2013). The particular features of VR are immersion, interactivity, and presence (Lin, 2020) .
To be more precise, there are four virtual technologies, Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), Mixed Reality (MR), and Extended Reality (XR). Here are some brief descriptions:
VR implies a complete immersion experience that shuts out the physical world.
In the MX experience, which combines elements of both AR and VR, real-world and digital objects interact.
XR is an umbrella term that covers AR, VR, and MR. Often the term XR is used interchangeably with VR to describe the above-mentioned technology.
CELTT can work with you to design your VR project based on learning objectives and subject matter, provide tutorials, and integrate VR components with your Brightspace course.
In recent years, Meta introduced the more affordable headset, Oculus Quest 2, which makes it feasible for higher education institutions to use VR in their classrooms, online or onsite. VR can improve student engagement, social interaction, community building, immersive learning, group activity, and inclusiveness. Many universities have already used VR for lab simulations, virtual field trips, virtual museums, language learning sessions, creative studios, and online avatar-based activities. Research shows using VR in higher education can be beneficial and when well-implemented, can support student engagement and success (Majchrzak et al., 2022). The immersive VR learning experiences can spark student interest, motivation, and engagement (Flynn & Frost, 2021).
The 2022 Global Market Report on Virtual Reality in Education indicates VR in the education market is projected to increase from $6.37 billion in 2021 to $8.66 billion in 2022. (Virtual Reality In Education Global Market Report 2022, n.d.). The growing demand for immersive learning for students shows an increasing interest in adding VR into college classrooms.
CELT’s Pick
In the beginning of Fall 2022, the Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT) held a VR open house titled “Teaching Tips and Treats with CELT: Immersive VR demo,” in which we showcased four VR tools that we handpicked, and provided our audience with the chance to try them out in person. Here is a summary of the four VR tools.
Quick and Easy Solution for Virtual Field Trip – 360° ° photos
The first and easiest one to implement is the 360° photo. This technology has been around for a while, and the equipment (360° camera) and hosting platform are readily available and affordable. The 360° video creates an immersive static learning environment for students, ideal for demo classrooms, museums, labs, art galleries, campuses, or any worldwide location. The instructor can take a 360° photo and upload it to a web platform, and share the link with students easily. There are also existing 360° photo resources available, like 360° cities. Students access the web link through a web browser using their computers or tablets/phones or view it with a VR headset. If you are interested in using it for your class, CELT would gladly help you capture your 360° photos and embed them into your Brightspace course.
Cross-platform 3D social learning space – Framevr.io
Framevr.io is like a 3D version of SecondLife; it is a cross-platform 3D space for VR headset users, computer users, and smartphone users. The frame is the easiest way to create an interactive virtual reality classroom. Instructors can demo their 3D models, upload files (videos, pdfs, slides, images, and audio), share their screens, stream their live lectures, use a collaborative whiteboard, add a poll, and chat via text or voice. It even has a live closed caption feature. Students can control their avatars to walk around, chat with other students, write on the whiteboard, and play basketball games with peers.
Mixed Reality 3D virtual design powerhouse – Gravity Sketch
Gravity Sketch is an intuitive 3D design platform for cross-disciplinary teams to create, collaborate, and review in an entirely new way. It integrates images & 3D assets with textures and materials. The app works cross-platform with iPad and computer. Students can collaborate with 3 other people synchronously.
Capacity: individual mode or 4 people collaborate mode Cost: free
Horizon Workrooms is a collaboration platform that allows teams to gather in a virtual space, using VR or the web, and engage in productive activities through whiteboards, VR workstations, calendar apps, file sharing, chat, and other virtual replicas of office tools. The function and user interface of Workrooms are quite sophisticated, and it can integrate seamlessly with computers and keyboards.
Capacity: 16 people in VR, or up to 50 using a combination of VR and video chat Cost: free
There is a plethora of VR technologies available, so how do you pick and choose the VR tech tools that suit your needs? We would recommend the following rules of thumb:
Does the technology serve your learning objectives?
Does the technology allow group activities and collaboration?
Is it user-friendly, accessible, and inclusive?
Is it cost-effective?
Based on that, we picked up four VR-related technologies for demonstration.
How to get involved?
If you are interested in exploring the use of VR in your classroom or simply want to experience VR, CELT is here to help. We can work with you to design your VR project based on learning objectives and subject matter, provide tutorials, and integrate VR components with your Brightspace course. In the meantime, feel free to reach out to us if you are interested in initiating and/ or collaborating on research projects in VR. If you have any questions, we can be reached at celt@stonybrook.edu.
Moreover, join our Yammer CELT VR community for more conversation on VR!
Lin, Q. (2020). Application and development of virtual reality technology in artificial intelligence deep learning. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 740(1), 012151.https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899X/740/1/012151
As we begin the semester, be sure to find out more about the technology setup in your scheduled room. Concerned about engaging all students? Here are some tips:
Have a TA or student monitor the chat and update you when questions arise.
Virtual students will need more “wait time” due to the technology – wait for most students to be ready after asking a question.
Be clear in your expectations around discussions, breakout rooms, presentations, and assign a role for each member.
