Case Study: Making Learning Immersive
The Challenge
In Bio 130, students needed a clear view of renewable energy types and their tradeoffs. A text overview felt flat and forgettable. The professor wanted something students could explore and remember.
Project: Virtual Field Trip on Renewable Energy
Year: 2023
Audience: Intro to Environmental Science (Bio 130) students
Role: Lead Learning Designer for the virtual field trip
Tools: Tour It, 360 media, Google Docs
Team: Professor Susannah Sandrin; Learning Design team with Diana Hunsley and Mia Brunkhorst
The Solution
I designed and built a virtual field trip where learners step in as a mayor, visit cities that use solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal, and explore 360 scenes in the browser. They hear what worked and what did not, compare options, and then draft a plan for their own town.
Outcome
“What Would You Do as Mayor?” Virtual Field Trip activity and assignment that focused on…
Real locations and local renewable energy initiatives throughout the United States
Actionable transfer as students design a local strategy
Next Steps
Update styling of links to be color contrast accessible
Get feedback from learners for improvements
Watch It!
See a portion of the virtual field trip from a learner’s perspective.