Blog

Using VR to teach Occupational Therapy

Faculty of Health Sciences lecturer Claire Morrisby used the Makerspace’s VR equipment to augment her students’ learning. She kindly shared her positive experience:

“I coordinate the gerontology units in the Occupational Therapy courses. Within these, one of the areas of practice we cover is home visiting with older adults, generally with the aim of reducing environmental falls risks. We’ve previously trialled a range of methods for teaching the observational and analytical skills required for this area of practice, including simulated environments and virtual reality.

The Makerspace generously loaned us the equipment to take 360 degree videos of a home with a number of falls risks, as well as Google Cardboard headsets that can emulate the environment in 3D.

The students found the videos helpful in allowing them to explore a standardised environment in class. It was particularly useful as the most common feedback we receive about this sort of activity is that it seems contrived or is not relevant to the WA context. The 3D aspect using the VR headsets was great.

It was great to have this resource available as a member of the teaching staff, the staff in the Makerspace were very helpful!”