UNLV has announced a new strategic partnership with Dreamscape Learn to bring the university’s introductory STEM courses to life for students using the company’s innovative story-driven virtual reality (VR) courseware.
UNLV is among the first R1 research universities to explore incorporating the high-tech interactive platform into STEM courses to boost student success, following Arizona State University’s (ASU) recent premiere of the nation’s first Dreamscape Learn facility. This component of UNLV’s Immersive Learning Initiative is expected to debut at the university’s main campus on the second floor of Lied Library in 2025.
The 4,000-square-foot VR space is slated to include a 16-seat immersive classroom and a free-roam pod featuring content that adapts the creativity from movie and theme park industries for instructional purposes. The space will feature engaging storytelling, realistic visuals and sound effects, motion and vibrations, lighting, music, and hands-on learning experiences, as well as a collaborative development space for faculty and students to learn how to develop VR content.
“As global demand for a workforce with specialized STEM skills increases, UNLV is on a mission to better prepare our students for excellence,” said UNLV President Keith E. Whitfield.
“The Dreamscape Learn Center will envelop students in diverse, life-like scenarios that introduce complex STEM concepts and require real-time problem solving skills,” Whitfield added. “It’s just the latest strategy UNLV is using to introduce experiential learning experiences that spark students’ intellectual curiosity and show them how to apply theoretical knowledge to everyday issues.”
By upping the ante on student interest and involvement in challenging STEM courses, UNLV wants to replicate other Dreamscape partners’ success at improving academic performance — especially among underrepresented students, who tend to face enrollment and performance gaps.
Research at ASU found students who enrolled in introductory biology courses that incorporated the university’s Dreamscape VR technology were nearly 2 times more likely to receive A grades on their lab assignments, with a median score of 96%, when compared to those in regular sections. Improved grades were particularly notable among student demographics traditionally underrepresented in STEM fields.
“Through research at ASU, we’ve seen that the strategic integration of great storytelling — brought to life through VR — can create classroom experiences that significantly boost student motivation and performance,” said Josh Reibel, CEO of Dreamscape Learn. “We know that this innovative approach can help address persistent gaps in STEM education, and set students up early in their college career for success. As one of our first R-1 partners, we’re looking forward to working with, and learning alongside, UNLV.”
The VR learning hub, to be funded through a combination of public and private donor funds, will join other creative spaces in Lied Library, including a patent and trademark office and a makerspace that features 3D printing, tools for creating and refining prototypes, and a multimedia production facility with audio and video equipment for podcasting, music production, and video production.
