Ethical Considerations of Virtual Reality in the College Classroom

"“Ethical Virtual Reality in the College Classroom represents an impressive global cohort of scholar-teachers who share detailed case studies of the ethical implementation of extended reality in diverse pedagogical contexts. Melody A. Bowdon, Kevin Yee, and William Dorner skillfully assemble a range of disciplinary perspectives, from biology, psychology, and medical education to humanities and social work, all designed to powerfully document the relative affordances of virtual, augmented, and mixed reality. Each contributor foregrounds numerous ethical dimensions, specifically accessibility and neuroinclusiveness, privacy, representation, and scalability, all while stressing an important balance between student and instructor needs. In aggregate, the chapters deploy an engaging set of heuristics for interdisciplinary audiences that address learning outcomes, expectations for student achievement, instructor learning curve, and practical strategies for curricular feasibility and sustainability. Regardless of approach, the takeaway from this innovative collection is to promote an ethic of care in implementing extended reality experiences that privilege both student learning and student well-being, along with hyper-awareness of the intended and unintended consequences of immersive technology in the classroom. In this way, the collection is an ambitious yet responsible and socially just introduction to the brave new world of virtual reality for college-level educators.” —Kristine L. Blair, Dean of Liberal Arts in the McAnulty College and Graduate School of Liberal Arts at Duquesne University, USA “Ethical Virtual Reality in the College Classroom represents an impressive global cohort of scholar-teachers who share detailed case studies of the ethical implementation of extended reality in diverse pedagogical contexts. Melody A. Bowdon, Kevin Yee, and William Dorner skillfully assemble a range of disciplinary perspectives, from biology, psychology, and medical education to humanities and social work, all designed to powerfully document the relative affordances of virtual, augmented, and mixed reality. Each contributor foregrounds numerous ethical dimensions, specifically accessibility and neuroinclusiveness, privacy, representation, and scalability, all while stressing an important balance between student and instructor needs. In aggregate, the chapters deploy an engaging set of heuristics for interdisciplinary audiences that address learning outcomes, expectations for student achievement, instructor learning curve, and practical strategies for curricular feasibility and sustainability. Regardless of approach, the takeaway from this innovative collection is to promote an ethic of care in implementing extended reality experiences that privilege both student learning and student well-being, along with hyper-awareness of the intended and unintended consequences of immersive technology in the classroom. In this way, the collection is an ambitious yet responsible and socially just introduction to the brave new world of virtual reality for college-level educators.” —Kristine L. Blair, Dean of Liberal Arts in the McAnulty College and Graduate School of Liberal Arts at Duquesne University, USA ""The case studies in this book present a wide range of pedagogical applications of VR and AR technologies in diverse educational settings. As the hardware and software for VR and AR become increasingly accessible to instructors and students, this book provides visions of what's possible as well as practical and ethical considerations for educators interested in using these technologies to support student learning. The authors explore why to use virtual reality in the college classroom, how to thoughtfully engage students with these technologies, and what precautions instructors should take to use these tools equitably."" -- Derek Bruff, Educator, Author, and Higher Education Consultant"