[12/25] 24 A-Level geography students from Durham Sixth Form College visited the IHRR for an immersive lesson in virtual reality. The session used 360° images the institute is helping collect in Oman
The IHRR and School of Education welcomed Year 12 geography students from Durham Sixth Form College for an afternoon visit on Friday 12 December.
The session formed part of the educational Oman 3165 project, which the IHRR is working with to raise awareness of marine environments and conservation in the lead-up to the first Oceans’ COP in 2030. The institute is helping the expedition team in Oman to collect 360° footage along the Omani coastline to develop immersive teaching resources.
Friday’s visit marked the first pilot of these materials. Students and teachers used the IHRR’s 13 virtual reality (VR) headsets to explore the Omani coastline, engaging with the landscapes in an immersive setting. Guided discussions focused on a range of geographical themes and challenges identified in the footage – from sources of pollution and coastal landform processes, to hazard identification and urban vulnerability – and the role of emerging technologies such as VR in geographical fieldwork and research.
The session generated strong engagement and thoughtful discussion, and the IHRR hopes to host further sessions of this kind in the new year.
Photo credit: Catherine Montgomery
Professor Bruce Malamud guiding Durham Sixth Form’s Head of Geography through VR controls.
Class of 13 students immersed in VR.
The 26 students and IHRR and Education Department teams.
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