Digital Commons Network^™

Inclusive Uses Of Avatars And Narratives In Vr Biology Simulations, Amy L. Pate

Emerging Learning Design Conference

Arizona State University’s mission is that we are measured not by whom we exclude, but rather by whom we include and how they succeed. This mission normally focuses on classroom faculty using inclusive language and equitable teaching practices.

In 2017, we embarked on creating a fully online biology degree, which included developing three virtual lab courses. ASU faculty and staff partnered with developers at Google and Labster to create real-life narratives walking students through a variety of laboratory experiments.

During testing, the ASU team realized that students were completely immersed in the stories, and emotionally influenced by the avatars and …