Now at Ohio State Podcast
Stepping Into a Virtual Classroom
Ohio State is leveraging AI and immersive simulations to better teach nursing students. It expands empathy and gives students a taste of what these real-world situations are like.
From immersing students in intense hospital scenarios to transporting them to a homeless encampment, lessons can range from jarring and stressful to intense and heartbreaking.
For example, one scenario involves soft-skill training to deal with emotional patients — at one point, you get to hear yourself talk and witness how you dealt with the situation.
Female student participating in virtual reality during a nursing class
Ohio State’s Michael Ackerman and Stephanie Justice are pioneering the use of extended and virtual reality as a crucial teaching tool in the classroom.
Stephanie Justice
Michael Ackerman
“The more immersive learning that they are involved in, the more likely they are to pass the boards and the more likely they are to be closer to practice-ready,” Ackerman says.
Nursing student wearing VR headset
Student Jordan Dallas has taken part in these immersive learning scenarios and explains how “eye opening” they are. “It’s the most realistic [scenario] other than being in a hospital,” she says.