How can you use virtual and augmented reality to create immersive presentations for diverse audiences?

1 What are VR and AR?

VR and AR are both forms of extended reality (XR), which is a term that covers any technology that enhances or alters our perception of reality. VR creates a fully simulated environment that the user can explore and interact with, while AR overlays digital elements onto the real world, such as images, sounds, or information. Both VR and AR require special devices, such as headsets, glasses, or smartphones, to access the content.

2 Why use VR and AR for presentations?

VR and AR can offer several advantages for presentations, especially for diverse audiences, such as increasing engagement and retention through a more immersive experience than traditional slides or videos. They can also cater to different learning styles by allowing the audience to choose how they consume the content. Moreover, VR and AR can enhance accessibility and inclusion by enabling the audience to access the content from anywhere, at any time, and in their preferred language or format. Finally, they can foster empathy and understanding by exposing the audience to different perspectives, cultures, and situations that they may not encounter otherwise.

4 What are the benefits of VR and AR presentations?

Using VR and AR for presentations can bring several benefits, both for you and your audience. For instance, they can enhance your presentation skills by allowing you to experiment with different formats, techniques, and scenarios, plus adapt to different audiences and contexts. Moreover, they can increase your audience's motivation and participation by providing them with a more engaging and interactive experience, as well as giving them more control and choice over their learning. Furthermore, they can improve your audience's learning outcomes and retention by stimulating their senses, emotions, and cognition, as well as creating a more realistic and relevant connection to the content. Finally, they can expand your audience's horizons and perspectives by exposing them to new information, experiences, and cultures while encouraging them to think critically and creatively.

5 What are the challenges of VR and AR presentations?

Using VR and AR for presentations comes with some challenges, both technical and pedagogical. These can include needing more time, resources, and skills to create and deliver than traditional presentations due to the complexity of the technologies and tools. Additionally, ethical and legal issues such as privacy, security, consent, and copyright can arise from collecting and processing personal and sensitive data from the audience. Physical and psychological discomfort, such as nausea, dizziness, fatigue, or anxiety may also occur due to affecting the audience's perception and sense of reality. Further, barriers and inequalities such as access, affordability, or literacy may be created due to the availability and compatibility of the devices and content.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?