Virtual Reality's Role in Higher Education Marketing & Communications

It has been a difficult ordeal for universities trying to expand into the latest virtual reality technologies. Overall, augmented and virtual reality features have been constrained by the need of having expensive physical devices and proprietary software. However, this is changing quickly and opens a great channel of communication for universities and public institutions trying to expand into this exciting new field.

I created my first 360 photo back in 2014 using close to 100 individual photos stitched together in an early version of Kolor Pano. I remember being very enthusiastic about the technology and uploaded 360° to Google Plus as soon as the option was available. However, the technology to render these immersive pictures was lacking. Only a few mobile devices supported the experiences and -except for the “see inside” Google Trusted Photographer program- commercial, non-enterprise, and applications were not accessible. Software and hardware seem to be aligning in 2018 and institutions that tap into these emerging trends early on will enjoy its benefits.

VR Software.

Google Cardboard makes 360° photography and virtual reality videos accessible. Universities tried to expand their online reach with virtual reality tour apps and often fell prey to multi-year overpriced contracts for proprietary stand-alone apps they had little or no control over. However, as excited as students might be, it is hard to get them to download “one more app” just to experience a few 360° photos of the campus. Google released a platform that could change that.

Google Tour Creator, part of their new Poly Platform, makes creating embeddable virtual reality tours a drag-and-drop experience. From creating building tours, to having augmented learning experiences, Google’s Tour Creator offers a no-cost option to create and share VR experiences. Google Tours can be viewed with most browsers, including the infamous Internet Explorer. With free apps such as the Facebook 360 Camera and the Google Cardboard Camera, now almost everybody can create near-professional grade virtual reality experiences.

Yes, there were other 360° platforms that allowed institutions to upload and embed tours (Facebook now allows you to upload single 360° videos and pictures, but not tours). We created several mini-tours inside RoundMe. However, the great thing about Google Tour Creator is that to get started you do not need to purchase any software or commit to a yearly contract (this should make your procurement and contracts department happy).

VR Hardware.

Virtual and augmented reality experiences have been fragmented, and this has been a huge roadblock for the technology to go mainstream. Experiencing virtual reality from your phone has been a somewhat cumbersome experience. Phones not only overheated due to the high power requirements of the VR apps but users suffered from the fact that experiences could be interrupted by phone calls or messages.

Facebook might change this with the release of Facebook Oculus Go. Most stand-alone VR headsets such as the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive provided a great immersive experience at a cost prohibitive to most casual users of the technology. With the release of Oculus Go, the world of virtual reality becomes much more accessible to the masses with an introductory price of $199.

One of the biggest benefits of Oculus Go is that it connects with your Facebook account, allowing you to experience all virtual reality photos and videos shared by your friends and pages you follow. Facebook is also taking the VR social experience to a whole new level by allowing users to interact with their friends inside one’s own uploaded VR photos. Imagine going through your VR campus tour in real-time with your Facebook avatar interacting with prospective students from all over the U.S. or even the world. Oculus Go makes this possible.

This is just the beginning.

The technology landscape will continue evolving. VR will most likely continue to grow in popularity as it allows a more engaging and detailed experience. This kind of technology allows you to take the student experience to a whole new level. You no longer need to explain “what is it like” to be at your university, you can allow prospects to have an immersive experience early on: from historic sports victories to major school spirit events and graduation, you can transport your students and make them feel part of your institution regardless of where they are.

Do you have any other ideas about how we can use this technology to enhance the university experience? Share them in the comments area.