Bringing the power of VR to every classroom
Bringing the power of VR to every classroom
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Meta has a goal to bring an oculus headset to every classroom in the US. Inspirit as a partner is tasked to develop a platform that will allow teachers to use VR for taking their lessons without additional effort.
"Utkarsh, how can we enable teachers to effectively use VR devices in their classrooms?"
"Utkarsh, how can we enable teachers to effectively use VR devices in their classrooms?"
As the designer leading the project, my mission was to understand the pain-points of teachers who were hesitant to use VR in their classrooms, and then to a design a solution for it.
Part 1: UX Research
Part 1: UX Research
Asking direct questions about an unfamiliar product is unlikely to give effective results. The expected psychological response towards unfamiliarity is hesitation.
Asking direct questions about an unfamiliar product is unlikely to give effective results. The expected psychological response towards unfamiliarity is hesitation.
To understand the headspace of a teacher, imagine being a 32 year old, teaching science to a classroom full of excited 9-year-olds. You have just been given some brand-new VR headsets by the school, and everyone is screaming to be the first to try. You have never used a headset yourself, and you don't know what to expect.
This situation can be scary, full of hesitation and frustration. Unconsciously, there might be feelings of self-doubt which can further impact motivation.
"Creating VR lesson plans sounds too advanced."
Solution: Creator tool that works on a web-browser so no need to create in a VR headset.
"I don't want to learn another tool."
Solution: Design the creator tool to look and feel exactly like existing tools.
"Can I use my existing lesson plans?"
Solution: Option to import existing lesson plans and use them in VR or build on top of them.
Defining the solution
Defining the solution
Based on the research, and feedback on initial ideas with a core group of teachers - the product was to be a web-based creator tool that allows teachers to create their own custom lesson plans which are ready to use in VR by the students.
Based on the research, and feedback on initial ideas with a core group of teachers - the product was to be a web-based creator tool that allows teachers to create their own custom lesson plans which are ready to use in VR by the students.
Part 2: Designing the Interface
Part 2: Designing the Interface
The web-based platform needed to be simple and fast, and it had to be familiar with the tools that teachers were using already such as Google Suite and Microsoft Office.
The web-based platform needed to be simple and fast, and it had to be familiar with the tools that teachers were using already such as Google Suite and Microsoft Office.
Iteration 1:
Iteration 1:
The starting point was to turn the study guides that teachers were already using into an editable version where 3D objects or simulations from the InspiritVR library could be added easily with a drag-and-drop.
The object selection flow went through a few iterations to create the most effective and intuitive way to navigate the vast magnitude of available content.
There were two factors to decide the best interaction design:
Easy access to the entire library with minimum clicks
A visual design that shows the magnitude and diversity of the entire content library at a glance
Eventually I arrived at the design which allowed easy access to the library while navigating the lesson plan being created in a split view.
Iteration 2
Iteration 2
On testing some prototypes with teachers, I discovered the need for a timeline like feature which gives the overview for the lesson plan.
The Final Iteration
The Final Iteration
This resulted in a new version which was very similar to Google Slides, and it was an instant success with the teachers.
The final design for the object selection flow for the updated slide-based design for the creator tool
Themese and Customization
Themese and Customization
The teachers requested a theme-based customisation feature which would result in a room-based-map design for the classroom experience.
Some designs from the VR experience
Part 3: Creating a familiar browsing experience
Part 3: Creating a familiar browsing experience
The last bit for the product experience was a powerful search and discovery feature across the website and within the creator tool
The last bit for the product experience was a powerful search and discovery feature across the website and within the creator tool
By mixing the featured section approach of Netflix with the added advantage of an index-based sidebar, we created an optimal solution for teachers to browse the vast library.
Gen AI tools were used for the thumbnails and feature images.
For elastic search and keyword suggestions we used a powerful plugin called Algolia.
For the content library we designed a thumbnail system for different content types
Impact
Impact
The tool was implemented with more than 20 successful feature releases across the U.S in more than 100 schools. It was also monetized and the premium features sold in the U.S and U.A.E
It feels amazing today to know that the effort and innovation behind all the effort we put in this project has led to significant outcomes both for Inspirit as well as the world of education. The successful implementation of the VR tool in classrooms across the United States, contributed to a valuable partnerships with Meta and allowed a potential global reach starting with India and UAE.
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