This Empathy Project is a co-produced creative collaboration between the ADA Innovation Hub and the office of the Pro Vice Chancellor Education and Student Experience (PVCESE, now PVCE). Building upon the design research project of an ADA Design Honours student in 2020, the project produced an immersive 360 VR experience that explores the social challenges faced by first-year International Students at UNSW.
Through immersion, interaction, and a branching narrative controlled by the user, the experience seeks to build empathy between international and domestic students regarding the different social challenges that students navigate in their first year at university that can lead to a sense of social isolation. In addition to building empathy and encouraging greater relationality in first year, the immersive experience will also point students to support and services UNSW offers to assist with the transition into tertiary education.
Visit the sister site for the project on the ADA Innovation Hub.
Project Details
The Innovation Hub here at UNSW Arts Design and Architecture collaboration included staff, students, education designers and developers to create a VR experience leveraging 360 video footage and a suite of interactive elements.
The project has been used at events like UNSW 0WEEK and is used during the session on culture in the My English Week program at the start of every term to great effect.
AWARDS
My First Day: An Empathy Project was shortlisted in the Immersive Experiential Learning category of the Reimagine Education Awards for 2023. These awards are a prestigious international event attracting submissions from across the globe.
TECHNOLOGY & DEVELOPMENT
While the project is in a stable state, the minor enhancements continue as the technology improves. The staff and work integrated learning student developers are using the Unity game engine to bring together all the elements and deliver the VR experience using our Meta Quest 3 headsets.
NEWS & BLOG
Check out the article on the project here: My First Day: An Empathy Project
Data
Usage
The experience forms a key component of the My English Week program at the start of each term, so three groups per year get a unique look at starting at university during the session on Culture.
My First Day has been shown at 0Week to new students including the international student welcome.
The ADA Innovation Showcase event featured the application in its preview form.
The VR experience has been viewed well over 200 times now as each cohort arrives.
Credits
"One of the most collaborative projects our Media & Immersive team have ever been a part of was with the ADA Innovation Hub. They drew together a spectrum of specialist academics and students to work with us on the co-creation of an exciting new VR experience. I loved how rich the project became as the various perspectives and skills blended together with the guidance, passion, energy, organisation and support of innovation hub team. I am really looking forward to being able to repeat the experience, working with the hub on a future innovation."
Graham Hannah, Manager of Immersive Technologies, PVC Education
"As part of a session on Communicating Confidently in Different Cultural Contexts, commencing international students participating in myEnglish Week really enjoy engaging in the My First Day VR Experience. This allows students to experience walking into their first UNSW tutorial in a safe and supportive environment where they can reflect and discuss communicative strategies with peers."
James Heath, Program Manager, UNSW PASS, PVC Education
Key Stakeholders
Carly Vickers (Academic Lead, ADA Innovation Hub)
Simon McIntyre (Director of Educational Innovation, PVC Education)
Design, Production & Development
Melody Framp (Project Manager, ADA Innovation Hub)
Rogaya Alkaff (Project Admin, ADA Innovation Hub)
Amin Palangi (Academic Lead & Director, School of Arts & Media, ADA)
David Curzon (Writer, Director, School of Arts & Media, ADA)
Baron Chau (Graphic Design, School of Art & Design, ADA)
Adam Hulbert (Music, Sound Design, School of Arts & Media, ADA)
Xueqing (Sherry) Lu (Unity Development, Immersive Technologies Specialist, PVC Education)
Graham Hannah (Design, Manager of Immersive Technologies, PVC Education)
Brian Landrigan (Filming, Editing, Manager of Media & Immersive Technologies, PVC Education)
Roxy Vuong (Filming, Media Specialist, PVC Education)
Patience Loh (Consulting UNSW Alumni)
Work Integrated Learning Student Partners
Eric Phung (Software Engineering Thesis)
Williams Gunawan (Software Engineering Thesis)
NIDA Student Actors
Nickin Alexander, Alec Dalzeil, Arvin Bhattacharya, Attu Ngor, Elodie Westhoff, Hugo Liu, Sarabi Gristwood Sponza, Sovanarry Chan, Swanika Ramkumar, Tawanda Muzenda
Get Involved
There are internal Teams Channels, Miro Boards and working groups covering the development collaboration with the ADA (Arts Design and Architecture) Innovation Hub Team. To find out more, join the team, get a demo or have your class or promotion use-case included just get in touch.
- Email: [email protected]
There are internal Teams Channels, Miro Boards and working groups covering the development collaboration with the ADA (Arts Design and Architecture) Innovation Hub Team. To find out more, join the team, get a demo or have your class or promotion use-case included just get in touch.
- Email: [email protected]