VRSciT

Virtual Reality (VR) technologies remove the barrier of distance to people who wish to have an immersive educational experience in different places, providing a distinct learning approach than traditional school systems (Yildirim et al., 2018). As a result, VR is transforming the process of learning due to the experiences that cannot be obtained in any other way in formal education (Pantelidis, V. S., 2010). The assimilation of the material by using the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) context (Selvarian, M. E. M, 2004) among 360 videos and 3D models with interaction also improves the users learning curve through enjoyment and emotional connection. This enables the convergence for knowledge construction theories with VR technology, allowing learning to be boosted by the manipulation of the relative size of objects in virtual worlds and the ratification of abstract ideas that have so far defied representation. The VRSciT project consists of conducting a virtual educational visit to locations of cultural, social and natural interest of each partner involved, by using VR immersion and interaction techniques to provide users a unique learning experience. VR technology adoption removes the barriers of remote visualization of environments making possible for everyone to experience a high educational value through digitalization. As younger audiences have more contact with modern technologies applied in learning processes, such as VR and interactive online content, the project is focused on establishing the contact with the adult public with the VLE context applied in educational tourism. MAIN OBJECTIVE The VRSciT project aims to explore new approaches in educational tourism, such as 3D modeling together with 360º immersive VR environments to build innovative virtual educational scenes addressed to adult learners from four different countries. Also, by taking advantage of new communication technologies to improve adult learning process of social-cultural (e.g. history, arts, architecture) and natural resources (e.g. geology, biology, physics) of the different regions approached. TARGET GROUPS CCVB and its partners are environments that promote educational and scientific knowledge dissemination. Providing access to scientific information and educational activities for people with different social backgrounds is part of our mission. This includes allowing less favored people to access recent technologies, such as people with less economic power or physical disabilities. Establishing contact between different social status audiences and recent technologies promotes inclusion by allowing unrestrained access and interaction with technology that otherwise would not be possible by people from disadvantaged layers of society. So, the target group of VRSciT project is the adult learners that visit all the partners and will have access to scientific and educational tourism with new interactive learning environments.