Exploring the benefits and advantages of using VR.XR in design for updating the learner skill-set for industry and preparation for employment.
Academic research will be collated and analysed for gaps in the curriculum for both HE and FE.
This will then be discussed with industry based employers to discuss the need and gaps in the market.
As part of the project I will be evaluating current curriculum and analysing course specifications for Higher National Diplomas relating to the University of the Arts awarding body. This would be a specialist programme for learner development and also would act as an access to college course.
I will assess the current learners’ learning needs and collaborate with other teaching staff for methods of supporting learners not in my own study programmes. This will be aimed at a mix of Level 3 ED1 and ED2 Games Arts and Games Design learners to give a broader collection of data.
I will collate my findings through learner led tasks and also through video and audio recordings. Learners will evaluate their experiences each session to assess the technical learning and also the teaching and assessment methods used throughout. They would also provide a learning journal to evidence their work produced as part of the project. This could then be used later for course promotion events.
I will create a rubric to support the assessment processes as these are used for grading against assessment criteria for university.
I hope that by investigating existing case studies and potential gaps in FE and HE education I can devise a course for level 4 HND that will be applicable for running in the next academic year. In connection with the new Tech campus and the continuous industry CPD I hope to explore and stage scaffolding learning outcomes for learners to be able to learn and adapt skills already learnt from level 3 as preparation for employment or HE courses later in their education.
As an FE college this would give us an advantage over other competitors and also a head start for HE courses within the digital skills sector.
University of the Arts London currently offer Level 4 programmes that the curriculum could be adapted to suit this need and be promoted for Games Art. As this is not a current curriculum area for Suffolk University this would not be a conflict of interest.
Once I have researched further into the specific areas of VR and XR to be utilised within the project and curriculum and the effect of the need and requirement amongst employers and industry experts I will devise a pilot programme related to the Games Art curriculum and offer this to students as part of a pilot programme related to their curriculum but also as a CPD/ work experience related opportunity to develop their skill set.
I will offer this to a range of learners with differentiated needs so that I can gain the widest sample of data to fit the current learner demographic. This would then allow me to assess any areas for development for inclusion and differentiation within the learning objectives and the specific technical learning tasks.
I will ask learners for feedback on the processes and the teaching and development as well as assessment methods to assess their engagement and potential curriculum development.
Learners will be anonymised within the feedback to the panel to adhere with GDPR regulations and prior to starting learners would be briefed on the project objectives and methods of assessment collection to ensure they are consenting to participating in the study. They would also be eligible to remove themselves from the study at any time as is their right to do so with valid justification.
