the project is the process
New advances in technology are sparking efforts to use virtual reality to help people gain a deeper appreciation of environmental challenges. In this lesson, initially designed for high-schoolers during NC State’s Design Camp, students explore the potential of virtual reality (VR) to save at-risk wildlife species. How, as designers, can we promote a better understanding of nature and give people empathetic insight into environmental challenges? Using a North Carolina at-risk species and its habitat as context, students explore how visual communication can promote wildlife sustainability. Students use design methods and strategies presented in the workshop to develop a virtual reality scene that viewers can experience in Google Cardboard.
When deciding to teach at Design Camp, I wanted to choose a topic area that would be exciting for students. I put together a lesson plan centered around virtual reality. However, I needed a way to make VR accessible in the classroom. I based our VR prototypes on an open-sourced tool called Panoform. The creative team at Panoform, led by NC State’s Derek Ham, created grid paper that can be drawn on and uploaded to a browser, then viewed with a Google Cardboard headset. Students can make VR prototypes with little more than paper, crayons, and a cell phone.
Design Camp informs students about the study of design. It exposes students to how design impacts all aspects of our lives. Beyond leaving with new knowledge about the affordance of virtual reality for wildlife conservation, I wanted students to have the opportunity to employ design thinking and design research skills. Each day at design camp, I presented mini-lectures to the theme of “the project is the process.” A description of project stages is below.
1. Project Research:
In groups of four, research assigned wildlife species group (birds, mammals, freshwater fish, amphibians, reptiles) and its corresponding North Carolina habitat. Collect this information and create concept maps using sticky notes and wall space.
2. Project Ideation:
In groups, brainstorm and sketch ideas for how a virtual reality experience might help people gain a deeper appreciation of environmental challenges. How can a new visual environment convey a message or prompt a viewer to action?
Things to Consider: What experiential qualities will your environment convey? How will your VR environment impact the participant with the emotional force that physical environments deliver?
3. Ideate + Prototype:
As individuals, design and prototype a one-screen virtual reality scene. Construct these scenes using Panoform grids and the supplies provided. Use smartphones to photograph the scene, upload to Panoform and view via Google Cardboard headset.
4. Share the Work:
Once you complete all the prototypes, we will share and experience the created environments via Google Cardboard headsets. This will lead to a casual critique-style discussion.
At the end of each day, students gained design research skills by working through the stages of research, concept mapping, brainstorming, ideation, storyboarding, and prototyping. Students had the opportunity to work both collaboratively and individually at different stages of the process. We finished each day with a critique in which the students learned the “I wish…” critique method. After viewing students’ work, they responded with statements that began with “I wish…”. We discussed the benefits of providing quality critique and attention to our peers.