This section of my Virtual Reality (VR) instruction guide is for resources specific to students enrolled in English 306 taught by Professor Sarah Rafael García, who are working with Digital Scholarship Librarian Colleen Greene. Our April 23rd hands-on VR Lab focuses on virtual reality as a form of digital storytelling, and in particular social justice storytelling. Students will also learn about Augmented Reality (AR) and how it differs from AR.
This accompanying resource guide will help students find related VR experiences to try out on high-end equipment, as well as free VR and AR apps to try out on their smartphones.
This virtual reality experience was produced by TIME Immersive and released in 2023 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech. It is available as a free download from the Meta store and can be viewed on a Meta Quest 2, Quest 3, or Quest Pro VR headset.
“MLK: Now is the Time” is an immersive journey that explores key themes of Dr. King's speech and highlights systemic inequities that persist in our society. Through first-person stories and interactions, “MLK: Now is the Time” drops you into a thoroughly modern interpretation of a contemporary March on Washington that will inform and inspire a new generation of activists.
This 1-minute trailer will give you a preview of what to expect from this social justice-themed VR experience.
This VR experience was developed by Force Field VR and Oculus Studios in collaboration with the Anne Frank House museum. It is available as a free download from the Meta store and can be viewed on a Meta Quest, Quest 2, Quest 3, or Quest Pro VR headset.
"Experience the world-famous Secret Annex in a never before seen way. Travel back to the years of the Second World War and wander through the rooms of the Annex that housed the group of 8 Jewish people as they hid from the Nazis. Immerse yourself in Anne’s thoughts as you traverse each faithfully recreated room, thanks to the power of VR, and find out what happened to the Annex’ brave inhabitants."
This 1-minute trailer will give you a preview of what to expect from this VR experience.
Google Arts & Culture is a FREE online platform that hosts digital collections, digital stories, and interactive virtual exhibits from museums and archives from around the world. Following are suggested interactive immersive tours and exhibits to try on your smartphone or a computer browser. Download the Google Arts & Culture app to get the best experience using your smartphone, or access the website on a regular web browser.
The Art Filter app on Google Arts & Culture is only available on the smartphone app. It uses Augmented Reality (AR) to place iconic artifacts one oneself by taking a selfie with a smartphone camera. Once inside the mobile app, look for the "Art Filter" part of Google Arts & Culture.
Visit this free immersive interactive virtual exhibit on the Google Arts & Culture platform using your smartphone or computer browser. Watch for Google Street View icons located throughout the exhibit to take virtual tours of sections of this exhibit. When using the smartphone app, toggle on the motion setting to get the most immersive experience.
Use this QR Code to launch this virtual exhibit inside the Google Arts & Culture app on your smartphone. If you do not already have the free app installed, you will first be prompted to install it.
