Does Creating Shared Projects in Virtual Reality Capture Students’ Interest in Technology? An International Project in STEM Education

Virtual reality (VR) provides an immersive setting where it is possible to experience the perception of being present in a different place or environment. The TalkTech international project matches students at universities in the United States and Romania, to work as members of international teams as a virtual mobility. They research applications of VR, visit locations in their home countries related to their team's assigned cultural landmark, and create VR scenes to share with international partners. Team members demonstrate, share, compare, and discuss their work using online communication tools of their choice. This project-based learning provides new advances in STEM education by using digital media, as students experience how technology enables them to communicate and work in a collaborative global environment, create and share digital content, and gain insights into the culture of their partners' countries. Informal results suggest that the project sparks students' interest in possible future business applications of VR.