Exploratory learning in the ViStA immersive environment
An ongoing project in collaboration with Ishbel Duncan from Computer Science and Janie Brooks from ELT, University of St Andrews. Investigating virtual world learning and support for international students.
‘Using the immersive Internet to support international student transition to life in a UK’.
St Andrews today is a bustling small city, full of students during the academic year, and tourists during the summer months. The city itself retains the medieval structure of its past; two main broad streets leading to the cathedral at the eastern end of town, a market street, a city wall over one mile in length and several ports or gaits or entrances to the city. The most preserved ports are the West Port in South St and the Mill Port or Pends down at the Harbour. St Andrews supports a small fishing fleet and an active sailing club on its eastern shore as well as the famous golf courses and West Sands beach at its western side. Over 650,000 tourists visit St Andrews each year, yet the population of the old city is just 16,000. The student population is over 7,000.
Virtual St Andrews gives the students a chance to familiarise themselves with the town before they arrive!
