IMMERSIVE LIBRARIES AND MUSEUMS

Immersive Libraries and Museums. For more information please see the Journal of Immersive Education website  http://JiED.org The Journal of Immersive Education (Immersive Education Libraries and Museums Technology Working Group (LAM.TWG)) is the source information referenced in the forthcoming writings.


The Libraries and Museums Technology Working Group is a group of Immersive Education professionals that have come together in the Immersive Education world to expand library and museum access and utility to the immersive education world. In doing so, the incorporate new technologies (virtual reality, immersive education, webcams, webpages, etc) to incorporate traditional museum and library tools in the virtual setting.The group works together to publish the best practices, resources, and bibliographies for each other to use in a constructive way so that each builder can use the resources of the group to further enhance the practice group as a whole.

In theory, successful virtual Libraries and Museums that are part of the group will address both builders and learners alike. Research conducted by group members as to the best practices of building and researching content for these facilities will be published among members for the furthering of the field. Additionally the end product virtual reality locations will use up to date sources and technologies to keep the content on the forefront of research and practice areas. On the learning end, they will find ways to make the utility more applicable to at-risk STEM youth in order to follow up to date Common Core (STEM focused) learning metrics.

Use scenarios of these immersive education areas are varied. Examples cited in the article include virtual reality meetings of classmates viewing the original depiction of Macbeth in order to understand it's original form. Additional examples include a Japanese-restaurant simulation in which students interact with NPC (Non person characters) to practice their foreign language skills in an activity setting. As you can see, the uses are varied for this application.

Immersive Education Library and Museum environments can be used in professional education circuits as well.
The Smithsonian uses these environments to focus on STEM education for at-risk latino youth. Using a virtual environment they help clean up after an environmental disaster in the virtual reality and practice much of the STEM skills needed in todays workforce.