Virtual Reality: from Concept to Creation

By the end of this module, you will be better able to:

1. Critically reflect on the strengths and limitations of Virtual Reality for different applications
2. Identify and apply the key elements that contribute to a high-quality Virtual Reality experience, focusing on the design of graphics, interactivity and user experience.
3. Apply basic technical skills and creative approaches in your chosen area of design to help create a component of a Virtual Reality experience.
4. Plan, manage and execute a Virtual Reality project by defining the scope, breaking down tasks, and adhering to a project timeline.
5. Work effectively in a multidisciplinary team, negotiating responsibilities and using everyone’s skills to achieve an inventive, common goal.

This module will provide a collaborative creator space for you to acquire the skills and knowledge required to contribute towards the design and development of a simple Virtual Reality (VR) experience. It is therefore not a taught module, but project-based combining independent learning with team work to create an inventive VR product.

At the beginning of the module, you will explore various existing VR applications to understand their strengths and weaknesses across different contexts. For the majority of the module, you will work in a small, multidisciplinary group to develop a VR experience relating to your Imperial College student experience, that integrates into an existing VR world. Within your group, you will decide on the scope of your project and divide roles amongst yourselves according to skills and interest so that each of you focusses on a specific component of the VR experience. This will allow you to do a deep dive into an area of VR development, directing your own learning into for example user experience / interaction design, graphics, or coding in C# using Unity.

There will be weekly face-to-face, interactive sessions. Some of these sessions will involve using Virtual Reality headsets, whereas others are focussed on group work, creating your own Virtual Reality experience. Individuals in project groups will break out into specialism workshops on a regular basis so that you can discuss your progress on your individual component of the VR experience with members from other project groups with similar roles. This will allow project groups to share expertise and support each other's learning. 

Every week, there is individual work to complete in your own time between sessions. This will include set tasks and learning activities as well as independent research into relevant topics of your choosing and applying what you have learned to your project. During the weeks when you are working on your project, you will also need to communicate (asynchronously) with other students or staff using online platforms, such as Teams or Discord. Support will be offered to you both during and outside of sessions by the module lead as well as teaching assistants and technical experts.

Coursework: 

• Group presentation (50%)
• Individual journal (50%)

The assessment of this module is based on both the group's working process and output as well as your individual contributions to the project and personal reflections. In this way we ensure that your individual progress and learning journey are of similar importance to the output your group produces. 

Your main assignment is to work as a group to create a VR experience that integrates into an existing VR world, related to your Imperial College student experience. 

• Requirements: It is compulsory to take an I-Explore module during your degree (you’ll take an I-Explore module in either your 2nd or 3rd year, depending on your department). You are expected to attend all classes and undertake approximately 105 hours of independent study in total during the module. Independent study includes for example reading and preparation for classes, researching and writing coursework assignments, project work and preparing for other assessments 
• I-Explore modules are worth 5 ECTS credit towards your degree; to receive these you will have to pass the module. The numerical mark that you obtain will not be included in the calculation of your final degree result, but it will appear on your transcript 
• This module is designed as an undergraduate Level 6 course 
• This module is offered by the Centre for Higher Education Research and Scholarship