This is a challenge as part of INTE 5430 to create a piece of design fiction. I chose to illustrate a concept that is quickly becoming reality. The idea of allowing students to attend school virtually, rather than just online via computers, is already on the minds of many educators. From a safety standpoint it makes a lot of sense. Students would still be able to interact, hear and “hang out” with peers but they would do so from the safety of their own homes. The cost to provide VR headsets to students is relatively low when the costs of keeping school buildings open, buses running and other on-site related tasks are considered.
I took inspiration partly from the books Ready Player One and The Fourth Transformation, and from my own experiences. In my household we have both the Oculus Quest and the Oculus Rift S. We have also owned the original Rift and the Samsung Odyssey. In a short time VR and AR have begun to garner more attention and store front real estate (see Best Buy) and it seems to be an indication of where we are heading. This flyer for Virtual Prime Collegiate Academy might be fiction today but by 2020 or 2021, it could be the norm.
The image displayed on the flyer came from Unsplash and was available to use with or without credit. Photo by Giu Vicente.