Web-based Virtual Reality Environments (VR)

The course will focus on the use of web technologies for the implementation of virtual reality environments, using and giving special focus to the A-Frame development platform.

Notice of Opening

https://apps.uc.pt/courses/EN/course/8781

All those interested in the course’s main subject who have completed at least secondary education.

The course may have particular interest to web designers and multimedia designers who intend to know and/or improve skills of virtual reality environments, e.g., for designing virtual art exhibitions or museums, interactive virtual reality experiences for marketing purposes.

The course may also have interest to instructional designers, who wish to know how to create interactive 3D immersive instructional materials for teachings.

Teachers that want to introduce virtual reality into their classes (e.g., in high schools), may also find this course relevant as the virtual reality framework that is used is appropriate for a first contact with the topic, requiring only a basic understanding of HTML.

This course differs from other courses in this area in that it provides practical VR implementation experience even for students with low programming experience. Other courses often either address high-level design concepts but do not provide specific implementation examples or focus on low-level computer graphics requiring a high programming background.

This course aims to:

• Describe the first developments of VR and the various applications of VR throughout its history;
• Introduce and explain the concepts of Virtual Reality, Mixed Reality and Augmented Reality through concrete examples;
• Provide technical knowledge for the development of a web-based Virtual Reality project.

At the end of the course, students should be able to:

• Know the history of Virtual Reality: key moments and developments;
• Explain and distinguish the concepts of Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality and Mixed Reality;
• Implement a VR environment in A-Frame.

1. Introduction to Virtual Reality
2. A-Frame: basics
3. A-Frame: intermediate
4. A-Frame: advanced

Web-Based Virtual Reality Environments course will address the history, concepts and technologies related to Virtual Reality (VR), focusing on the implementation of VR Environments on the Web.

It’s an 81-hour e-learning course that has a sequential structure organized in 4 thematic modules. Each module has its own timetable, suggesting that the student dedicate 1 hour of daily work to the course.

The course methodology is based on learners’ active learning, with teacher’s monitoring. The theoretical concepts about the first developments of VR, its applications, possible technologies, etc. will be presented. The relationship between Virtual Reality, Mixed Reality and Augmented Reality will be established through examples and using contents that allow understanding the basic concepts about Virtual Reality and about the creation of Virtual Reality environments for the Web. Learners’ professional context will be consider to the contents applying, whenever possible.

Learning approaches:

• Teacher video lectures – for theoretical explanations and key concepts.
• Practical use – learners will be guided to apply the technical and conceptual knowledge in a practical exercises about the creation of virtual reality environments for the web.

The teaching process is based on the systematic monitoring of learners' work, namely in the study of the contents, doubts clarification and in the accomplishment of learning activities.

In the distance-learning component, interactions will be established asynchronously, not requiring participants' simultaneous attendance in the platform.

The access to the platform is flexible, allowing learners to organize and adjust their working hours according to their availability to manage the proposed activities.

Various exercises will be proposed, allowing participants to use those concepts in the development of virtual environments, as well a project that will integrate their knowledge about creating Virtual Reality environments for the Web. All activities will have feedback from the teacher.

The course starts with a welcoming period, where there will be some formative activities to facilitate platform navigation and use, and also to test student’s HTML previous knowledge.

The course evaluation is continuous, through specific activities to apply knowledge in each module (30%), as well a project that will integrate their knowledge about creating Virtual Reality environments for the Web (70%).

The final classification will be based on a qualitative scale with 4 aproval levels - "Approved", "Approved with Good", "Approved with Good with Distinction" and "Approved with Very Good”.

The student who successfully completes the course (minimum of "Approved" level) may apply for a diploma issued by the University of Coimbra, adding the expected fees.

Although the course materials are mainly in English, students will be able to deliver the assignments in either English or Portuguese.

Students who pass the course may request a certificate issued by the University of Coimbra. Fees will apply. More information at https://www.uc.pt/en/academicos/propinas/emolumento.