South Dakota State University strived to use XR to bring educational access to rural communities – starting with outreach and gradually expanding to classroom use. In this episode, we meet with Dr. Greg Heiberger to explore how they made that goal a reality.

Today, SDSU integrates XR into various subjects across their curriculum, from nursing, to architecture and chemistry. They’ve also conducted research showing VR’s effectiveness in anatomy education when used before cadaver labs.

We uncover how the university overcame challenges in scaling an XR program in a rural community, and explored how the technology prepares students for future workforce needs.

Looking ahead, Greg sees XR as a catalyst for innovation at SDSU, and as a potential solution to address challenges in rural education and healthcare across the country.

Timestamps:

Greg on the educational landscape of rural South Dakota (01:06)
Scaling up from just one headset (04:34)
The use-cases and return on investment (11:28)
Using VR on campus with students (19:42)
Translating success to leadership (24:08)
How ArborXR has helped scale the XR program at SDSU (27:49)
XR – The spark for innovation and its future at SDSU (32:04)

About the Guest:

Dr. Greg Heiberger is a quantitative researcher with 19 years of experience at South Dakota State University (SDSU). His research interests span from STEM education to the impact of social media. Dr. Heiberger was among the first to publish work demonstrating the positive relationship between Facebook use and increased student engagement among college students. He’s currently the Associate Dean for Academics and Student Success, and spearheads the university’s XR initiatives.

About ArborXR:

ArborXR helps organizations confidently manage VR & AR devices at scale, remotely install content, and control what users can see and do in the headset. Our mission is to help people live more meaningful lives through the power of XR. Learn more at https://arborxr.com.

Links & Resources:

Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregheiberger/
Connect with Brad on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-scoggin/
Connect with Will on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/willstackable/

SDSU: Expanding Rural Education with VR