This spring, Morehouse College will be taking students on a virtual tour of history.
The HBCU has partnered with virtual reality (VR) company VictoryXR to launch a Black history course that will be taught entirely in the metaverse. The course, which will be taught by Professor Orell Hamilton, is titled “History of the African Diaspora Since 1800.“
In the class, students will use virtual reality headsets to experience Black history “firsthand” — from the Haitain Revolution to the civil rights movement. Through the virtual lessons, students will revisit historical sites and moments, such as the Underground Railroad, Atlantic slave trade, and Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech.
The new course is part of a broader initiative called the Virtual Reality Project, which aims to use VR technology to teach Black history. Much of its material was inspired by a previous course taught by Hamilton, separate from the college, called Journey for Civil Rights.
It’s not just Hamilton building on previous experience though. The Atlanta-based college is as well.
Morehouse has been experimenting with virtual education since last spring. When students began withdrawing due to the pandemic, Morehouse had 12 professors introduce VR technology to engage them in new ways. The results must have been promising, because the HBCU is now rolling out its first course entirely in the metaverse….
Colleges and Universities in Web3
It’s not just Morehouse. Various higher education institutions are getting involved with NFTs and the metaverse. At Rarity Sniper, we’ve covered many news stories of colleges and universities hosting events, launching courses, and more related to Web3. Here are the top three stories:
Oxford University Hosts NFT-Focused Conference
In October, Oxford University welcomed a group of academics to discuss non-fungible tokens (NFTs) at its annual Oxford Blockchain, Art & Technology (OxBAT) Conference. The speakers discussed the cultural significance of NFTs, blockchain technology, and more. Speakers included Ben Gentilli, Eva Gentner, Kieran Nolan, Jeff Davis, and Erick Calderon.
University of São Paulo Builds a Metaverse Research Lab
Back in August, renowned Brazilian university University of São Paulo (USP) kicked off its plans to build a research facility in the United States of Mars metaverse. In the research facility, USP professors and students will research various Web3 technologies and their educational and psychological effects. The USP research facility is the first of its kind for a Latin American institution in the USM metaverse.
Tokyo University Launches Metaverse Engineering Classes
Also in August, the University of Tokyo announced it would offer “metaverse courses” for engineering students. The proposed courses and initiatives will include a junior engineering course, a re-skilling engineering education course, and an engineering career site. They will be targeted toward students of different levels: middle school, high school, college, and adults looking to switch careers.
The moves we’ve seen by colleges and universities, such as Morehouse, Oxford, USP, and the University of Tokyo, show that the public sector is as open to Web3 as the private sector. For now they’re starting with courses and research labs, but it may not be long until they launch entire curriculums in the metaverse.