AR/VR Strategy Considerations for Academic Computing Services

As higher education institutions take up augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) tools and applications, important choices and challenges arise in deciding how to approach the planning and design of infrastructure, spaces, and the services to be offered. The observations in this paper are based upon early experiences of growing AR/VR spaces and support in one university setting. The emerging services, space designs, and choice of technology and training offered are informed both by consideration of the varied AR/VR environments being explored in the curriculum as well as a general interest in supporting AR/VR use by individuals and groups in non-curricular settings. The goals of this paper include: 1) briefly surveying commonalities and differences of AR and VR as they're being applied to teaching and learning; 2) considering service design approaches and decision points around AR/VR technologies; 3) and noting challenges for developing sustainable approaches to AR/VR support.