Learning comes in all different forms, and Moraine Valley Community College heating and air conditioning (HAC) faculty are making sure their students are equipped with all the tools necessary to succeed. This past semester, they included virtual reality (VR) to the class repertoire.
John Moreno, Moraine Valley heating and air conditioning instructor, took on the task of learning about VR for one year and incorporating it into his classroom.
“This is simply a part of learning. I think it’s very advantageous. It’s like driver’s ed or astronaut training. There’s nothing like the real McCoy, but this is to get them all beefed up. Plus, the students can get hurt or electrocuted working on the real thing and this way they can’t,” Moreno said. “In my day, we had a book and saw a grainy movie. To me, this is a big positive and will be more helpful. I love it and use it all the time. We’re always looking for new ways to teach.”
The HAC Department has seven headsets with pistol grips that each class can use. Moreno said the Introduction to Controls and the Installation and Services classes have used them, but incorporating VR more thoroughly into classes is still in its infancy. In the simulation, students can walk through a house or on the roof of a commercial building and access HAC units or thermostats to practice on. The headset guides students with prompts through different scenarios created by the instructor.
“It’s simple but good for muscle memory and helps you get familiar with the equipment. It’ll tell you with prompts what tasks to do, and you’ll see the checkmarks when it’s completed. It has all the OSHA [Occupational Safety and Health Administration] guidelines, so you know you’re doing everything right,” said returning student David Dunski, of Oak Forest. “I’ve always done virtual reality for fun, and this is a more fun way to do class.”
The spring semester was the first time Moreno incorporated VR into classes, but he hopes to expand it more this summer and introduce more robust usage in the fall.
For news media inquiries, contact Maura Vizza, Moraine Valley communications specialist and sports information coordinator, at (708) 974-5742 or Vizzam@morainevalley.edu.
