Introduction
Chris Booker works at the center of a growing movement toward immersive learning in higher education. When students at the University of Nottingham step into a virtual reality classroom, he is often working behind the scenes to make that experience possible. As a senior virtual reality teaching technician, he helps faculty and students explore how VR can support teaching, experimentation, and hands-on discovery across engineering and science programs.
His role blends technical support, instructional collaboration, and experimentation. By helping instructors translate their teaching goals into immersive experiences, Chris plays a key role in bringing virtual reality into the everyday learning environment.
Start off small, then build it up. Learn from the mistakes- everyone makes them!
Supporting instructors as VR enters the classroom
Chris spends much of his time working alongside educators who want to incorporate immersive technology into their teaching but may not have experience building VR environments themselves.
That support includes:
- Providing live technical assistance during VR-based classes
- Helping faculty translate course concepts into interactive VR activities
- Assisting students who are building or testing immersive projects
- Troubleshooting hardware and software during teaching sessions
By offering hands-on guidance, Chris helps ensure that VR tools enhance learning rather than becoming a barrier for instructors.
From a small lab to large-scale VR teaching
Virtual reality at Nottingham started modestly. The first initiative involved a small lab where product design students experimented with tools like Gravity Sketch to develop design concepts in three dimensions.
The results were promising. Students responded enthusiastically to the ability to sketch, prototype, and iterate inside an immersive environment.
As interest grew, the university expanded its investment. Today, the engineering department operates a large teaching facility that can accommodate entire classes in VR.
The space now supports up to 40 students working simultaneously in PC-based virtual reality, with multiple VR classes scheduled throughout the week.
Designing VR experiences that match teaching goals
One challenge in immersive learning is ensuring that technology aligns with the way instructors actually teach. Chris emphasizes that successful VR experiences must reflect the nuances of a course, not just the capabilities of the software.
Because of this, building experiences internally can be especially valuable. When developers and educators work closely together, VR environments can be tailored to match precise learning objectives and instructional methods.
This collaboration allows instructors to shape how students interact with virtual objects, the pacing and structure of the experience, and the feedback that learners receive.
The result is a learning environment that supports both pedagogy and experimentation.
You have to build the test rig and then literally perform the experiment as you would do in the real world, but in VR. Experiments require a fair amount of consumables, but all of a sudden, those costs have gone away
Building interactive learning with accessible tools
Chris has also seen firsthand how development tools can influence how quickly educators adopt immersive technology.
He notes that creating interactions in traditional game engines can involve a steep learning curve. Simplified tools and plugins help reduce that barrier, allowing instructors and developers to focus on the learning experience rather than the complexity of coding.
When interactions like grabbing objects or pressing buttons become easy to implement, it becomes far more practical to prototype educational simulations. This opens the door for instructional designers and educators to test ideas quickly and refine them based on student feedback.
A virtual chemistry lab in action
Chris recently helped support a chemistry project that demonstrates the practical value of immersive simulations. In this case, colleagues created a virtual version of an undergraduate chemistry laboratory.
Students entering the VR environment are presented with a realistic lab setup and instructions for an experiment. They gather equipment, assemble the apparatus, and perform the procedure just as they would in a physical lab.
The experience provides several advantages:
- Students can practice complex procedures safely
- Consumable materials are no longer required
- Mistakes become learning opportunities rather than costly setbacks
- Experiments can be restarted instantly
This kind of simulation allows learners to build confidence before entering a real laboratory environment.
Exploring engineering through immersive storytelling
Another project Chris highlighted is a VR experience designed for first-year mechanical engineering students.
The experience takes learners through a virtual mechanical engineering museum where they encounter mechanisms used in everyday machines. Students explore components ranging from simple fasteners to complex mechanical systems.
Within the environment, learners interact with exhibits that answer three core questions: What is it? What does it do? Where can I find it in the real world?
By combining visualization, motion, and interaction, VR helps students connect theoretical knowledge with practical applications.
Looking forward
Chris’s work illustrates how virtual reality can become a practical part of instructional design when the right support systems are in place. By combining technical infrastructure, collaboration with educators, and a willingness to experiment, universities can create immersive learning experiences that deepen student understanding.
Interested in exploring how virtual reality can support immersive learning, instructional design, and hands-on education at your institution? Connect with the Zoe team to see how you can prototype VR experiences, collaborate with faculty, and bring interactive learning into your courses.
Download Zoe here, or join the Zoe Creator Program to learn alongside educators who are shaping the future of learning through creativity and exploration.
