Kellogg Community College students this semester can travel the world without leaving their homes thanks to virtual reality technology available via a new International Travel class.
The new class, INTL 210: International Travel-Culture, is worth 3 credits and will fulfill the travel requirement for the College’s Associate in Global and International Studies degree (though students don’t have to be pursuing the degree to take the class). The class will be offered online for the Spring 2021 semester, running Jan. 19 through May 10 with 20 spots available in the initial class.
Using virtual reality goggles (available commercially for less than $100) students in the class will have the opportunity to explore cities and landmarks around the world and interact with individuals across the country in real-time.
Integrative Learning Director Kate Coplin, who oversees KCC’s Global and International Studies Program, said students in the class will have access to 48 hours of interactive content split between four areas of study, including Business, Global Perspectives, Humanities and Sciences. Content will cover nine countries, including:
- Costa Rica
- The Czech Republic
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- India
- Italy
- Switzerland
- The United Kingdom
No textbook is required for the class.
“This will be the cheapest international trip we will ever go on,” Coplin said. “Students will just need to purchase VR googles in the range of $30 to $100 dollars and they get to pick which ones they would like to purchase.”
Two sets of VR goggles will also be available in the Morris Library for INTL 210 students to check out for a limited time.
Coplin said she was somewhat skeptical about the VR technology at first, “but after putting the googles on and seeing the curriculum I am geeked!”
“I also had our student worker try on the googles and he was thrilled,” Coplin said. “He couldn’t stop smiling as he talked about his experience.”
View a promotional video highlighting the new class below.
For more information about Kellogg Community College’s Global and International Studies Program, visit www.kellogg.edu/international-studies.
The new INTL 210 class was made possible in part by a Program Initiative Grant from the KCC Foundation. Learn more about the grants at www.kellogg.edu/program-initiative-grants.