Ms. Jolie Rajah, a Faculty Liaison Librarian at the Alma Jordan Library, performs a 3D scan of a unique collection item, crafting its precise digital twin for enhanced archival and educational purposes.

Office of the Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal. Wednesday, March 13, 2024 – The Alma Jordan Library (AJL) at The UWI St. Augustine Campus and the Digital Learning Innovation (DLI) Unit at The UWI Global Campus are thrilled to announce a groundbreaking collaboration to bring eXtended Reality (XR) technologies into the traditional higher education landscape.

This visionary initiative, initiated by Mrs Karen Rosemin, Head – DLI Unit and Mr. Ahmed Ali, IT Officer – AJL, aims to showcase the transformative potential of XR technologies in the traditional academic setting by hosting immersive demos, simulations, and training sessions. This project will provide students, lecturers, and faculty members with a firsthand experience of the remarkable capabilities of XR.

The DLI team hosted a 2-day workshop at the AJL last November titled “Virtual Visions: Bridging Books and Bytes to Redefine the Library Experience.” This workshop, led by Mr. Riaz Baldeo, Digital Strategist – DLI Unit, focused on leveraging Augmented and Virtual Reality (AVR) and digital twin technologies to revolutionize library spaces. Attendees from the AJL learned about 3D scanning, creating immersive experiences, and using XR platforms to design interactive educational content. The highlight is anticipated to be a project by the AJL team to design mini virtual exhibits, skillfully blending the traditional and digital realms.

Another expected outcome of this collaboration is a proposed agreement detailing the shared commitment between both departments to implement an Alma Jordan Library XR Suite Initiative. XR is an umbrella term encompassing Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR). These technologies create immersive digital environments that can either replace the real world (VR), overlay digital information onto the physical world (AR), or blend real and virtual worlds (MR). In higher education, XR is rapidly gaining traction as a transformative tool. It provides unique, immersive learning experiences that can simulate complex real-world scenarios, facilitate remote and interactive learning, and enhance student engagement and understanding. From medical training using 3D simulations to history classes immersed in virtual tours, XR is revolutionizing the traditional classroom, making learning more interactive, accessible, and engaging.

This collaboration marks a significant step in integrating cutting-edge technology into the traditional library setting, fostering a new era of learning and discovery. By merging the expertise of the AJL with that of the DLI, this initiative promises to redefine the academic experience for the UWI community and beyond.