Chichester College Group welcome Innovative Virtual Reality Pilot

The Digital Support & E-Learning Team at the Chichester College Group (CCG) have been at the forefront of innovation, supporting a groundbreaking BodySwaps VR pilot. 

BodySwaps, a leading provider of VR soft skills training, has partnered with CCG to explore the educational potential of their cutting-edge VR app.

This immersive experience has been running across both Northbrook and Brighton MET since January 2024, and is set to conclude at the end of March. 

As one of the five participating colleges, both students and staff are thrilled to be involved ahead of the wider rollout. 

A total of 50 students studying Photography, Creative Media and Film, Construction and Computing over both campuses are enrolled on the pilot. 

The participating students are completing a soft skills module designed to enhance their presentation and communication abilities. 

Each week, they dedicate 15 minutes to this transformative experience over a four-week period and upon completion, staff will discover how the app has influenced their skills development.  

Matthew Bundock, Creative Media Production student at West Durrington, said: “Presenting now is a lot easier, especially when presenting to a class. It takes the edge off and reduces the anxiety a lot, because you get used to presenting and you know how to do it.  

“It’s been a fun experience and it’s definitely increased my confidence in public speaking.” 

Elyse Stokely from BodySwaps, added: “It’s been fantastic collaborating with What Worked and all the dedicated educators and students, including those in the Chichester College Group at Brighton MET and Northbrook College, in this groundbreaking research.  

“Together we’re studying the impact of our Public Speaking and Presentation Skills module on students’ performance and confidence.” 

To find out more about using VR with your students please get in touch with us at DigitalSupport@chigroup.ac.uk or Rebecca.McCardle@gbmc.ac.uk