Virtualizing a University Campus Tour: A Case Study on Usability and Perceived Usefulness
Abstract: A campus tour is deemed to be an important activity of universities to prospective students. Alternatively, new faculty and students are usually invited to a campus tour as part of their orientation. Furthermore, it offers an overview of expectations and norms in the university community. In this regard, the International Christian University (ICU) has been utilizing campus tours in open campus activities. However, due to limited human and temporal resources, these tours cannot be done as often as desired. The proliferation of 360-degree cameras and Virtual Reality (VR) development tools, as well as the increasing supply of low-cost technologies for experiencing VR applications, hold much promise for a virtual alternative. In this paper, we shall describe a pilot project that utilizes VR as a substitute for ICU's campus tours. Lastly, we will present an outline for evaluating the virtual tour in terms of usability and perceived usefulness.