Most people who have tried using virtual reality think it’s cool -- if at first a little nausea-inducing. Augmented reality and 3-D printing and scanning at their best elicit awestruck expressions. Can these tools help students learn? Can institutions with limited budgets pull off ambitious projects? Can skeptical faculty members be convinced to experiment with unfamiliar technology? At their core, three-dimensional technologies allow students to “go places they couldn’t otherwise go or do things they wouldn’t otherwise do,” said D. Christopher Brooks, director of research at Educause. Virtual reality environments transport users to space or inside microscopic cells; augmented reality gives students superpowers of object manipulation. These experiences don’t spring up overnight, though. They require structured collaborations between instructors, instructional designers and IT units. Read the entire Inside Higher Ed article here.