In January 2025, the SIMPLE project took another step forward in its mission to enhance environmental education through immersive Virtual Reality (VR) experiences. 

Bringing Virtual Reality to Environmental Education in Thailand

On January 23, 2025, the SIMPLE team successfully hosted its second implementation event at the Doi Suthep Nature Centre, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, welcoming eager Thai students ready to explore biodiversity and sustainable solutions through VR.

Under the theme “Understanding, Loving, and Protecting Biodiversity Through the Lens of the Virtual World,” the event aimed to raise awareness about sustainable natural resources and environmental conservation.

Students from 13 high schools across Bangkok, Pathum Thani, and Chiang Mai participated in a full-day program, engaging in hands-on activities designed to test the educational materials developed by SIMPLE. The participating schools included Rittiyawannalai School, Triamudomsuksanomklao Pathum Thani School, Thammasat Klongluang Wittayakom School, Thanyaburi School, Pathumwilai School, Saipanyarangsit School, Suankularbwittayalai Rangsit School, The Chiang Mai Christian School, Mae Ho Phra Wittayakom School, Chiang Mai University Demonstration School, Varee Chiang Mai School, Lanna International School, and Chiang Mai International School.

This event was jointly organized by the National Biobank of Thailand (NBT), the Industrial IoT and Automation Research Group (IIARG), the Media and Product Creation Division (MPC), and the Academic Services and Curriculum Assessment for Human Capital Development Division (ASI), all part of the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA). The event followed the first implementation at Sirindhorn Science Home, NSTDA, on January 11, 2025.

An Immersive Learning Experience

A highlight of the event was the Seed Collection game, where students used VR headsets to immerse themselves in a Virtual Universe. Developed as part of SIMPLE’s initiative for Thailand’s pilot classes, this educational game allows students to explore sustainable solutions to deforestation and biodiversity loss. By collecting seeds to restore ecosystems, they gain a deeper understanding of the difficulty to recreate a viable ecosystem and the importance of conservation efforts. 

The educational program also includes tasks with Augmented Reality (AR), vividly illustrating the impact of forest degradation. This interactive session sparked meaningful discussions, with students brainstorming practical solutions to combat deforestation.

Positive Impact and Future Plans

The event received enthusiastic feedback from both students and teachers. Students enjoyed the interactive content and found AR and VR technologies effective in understanding scientific concepts. Teachers noted a significant boost in student engagement, emphasizing the potential for integrating VR-based learning into traditional classrooms.

In the coming months, SIMPLE will refine its educational programs based on participant feedback while enhancing VR simulations for a more immersive and scientifically accurate learning experience. The goal is to develop a comprehensive curriculum for widespread dissemination to schools and organizations by 2026.

Looking ahead, the SIMPLE team at NSTDA is gearing up for the “BiodiVRestorer” session, a special event at the NSTDA Annual Conference (NAC) on March 26, 2025. Participants can expect hands-on activities such as rapid site assessment of forest degradation using AR technology, immersive VR-based environmental simulations, and other interactive sessions designed to create an engaging learning environment.

About SIMPLE

The project “Sustainability Issues and Metaverse for Building Participatory Learning Environments” (SIMPLE) aims at designing to design the design teaching methods using innovative combinations of serious games, scientific models and virtual reality activities to give every child access to evidence- based knowledge and experiential learning about environmental issues in the classroom. 

The initiative is a collaborative research effort led by the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD) in partnership with Can Tho University in Vietnam and NSTDA in Thailand, co-funded by the European Union.