CSC 3991 Directed Study
Crime Scene Investigation is a common course for criminology majors and usually covers an understanding of forensic science, the mechanics of examining a crime scene, and how to both collect and preserve evidence for laboratory testing. Assessments usually entail a written component and a practical component, with the latter particularly challenging for a variety of reasons. Firstly, mock crime scenes need to be meticulously planned out and created prior to the assessment. Secondly, and perhaps most challenging, is the need to recreate the crime scene between the individual assessments of each student. To address these challenges, we propose to move the practical examination of crime scene investigation into virtual reality (VR). VR can be used to create pedagogical experiences at a more efficient rate, a cheaper cost, and potentially an even more engaging experience for the student. Using virtual reality, the repeated setup cost/time is eliminated, and grading is partially automated, as the application is able to assess the completion of, and even accuracy of, required tasks. Once the development of the application is completed, students can don the VR headset, start an assessment, which, in turn, generates a random crime scene from a selected set of criteria, and then perform the necessary investigative tasks being assessed. The use of virtual reality also enhances student engagement and immersion, as mock scenes are no longer constrained to small office or classroom spaces and are limited only by the creativity of the developer. We have developed a VR application in Unity and are targeting the Oculus Quest 2 VR device due to its surging popularity and low price point. With development complete, our plan is to test the efficacy of this application as a meaningful assessment tool within the classroom during the upcoming Spring 2022 semester.