Austin Peay to embed Meta Quest 3 headsets into criminal justice teaching and cross-campus simulations

Department aims to enhance experiential learning through courtroom simulations, crime scene walkthroughs, and interdisciplinary training in healthcare and emergency services.

Austin Peay State University is expanding its use of immersive technology through the rollout of 30 Meta Quest 3 virtual reality headsets, which will be embedded into its criminal justice curriculum beginning in fall 2025.

The initiative, led by the Department of Criminal Justice, is part of a wider effort to improve both classroom and online learning content.

The university, based in Clarksville, Tennessee, is working across departments to explore how VR can support teaching through realistic simulations. The equipment will be used in a range of scenarios, from virtual courtrooms and policing exercises to crime scene investigations and public safety simulations.

Curriculum applications across policing, law, and investigation

The department piloted the technology in April using publicly available 360-degree courtroom footage and will expand this to include full virtual mock trials in the upcoming semester. Faculty say the goal is to provide students, many of whom have never seen the inside of a courtroom, with a more applied, first-person learning experience.

Dr. David Kim, Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice, says: “I’ve always done mock trials in my class, but the issue is that we don’t get that atmosphere. A majority of our students have never been inside a courtroom, and it’s important for them to work on active and experiential learning.”

Future use cases include police ride-alongs, body camera footage, and interactive crime scene walkthroughs. The department is also working with library services to build interactive interrogation scenarios using character-driven simulation software.

Cross-department collaboration with health and emergency services

The VR initiative is also being explored for use across other programs. During a recent leadership event, the headsets were tested with students in nursing, radiologic technology, social work, and EMS. Participants viewed simulated accident scenes and experienced emergency medical procedures from the patient’s perspective.

Dr. Adrienne Wilk, Assistant Professor of Nursing, says: “Using VR goggles to simulate the accident and extrication helped our students emotionally and cognitively engage with the scenario in a way traditional methods can’t replicate. By suspending disbelief early, we prepare learners to respond with critical thinking, empathy, and confidence.”

The university plans to integrate the technology into a dedicated simulation space in the new Health Professions Building. Additional partnerships with local agencies such as the Montgomery County Jail are under discussion to expand the range of available VR content.

Expansion and infrastructure to follow initial rollout

The department selected high-capacity headset models to allow for scalable use and long-term content development. Future phases may include the creation of physical environments where students can move through virtual crime scenes and interact with digital evidence.

Dr. Scott Culhane, Chair of the Department of Criminal Justice, says: “We’re excited to take a leading role in figuring out how we can implement VR in our classes. That’s important for our students because this isn’t going away — it’s only getting far bigger and faster.”