What is Mindscape Commons?
Mindscape Commons is the world's first online resource for immersive and interactive content in mental health. It presents and documents nearly 200 VR experiences, games, and apps, for teaching and research in counseling, social work, psychology, health sciences, and related programs. It’s also collaborative in nature, so faculty and researchers can create member profiles, upload their projects, and connect with others.
At a time of fluctuation and change within higher education, Mindscape Commons offers compelling online content for teaching, learning, and research. Our exclusive Virtual Microcases and Interactive Simulations feature a range of clients and mental health conditions, coupled with interactivity and assessments to gauge comprehension. Other experiences such as The Guardian’s Waiting for Asylum, BBC Scotland’s Inside Anxiety, and 360 Immersive Social Work Home Assessments offer additional options for learning, enhancing empathy, and building skills. Additionally, the Mindscape Commons points to many Open Access VR content as well as VR research projects.
We know that VR is new to many, and we want our content to work for all. Therefore, most experiences can be viewed on a laptop or for those who wish to employ immersion, experiences can be viewed on a smartphone with Google cardboard, or, to take it further, viewed in an Oculus head-mounted device.
Historically, VR projects have been difficult to find and cite, often disappearing when funding at the originating organization runs out. Mindscape Commons provides a place to preserve descriptions of the actual VR experiences. All entries to the Directory receive permanent, unique identifiers, along with subject tags, making it easy for users to discover these works. Registered users can upload projects or post links back to their websites.
In order to make the virtual reality experience accessible to as many users. Coherent Digital has made it possible to use the database with a variety of different devices including but not limited to VR headsets from Meta Quest to HTC VIVE, laptops, and smartphones with VR headsets.
Watch the video posted below this section for a tutorial about the Mindscape Commons database.