Immersive Nutrition Living Lab

The Immersive Nutrition Living Lab will develop and trial an interactive 360° virtual supermarket to enhance teaching and learning in Dietetics and Public Health Nutrition. Students will have opportunities to explore a simulated supermarket, examine food products, interpret nutrition labels and consider how affordability and sustainability influence food choices. Through interactive activities and realistic food-related scenarios, students will be encouraged to apply theoretical knowledge, critically evaluate food information and practise evidence-informed decision-making.

The virtual environment will complement existing supermarket-based teaching activities by providing a consistent and repeatable learning experience that students can revisit to consolidate their understanding and build confidence in applying nutrition knowledge. The project brings together myself, Dr Eileen O’Brien, Dr Marie Conway and Dr Claire Connolly from the School of Biological, Health and Sports Sciences, working collaboratively with Dr Brian Vaughan from the School of Media.

Experiential learning is fundamental to Dietetics and Public Health Nutrition education, enabling students to translate scientific knowledge into practical decisions relevant to professional practice and everyday food environments. The planned expansion of our Human Nutrition and Dietetics programme presents an exciting opportunity to enhance our teaching approaches, ensuring that students continue to benefit from meaningful, engaging and equitable experiential learning opportunities.

Building on our established supermarket-based learning activities, we want to explore how immersive technology can complement existing teaching by allowing students to independently explore realistic food environments, compare products and revisit activities at their own pace. The aim is to support active, student-centred learning, encourage critical thinking and strengthen students' confidence in applying nutrition knowledge to real-world decisions.