Using 360-Degree Cameras for Self-Assessment in Skills-Based Courses

Abstract

The proliferation of digital photography, which can capture and process high-resolution images with low-cost consumer cameras, brought panoramic imaging technology to the mass very quickly. Today’s 360-degree cameras are capable of capturing the entire surrounding environment and provide an immersive experience to the viewers on web-browsers and virtual reality headsets. While these new cameras are often advertised to sport and outdoor enthusiasts, their functionalities, portability, and price make them an ideal tool to capture interactive and high-paced exercises in a learning environment setting. In this paper, the author shares his experience using 360-degree cameras for self-assessment in legal education. Skills-based courses such as Advocacy Trials, are often hard to capture using regular cameras. Having a panoramic video of a student interaction in the courtroom can provide an unprecedented viewpoint for critique purposes and self evaluation.