Person:
Thiyagarajan, Tharun

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https://www.husson.edu/directory/tharun_thiyagarajan
Term at University
2023-current
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Instructor, College of Business
Last Name
Thiyagarajan
First Name
Tharun
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M.S. Criminal Justice Administration
Master of Business Administration
Bachelor of Computer Applications

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    A BROWSER-EMBEDDED XR SIMULATION MODEL FOR EXPERIENTIAL ANIMAL BEHAVIOR TRAINING IN ONLINE STEM EDUCATION
    (2026-04-16) Thiyagarajan, Tharun
    This paper looks at a common issue in online education, where many courses still depend heavily on readings, slides, and recorded lectures. While these are useful for delivering content, they often do not give students enough opportunities to actively engage or learn through experience. This is especially noticeable in areas like animal behavior education, where students are expected to interpret subtle cues, understand context, and develop observational skills. In a fully online setting, access to real environments and live animals is limited, and repeated use of animals also raises safety and ethical concerns. To address this, the project presents a browser-based, XR-ready simulation designed specifically for online learning. The system allows students to explore a virtual veterinary clinic, interact with the environment, and switch between human and canine perspectives to better understand behavior. Since the simulation runs directly in a web browser, it does not require VR headsets or specialized hardware, making it easier to access across different devices. The design focuses on keeping the system lightweight and usable within typical online learning constraints. This includes managing performance in the browser, optimizing assets, and supporting interaction through standard input devices. The simulation can be used in both live sessions and self-paced learning environments. This work is presented as a design and implementation effort that explores how browser-based XR can be used to support more active learning in online STEM and STEAM education. A more structured evaluation of learning outcomes is planned as a next step.