News

Students create immersive version of Plato’s Cave to transform philosophy teaching

26 Jul 2026 3 minute read

The interactive version of Plato’s cave developed by
Students at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David

Nation.Cymru staff

Students have developed an immersive digital recreation of one of philosophy’s most famous thought experiments, creating what is believed to be one of the first bilingual teaching resources of its kind.

The project at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) saw seven Games Design students create an interactive version of Plato’s Cave for the university’s Interactive Room at Y Fforwm in Swansea.

Working alongside academic staff from the School of Applied Computing, the Wales Institute of Science and Art (WISA) and the Institute of Education and Humanities, the students took on specialist roles including 3D modelling, animation, sound design, lighting, texturing and Unreal Engine development.

The immersive experience has been designed primarily as a teaching resource for philosophy, but can also be used in subjects including media studies, semiotics, digital humanities, art and creative technologies.

It will be available in both English and Welsh, with the university describing it as one of the first immersive philosophy resources to offer bilingual delivery.

The project also formed part of a student internship programme, giving participants experience of working to a professional creative brief while producing a teaching resource that can be reused across a range of courses.

The experience was unveiled during a launch event at Y Fforwm earlier this month.

Dr Rebekah Humphreys, who co-led the project, said the collaboration had given students the opportunity to apply their skills to a real educational challenge.

“This project has been a fantastic example of what can be achieved when students and staff work collaboratively across disciplines,” she said.

“It has given our students the opportunity to apply their creativity and technical skills to a real educational challenge while developing valuable workplace experience.

“At the same time, we’ve created an engaging teaching resource that makes philosophy more accessible through immersive technology.”

Innovative

Professor Nik Whitehead, Associate Professor in the School of Applied Computing and co-lead of the project, said bringing together philosophy, games design and immersive technology had produced an innovative educational resource.

“We’re particularly proud that the experience has been developed in both English and Welsh, making it accessible to an even wider audience,” he said.

Student Joshua Platt said working on the project had allowed the team to combine technology, creativity and education while developing new technical and communication skills.

The project was led by Dr Rebekah Humphreys, Professor Nik Whitehead, Dr Nabeel Masih and Phil Organ.

Support our Nation today

For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.