Recap of our Grants as a Growth Strategy session

We had an excellent online session with Ashley Pereira hosted by Carlos Ochoa with 60 academics and professionals.

Ashley is specialized in helping K-12 STEM and CTE education change makers turn their vision into validated success. With a deep-rooted passion and proven track record in advancing STEM education, I've led pioneering learning experiences since 2008, positively impacting nearly 4 million learners. My expertise lies in leveraging synergies between people and systems to not only prove but enhance the impact of STEM, career readiness, and immersive tech through grant funding and program evaluation. Bringing a commitment to excellence and mind-blowing efficiency, my specialized package offerings are delivered with swift, actionable insights, enabling your organization to quickly prove and promote the power of your program or product.

Each year millions of dollars in grant funding are awarded for education programs. In this presentation Ashley Pereira, Founder & CEO of Greater Good Consultants LLC, will share inside tips on how to find grant funding and utilize it within your growth strategy - for both for-profit and nonprofit organizations! Learn the basics of grants, the best FREE grant research databases to find opportunities, and how to screen leads to identify the best fits.

The meeting covered various topics, starting with the VR/AR Association Education Committee's focus on producing a white paper about exercise in education to offer insights to newcomers, emphasizing innovation, collaboration, and equity. Ashley Pereira shared insights on grants and funding, highlighting the importance of grants for both for-profit and non-profit organizations, with a focus on the US but globally applicable practices. The discussion also delved into identifying funding sources, grant research, and screening processes, emphasizing the need to target local areas for increased success rates. Ashley provided tips on grant writing and evaluation plans, while discussions on finding partners for grant applications and challenges in securing funding were also addressed. The meeting touched on the Erasmus project training program, challenges in education-industry collaboration, and the VR education market, highlighting the importance of collaboration, content creation, and immersive learning experiences. Lastly, insights on federal grants were shared, with a decision not to recommend pursuing them for early-stage organizations due to complexity and time commitment.

Topics & Highlights

1. Discussion on VR AR Association Education Committee

• importance of producing an index with insights to help new generations in VR AR education.

• concept of ICE (Innovation, Collaboration, Equity) as key focus areas for the committee.

• importance of the white paper about exercise in education, recording sessions, and the growth of the VR AR Association Education Committee.

2. Discussion on Grants and Funding

• grant discussion applies to both for-profit and non-profit organizations, with a focus on the United States but with globally applicable practices.

• the concept of grants as free money, typically awarded to non-profit organizations, but also discusses how for-profit companies can utilize grants as a sales and marketing tool.

3. Identifying Funding Sources and Grants

• various types of funders, such as corporate foundations, private foundations, public foundations, and associations. She emphasized the importance of aligning criteria with funders' criteria to increase the chances of success in grant applications.

4. Finding Grants and Funding Opportunities

• importance of knowing what to ask for when seeking grants, whether for general operating expenses or specific programs. She highlighted the use of free databases to find suitable funding opportunities.

5. Grant Funding Database Demo

• demo of using a free grant funding database to search for funding opportunities for educational projects, highlighting the availability of federal, private foundation, and national grants.

• benefits and limitations of free grant databases, mentioning higher competition due to ease of access and the recommendation to consider paid software for more targeted searches.

• funding needs for the project involving a virtual reality experience of being embodied in Rosa Parks, discussing the historical empathy and implicit racial bias reduction goals.

6. Grant Research and Screening Process

• importance of targeting local areas for funding requests to improve success rates.

7. Grant Writing Tips and Evaluation Plans

• significance of research, tailored requests, and robust evaluation plans in grant writing to enhance the chances of success.

8. Finding Grants for Educational Programming Worldwide

• paid database Instrumental as a comprehensive option for finding grants worldwide, highlighting its robust features and high cost.

• sharing the expense of the paid database among a group of organizations, with examples of successful collaboration shared by participants.

• concerns about the complexity of grant processes in Europe, emphasizing the challenges in creating consortia and the lack of focus on real market impact.

9. Finding Partners for Grant Applications

• advice on finding partners for grant applications, emphasizing the importance of networking, chambers of commerce, and university connections.

10. Challenges in Securing Funding

• concerns about the need to align grant funding with real market benefits to avoid wasting money and effort. He highlighted the trend of companies disappearing within a few years due to lack of customers despite receiving grants.

• detailed information on different types of funding available in the European Commission, including the Horizon Project, Erasmus, and indirect projects promoting regional collaboration. He mentioned specific grant amounts, eligibility criteria, and the competitive nature of securing such funding.

11. Erasmus Project Training Program

• history of an Erasmus project aimed at training teachers in vocational training and universities on XR and VR technology due to the gap in skills in the industry.

• concerns about the lack of dissemination and sharing of experiences from the project, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and sharing knowledge.

12. Challenges in Education Sector and Industry Collaboration

• concern about the gap between industry needs and education sector trust, highlighting the wasted time and money in training experts. Ashley agrees, emphasizing the importance of funding to bridge the gap and the need for program evaluation to prove impact.

• challenges in the education sector and industry collaboration, mentioning the lack of understanding in using technology, the variety of available technologies with different price points, and the need for software developers and investors to support educational initiatives.

13. Challenges in VR Education Market

• saturation of the market with equipment, high price points for VR education software, and the disconnect between selling workforce solutions and actual affordability.

• lack of interest in VR solutions in education, citing the example of receiving grants and funding but minimal response from schools due to the perceived nature of the problem as a 'first world problem.'

• challenges in education, including internet connectivity issues in rural areas, lack of device access for VR solutions, and the political and money-driven nature of the education sector.

14. Collaboration in Education

• highlights the significance of collaboration in education, pointing out that individual efforts may not effectively address the overarching problems, and stresses the importance of working together despite financial constraints.

• Multiple speakers discuss the value of content over technology in education, sharing experiences from past projects and emphasizing the need to focus on content creation and collaboration.

15. Virtual Reality in Education

• Carlos mentioned the use of 360 videos from National Geographic in Iceland to understand the value of preserving the environment and emphasized the simplicity of VR experiences using minimal devices.

• The discussion touched upon the challenges of creating digital content for VR, the need for standardized platforms for content creation, and the potential for immersive learning experiences to enhance education.

• goal of bringing VR to education and training, highlighting the importance of developing strong content to drive adoption and make a positive impact.

16. Discussion on Federal Grants

• concerns about pursuing federal grants, seeking advice from Ashley on whether it's worth pursuing for early-stage organizations without prior grant experience.

• decision not to recommend pursuing federal grants due to the extensive time commitment and complexity involved, suggesting a different approach of starting small and building partnerships before approaching funders.

Summary from our Spatial Education Unleashing 3D Active Learning

Pau Guardiola presented at our Online Session about Spatial Education Unleashing 3D Active Learning.

Pau Guardiola discussed special education and 3D active learning, emphasizing the use of XR technologies in education. He showcased examples of spatial education and highlighted the importance of active learning and quick feedback. The speaker also discussed the use of VR technology for training purposes and the application of virtual reality in deliberative polling. The evolution of avatar technology and the potential of AI avatars for personalized education were also discussed. Future technologies, OpenAI's new feature, immersive learning research, VR and AI integration, and concerns about AI hallucination and reliability were addressed. The participants expressed their wishlist for an education-focused VR platform and discussed collaboration and managing the VR environment. The importance of engagement and immersive experiences in the virtual environment, as well as the potential of generative AI, were highlighted. The novelty effect in research and healthcare credentialing in VR were also mentioned.

Spatial computing and AI in education

• problem of decreasing student engagement and the impact of technology in the classroom.

• example of spatial education using a QR code to overlay a 3D model of the human heart on educational material.

XR in Education

• goal of engaging students in class using XR technologies and introduces the team 'You Can Extend It, Relate It Up'. They collaborate with professors and design educational experiences. Research projects are conducted to measure the effectiveness of these experiences.

• research projects on XR in education and invites the audience to be active participants using the Slido application.

• importance of active learning and introduces Slido as a tool for quick feedback from students.

• concept of spatial computing and its relevance in education for teaching and learning 3D concepts. He discusses the natural evolution of the internet and the potential revolution in classrooms.

• examples of spatial education applications in the classroom and invites the audience to share their understanding of spatial education.

Learning spatial computing in the metaverse

• here is no correct answer to a question, but all answers could be correct, highlighting the fascinating nature of the technology.

• examples of using VR technology in dentistry and CPR training, showcasing the increase in engagement and performance observed in the VR groups.

• examples of using 3D spatial techniques, including recreating a technique for taking off a helmet, recording a rescue operation, and reconstructing drone footage.

Virtual Reality Training

• use of virtual reality technology for training purposes. They explain how they reconstruct real scenarios using drone views and 3D reconstruction software. They also mention the use of realistic makeup for creating victims and the application of Polycam and Spatial for recreating spaces and scenarios. The speaker emphasizes the importance of providing realistic training experiences to prepare students for real-life situations.

Deliberative Polling in the Metaverse

• work with the Deliberative Democracy Lab to apply virtual reality technology in deliberative polling. They explain the methodology of deliberative polling and how it aims to gather public opinion after informed discussions. The speaker mentions conducting deliberative polling in person and online due to COVID-19. They express their goal of bringing deliberative polling to the metaverse and highlight the positive experiences they had with conducting it in virtual reality.

Discussion about Meta-Res Technologies and Avatars

• meta-res technologies can be better than two-dimensional groups of discussion and talks.

• evolution of avatar technology, mentioning that they have become more realistic over time.

• metaverse is moving towards a more realistic experience, which may have consequences for harassment and bullying.

• potential of AI avatars for personalized education and internationalizing educational material.

• creation of a metaverse and showed a space where virtual soccer and football can be taught.

• capabilities of the tool, including screen sharing, sharing of videos and images, and the ability to accommodate up to 50-45 students at the same time.

Discussion about future technologies

• future technologies, including the ability to have AI, the democratization of creating metaverse experiences using AI, the development of a special classroom, and a project in Mozambique and Uganda to have classes in VR with Spanish and Stanford professors.

Discussion about personal avatars and AI assistants

• A participant raises a concern about personal avatars and AI assistants. The speaker discusses their experience with personalized AIs and training an AI agent. They also mention a research project involving feeding an AI with polls.

OpenAI new feature

• OpenAI new feature that allows users to create their own AI by paying a monthly fee of $20. He mentions that the AI can be trained with user data and customized. The feature has been found very useful.

Immersive learning research

• experience with immersive learning research, stating that it has higher motivation and cognitive effects compared to traditional styles. Pau Guardiola expresses interest in collaborating on publications or conducting new research in this area.

VR and AI integration

• integration of VR and AI. He mentions applications like PolyCam for creating 3D objects based on videos or photos, AI agents that can be deployed in metaverse experiences for real-life conversations, and Wanda VR deploying agents in their metaverse experiences. Pau expresses interest in further collaboration and learning about Michael Crawley's research and projects.

• concern about some tools not working well and the constant changes in the VR landscape. He asked Pau Guardiola for his thoughts on addressing the challenges of AI hallucination and truth and accuracy reliability.

Discussion about the wishlist for education-focused VR platform

• dream of having an education-focused VR platform similar to Spatial. He also mentioned the desire to deploy AI avatars in the platform.

Discussion about collaboration and managing the VR environment

• projects are mostly based on frame VR, which is focused on education. He emphasized the need to train people on how to use the VR environment effectively.

• concern about people's lack of knowledge and skills in managing the VR environment outside of the educational ecosystem.

Virtual Environment and Engagement

• importance of creating an open environment in the virtual space where users can enter, get value, and exchange experiences.

• challenges of understanding the purpose and target in a virtual environment compared to a university setting.

• importance of engagement and immersive experiences in the virtual environment, particularly with the use of headsets.

• risk of platforms focusing on different areas, such as video games, education, or enterprise, and the need for users to decide which platform suits their needs.

Generative AI and Democratization

• excitement about generative AI and its potential to change interactions with technology, particularly in complex scenarios.

• goal of making interactions as easy as possible, the need to democratize the technology, and the transition from typing to speaking.

Novelty Effect in Research

• The participants mentioned the novelty effect and the need for more experience and time to study its impact on research data.

• They expressed excitement about conducting research on groups that are already familiar with using certain technologies.

Healthcare Credentialing in VR

• work on healthcare credentialing in VR and the research they are conducting on validity and reliability.

• importance of gathering evidence and real cases to demonstrate the value of these technologies to the industry.

Recap of our XR and Barriers to Entry at Schools

Thank you Colleen Bielitz for hosting our Online Session with 30+ educators!

In the meeting, participants discussed the current state of education and the need for immersive learning. Participants emphasized the approach of tailoring solutions to schools' needs and expresses concern about not asking schools upfront about their goals for implementing VR. The speaker discussed the challenges to implementation, positive experiences of students with virtual dissections, and the importance of monitoring student use. Ongoing support, implementation strategies, content creation, and integration are also discussed. The speaker briefly mentions an AI avatar solution and addressed concerns about the return on investment for immersive learning. Engaging students through empathy, immersive learning, and downloadable content is highlighted as a way to improve outcomes.

Kerry Persen of Meta appointed as Co-Chair for VR/AR Association's Education Committee

We are thrilled to have Kerry Persen join the leadership for our Education Committee and help lead our community.

Kerry works on the Global Policy Campaigns and Programs team at Meta and is focused on AR/VR, particularly on its application to education and upskilling. Kerry is excited to engage with the VR/AR education community on the future of the space and the opportunities to develop the AR/VR ecosystem for education.

Kerry  is a Security Fellow at the Truman National Security Project and an affiliate at the Center for International Security and Cooperation. She has previously worked at the Institute for the Future and at RiceHadleyGates LLC, a strategic consulting firm led by former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, former National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley and former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. She has also been a Minerva Fellow at the U.S. Institute for Peace, a Fellow at the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs at Georgetown University, and a Fulbright Scholar in Indonesia.  

Kerry received her Ph.D. from the Department of Political Science at Stanford University, where her research was supported by the National Science Foundation, the Horowitz Foundation, and the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START), among others. She graduated summa cum laude from Bowdoin College with a double major in Government and Economics. 

1140 people joined our Education Forum 2023 from 61 countries!

Our annual Education Forum 2023 was a full day event for immersive learning, VR/AR, and metaverse that brought together 70+ speakers and 1140 attendees from the academia and industry, including Harvard, Stanford, Meta, Google, Microsoft, Lenovo, Dell, Magic Leap, Unity, ArborXR, Full Sail, NYU, CMU, University of California, FIU, UCF, Univ College of London, and 100+ other schools and organizations.

To purchase access to video recordings, see here

Top countries and top sessions/speakers shown below:

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Some of the positive feedback we received includes:

• Diversity of contents, time precision and great set of speakers.

• The diversity of people and backgrounds in attendance

• The vast amount of topics focused in XR for education and the speakers that gave specific examples of their work, and their approach towards XR implementation and challenges they solve.

• I learned so much, it is hard to describe. Thank you to the speakers who were so informed and free with their knowledge and time. I am just blown away, thank you so much.

• The connections and content were quite nice.

• Plenty of networking time!

See our upcoming events here

Andrew Stapp of NYU appointed as Co-Chair of VR/AR Association Education Committee

We are thrilled to have Andrew Stapp help lead our VRARA Education Committee. Join our weekly Online Meets, check schedule here.

Andrew is an extended reality software engineer and educator in NYU's Immersive Technology Lab. For over seven years, he has worked at the forefront of interactive software blending art, design, and computer science together creating immersive XR solutions for all industries. He has extensive experience working hand in hand both in public and private sectors educating and training all levels of XR technology. Andrew has also designed and developed a wide range of applications including educational augmented reality apps, multi-user VR training simulations, and web-based art exhibits.

“Within my University, I am continually watching the positive reactions and impacts XR technology has on both students and faculty alike. I believe XR can be a transformative tool in the way we educate, train, and inspire hope in building a more equitable future for all. I am excited to join my co-chairs and fellow thought leaders in VRARA’s Education Committee as we push the industry and culture forward.”

— Andrew Stapp

Highlights from our VRARA Education Forum 2022: Top Sessions & Speakers. 1500+ attendees from 75 countries, 100+ schools/orgs, 50+ vendors

Thank you everyone who participated in our annual VRARA Education Forum hosted by our Education Committee and special thank yous to our event sponsors!

Below are some of the highlights from our Forum!

Let’s continue the discussions and collaboration during our weekly Online Meets!

Updates for our VRARA Education Forum on May 19

We are 3 weeks away from our virtual event, VRARA Education Forum 2022, on May 19 and wanted to share with you our confirmed speakers and agenda thus far.

We expect 1K+ audience. Just like in our previous Forums, our event will bring together educators from schools around the world, and vendors who are leading the immersive EdTech space!

There is still time to apply to speak or sponsor (apply on the event's webpage)!

Participants include:

Initial Agenda:

• 1-on-1 Networking - get to meet the speakers and other attendees (one of the most valuable features of our virtual events!)

• Welcome & Introduction by our Education Co-Chairs: Carlos J. Ochoa from ONE Digital, Alex Grady from Unity, Colleen Bielitz from Southern Connecticut State University

• Virtual Field Trips – What, Who, Where and Why? (Panel)

• How to Build Learning Scenarios in VR (Panel), Christine Janssen, Edstutia

• Managing VR Devices in the Classroom, Luke Wilson, ManageXR

• Future of Education in the Metaverse, Rrahul Sethi, Expoodle

• Measuring Education Outcomes in Healthcare, Pavel Makarevich, Proven Solution

• How To Make Movies in the Metaverse, Professor Frank Chindamo, Virtual Film School

• Teaching in VR, Kim Grinfeder, Associate Professor and Director of the XR Initiative, University of Miami

• Emerging Technologies for Education, Tess McKinney, University of Nebraska

• And more! Check Schedule.

We are looking forward to your participation on May 19!

If you haven't yet, register today!

Interview with Colleen Bielitz, Ph.D, VRARA Education Co-Chair

We are thrilled to have Collen Bielitz, PhD of Southern Connecticut State University join our thought-leadership team and co-chair our Education Committee.

Register for our Education Forum here https://hopin.com/events/vrara-education-forum-2022

Colleen is Associate Vice President of  Strategic Initiatives & Outreach at Southern Connecticut State University and is driven by the United Nations SDGs.  She provides leadership and direction in the guidance, development and implementation of strategic initiatives related to new and ongoing non-curricular initiatives, outreach, and external partnerships both locally and globally. Member of the President Leadership Council, Provost Council, Advancement Council and serves as the Provost’s designee.

“I’m happy to assist institutions in getting the strategic, creative, and organizational factors needed to execute innovation in a successful manner to keep up with the hyper pace of change. I combine innovation, creativity, relationship building and business acumen to create high potential ventures.

— Colleen Bielitz

Colleen Bielitz appointed as Co-Chair for our VRARA Education Committee

We are thrilled to have Collen Bielitz, PhD of Southern Connecticut State University join our thought-leadership team and co-chair our Education Committee.

Join our weekly Online Meets here!

Colleen is Associate Vice President of  Strategic Initiatives & Outreach at Southern Connecticut State University and is driven by the United Nations SDGs.  She provides leadership and direction in the guidance, development and implementation of strategic initiatives related to new and ongoing non-curricular initiatives, outreach, and external partnerships both locally and globally. Member of the President Leadership Council, Provost Council, Advancement Council and serves as the Provost’s designee.

“I’m happy to assist institutions in getting the strategic, creative, and organizational factors needed to execute innovation in a successful manner to keep up with the hyper pace of change. I combine innovation, creativity, relationship building and business acumen to create high potential ventures.”

— Colleen Bielitz

Call for Speakers and Sponsors for our VRARA Education Forum

Our virtual forum will bring together educators from schools around the world, and vendors who are leading in immersive EdTech.

In our last virtual forum, we had participation from HP, Lenovo, Stanford, UCF, Ithaca College, Bangkok Prep School, Iowa State University, Lethbridge College, University of Michigan, Georgian College, IIIT India, OSF Saint Francis Medical Center, American College of Chest Physicians, UCAM Spain, among others.

Apply to Speak and Sponsor on event website

Register for event here

Alex Grady of Unity appointed Co-Chair of our Education Committee

We are thrilled to have Alex Grady of Unity join our thought-leadership team and co-chair our Education Committee.

Join our weekly Online Meets here!

Alex is a Senior Program Manager at Unity technologies, supporting schools to quickly start or expand innovative real-time 3D programs and help faculty to learn and teach real-time 3D development. Prior to Unity, he has worked as a classroom educator, curriculum developer, and learning experience designer. 

“I’m optimistic about the potential of XR technologies to address some of the issues in education and, as co-chair, I look forward to supporting and championing creators in the field who aim to make learning more meaningful, motivating, equitable, and inclusive. ”

— Alex Grady, Unity

The VR/AR Association publishes an Education Report featuring over 70 companies and startups

Download report

VRARA Education Report 2020

Meet many of these companies at our VR/AR Global Summit ONLINE Sept 30-Oct 2

Foreword by 3D ORGANON

In this ever-changing world, it is urgent that we respond to the growing demand for a wider range of technology-enhanced curriculum. Eager to respond to this demand, we create3D Organon with the promise to continue to cultivate the dynamics for new learning paradigms and advanced medical education.

Based on our experience as qualified medical professionals, we can help healthcare focused audiences land on the best solutions to craft their own use case scenario and make the most out of edge virtual reality (VR) technologies.

Available in VirtualReality (VR), MixedReality (MR),Augmented Reality (AR), desktop, tablet, and mobile devices, 3DOrganon turns into the most advanced Extended Reality (XR) anatomy platform. Given that the world is witnessing one of the most pivotal moments in the last few decades the unhindered delivery of education seems to be more than imperative. We are ready to address the arising challenges regarding the new reality created due toCovid-19. This is a momentous occasion to overcome limitations and benefit from the high value potential enabled by virtual reality technologies.We can guarantee continuous delivery of healthcare education in safe environments in real time that suit both on-campus and remote users.

We have focused on driving anatomy to new levels and allow a broad spectrum of health professionals, practitioners, educators and learners to access our meaningful learning content from their own devices regardless of their location. By supporting various forms of online learning modalities we facilitate profound understanding of the functions of the human body, through an extensive knowledge-base of anatomical definitions and a plethora of highly-detailed 3Dmodels offered. Our app covers more than 10,000anatomical structures organized in 15 body systems, and over 550 detailed animations of body actions of muscles and organs all of which add significant value to the medical and healthcare education.

Users are free to toggle between body systems, view, review, hide or fade structures, run interactive clinical anatomy quizzes, self directed study, and communicate queries with text and voice chat systems. Under the circumstances enabled by immersive technologies, sessions facilitate deeper immersion, stronger memory imprints and longer retention.

Hundreds of prestigious institutions, such as universities, hospitals, military units, associations, museums, libraries, and high schools have entrusted our app to drive leaps in learning. 3DOrganon aims to bring the world closer. For this reason, its extensive knowledge-base of anatomical definitions is available in 15 languages: English, traditional and simplified Chinese, German, Italian, Spanish, Georgian,Polish,Portuguese, Latin (terminology), Russian, Ukrainian, French, Greek, and Thai.DeepQ, the healthcare department of the tech giant HTC and a strategic partner of3D Organon, has the exclusive distribution of the platform in the Asia region to turn the dream into concrete reality.

Despite the restrictions imposed by the pandemic, we can offer the requisite building blocks for optimized learning and training possibilities with minimized costs. A virtual reality ecosystem seems to be the safest conduit to predict a brighter outlook for medical education.

We had better not miss out on the opportunity.

Virtually,

Dr. Athanasios Raikos

CEO, 3DOrganon

Dr. Panagiota Kordali

Director, 3DOrganon

LBX Immersive sponsors VRARA Education to produce a resource guide

We are thrilled to have LBX Immersive sponsor VRARA Education.

LBX Immersive is looking forward to working with our Education community in order to help highlight use cases and encourage innovation in education.

LBX Immersive believes we must improve access to VR and AR for both faculty, students and developers. As affordability continues to be a barrier to expanding VR and AR in research and in the classroom at both universities and in secondary schools.

LBX Immersive and VRARA will play a role in highlighting the current and potential role of VR/AR in education and publish and present a resource guide for educators, faculty, and developers to access grants, as well as strategies to bring this valuable resource into the classroom and other learning environments.

To get involved email info@thevrara.com

Dan Ayoub of Microsoft appointed Co-Chair of our Education Committee

Join our Education Online Meets here

We are thrilled to have Dan Ayoub Co-Chair our Education Committee and provide his thought-leadership to help accelerate the industry for us all.

Dan Ayoub is the General Manager for Education at Microsoft. He oversees the development and execution of products and strategy aimed at using groundbreaking technology to improve learning outcomes for students of all ages around the world, with a focus on STEM Education, Higher Education, AI, and AR/VR.

Dan has over 20 years of AAA game development experience, and is passionate about the power and importance of education and ensuring that technology remains accessible to every human being on the planet. Based out of Seattle, Dan leads a team of passionate developers and educators working to shape the future of educational technology.

“I am thrilled to take this role as Co-Chair of the Education Committee for the VR/AR Association.

Having spent years working in the space, I see everyday the transformational power of our medium on education and the potential it has to change lives through improving outcomes for learners around the world. I look forward to working with the Committee and the rest of the community to continue to learn, to help bring the power of this technology to more and more people, and to help drive development efforts in the space”

— Dan Ayoub

VR/AR Association Parent & Student Resource #1

Come meet us online during our VR/AR Global Summit ONLINE Conference+Expo on June 1-3

Contributors

• Olivia Wenzel, Student & Founder of AltruTec, LLC, Ohio, United States

• Sabarish Gnanamoorthy, Student, Founder of WaypointAR, Innovator at The Knowledge Society, Ontario, Canada

• Mishaal Lakhani, Student & Innovator at The Knowledge Society, Ontario, Canada

• Lina Nayvelt, Student & Innovator at The Knowledge Society, Ontario, Canada

• Julie Smithson, Co-Founder of MetaVRse & XR Ignite, Ontario, Canada

Introduction

The Coronavirus has brought unprecedented challenges to our lives. In times of illness and mandated social distancing, we are forced to grapple with new contexts and standards for school and work. How do we stay safe and continue to communicate and collaborate effectively?

Virtual reality and augmented reality have come to the spotlight as superior mediums for facilitating social, educational, and work-related connections. In this issue, we help you establish a foundational understanding of these technologies.

Even in a pre-COVID-19 world, we were seeing VR and AR transform several industries, including manufacturing, healthcare and real estate. More industries are adopting and implementing immersive technologies into their business models, whether it be in training employees on soft and hard skills, building new airplanes, or presenting projects to clients or stakeholders. With this progress and in light of our present circumstances, it is imperative that we have our education systems prepare the next generations for these digital changes. This includes helping the next generation take ownership of the change agents, including but not limited to VR and AR, and facilitating a shift in mindset to lifelong, holistic learning and growth using technology, whereby education takes place at any time, anywhere.

Tech Terms

How is VR and AR Training Transforming the Workplace?

Many jobs are in the categories of DICE - an acronym coined by leading VR researcher and head of the Stanford Virtual Human Interaction Lab (VHIL) Jeremy Bailenson. DICE stands for Dangerous, Impossible, Counterproductive, or Expensive and Rare. 

Training for jobs that are dangerous include situations that can’t easily be replicated. In particular, those would include heavy machine operations, deadly substances, or chemicals. VR is used to build scenario-based training that can repeat testing and ensure that employees can respond and act as needed.  Training for jobs that are impossible include those that cannot be replicated, including situations of damage and emergency response. VR enables such training.

Training for jobs that bring counterproductive situations includes crashes caused by distracted driving and injury caused by incorrect movement of a ladder. VR eliminates injuries in training while allowing the practice of safe behavior until it becomes habitual.

Training for jobs that becomes expensive or rare applies to the training of surgeons with human and animal cadavers, of police with crowd control, among others.

In the next issue, we will discover even more ways that VR and AR are transforming the workplace, specific to this time of social distancing.

Who is Using VR/AR in Industry Now?

As a Parent, How do I Prepare My Child for their Future of Work?

VR and AR are not just about computer programming or the sciences. Every industry has begun the implementation of this technology into its workforce standards. In these times of unprecedented change, it’s become abundantly clear that every student must be ready to live and work in a digital, immersive technology-powered world. 

Our Student Committee will continue to provide resources for parents and students to stay informed about the applications of this technology, especially in this time of social distancing. We hope that our resource will help bridge the gap in knowledge so that our students are ready for future opportunities in the workforce, all with parental support.

Students and parents can also begin preparing themselves and/or their children for the future of work by exploring current educational VR/AR experiences at home. We’ve listed a few AR applications to try out on your smartphones below. Whether you use these experiences to supplement the traditional classroom education or to dive into an entirely new concept, we’re sure you’ll reap benefit!

Takeaways

One of the most important takeaways we hope you walk away with is that learning is an exciting, lifelong process. Accordingly, your VR/AR educational journey should not end with this resource! 

Please continue exploring and, if you’re a parent, sharing with your children VR/AR educational content. Be sure to check out the recommended resources below to learn more about VR/AR.

• Everything VR & AR podcast by the VRARA

• VRScout

• UploadVR

• XR for Learning Podcast

In this issue, we introduced you to VR and AR, gave you a glimpse into just how transformative these technologies are in the workplace, and provided a few resources and advice to help you prepare yourself and your child for this reality. In the next issue, we’ll learn some more vocabulary, see how VR and AR are helping in social and educational spaces (especially in this time of social distancing), discover which tools may be the right fit for specific use cases, hear from a student who is deeply involved in this technology, and see some more recommended resources!

If you're a student or a parent who needs more resources, please reach out to students@thevrara.com, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat @vrarastudents.

Virtual Reality Platforms for Online Virtual Events in Education

See the latest in Virtual and Augmented Reality at our upcoming VR/AR Global Summit ONLINE Conference!

More info here

Join our Education Committee here

Today, due to the coronavirus pandemic, a large part of the world population is confined at their homes and millions of children around the world have closed schools. A situation that forces all education community, to search for efficient and possible alternatives, in order to keep up the pace of the educational year and keep the attention of students in their educational activity.

These days there are many alternatives offering quickly and running like miraculous solutions capable of solving even the unimaginable.

But the truth is that between 17/22 of February, thanks to the initiative of Educators In VR, a group of teachers, students and volunteers from all over the world, with the sponsorship, among others of the VR/AR Association and the #Education Committee. During these days, we were able to bring together more than 150 speakers, almost 100 volunteers and several thousand attendees to the largest Virtual World Event on Education ever imagined. A six days non-stop Summit, with speakers from all continents, in a marathon week in perfect coordination. An exceptional work and developed with great professionalism and enthusiasm by a group of authentic pioneers, among whom we can give thanks for meeting and having lived that fantastic experience in first person.

2020 Educators in VR International Summit brings together educators, learners, researchers, and experts in VR, AR, and XR to share their passion for integrating immersive technology in education.

We want to thank Daniel Dyboski-Bryant, alma-matter of the Summit and Lorelle VanFossen to make it happened: "More than 150 top speakers from all over the world during more than 100 sessions in 6 days". It was just an amazing experience as "Really Pioneers" and putting in common best practices, lessons learned and case studies in VR / AR in Education.

During this event, the VR/AR Association #Education Committee in collaboration with MetaVRse and ONE Digital Consulting organized the #VRARA Panel.

Julie Andersen Smithson, and Carlos J. Ochoa Fernandez ,leaded the conversation with the contribution of Olivia Wenzel and Pat Owens. During the presentation, we talked about our mission and activities to promote and develop a professional VR in Education Global Ecosystem, working with top professionals and top companies all around the world.

The VR/AR Association is an international organization designed to foster collaboration between innovative companies and people in the VR and AR ecosystem that accelerates growth, fosters research and education, helps develop industry standards, connects member organizations and promotes the services of member companies. There are over 70 VRARA chapters, with more than 30 Industry experts Committees around the world that meet regularly in person and online.

Carlos J. Ochoa Fernandez is the Chapter President of VR/AR Association, Madrid and Co-Chair of Education Committee.

Now you can see the complete session here, and get the immersive perception of what is Immersive Learning in VR Spaces:

Call for Sponsors: VR/AR in Education Report

If interested to Sponsor, email info@thevrara.com

The VR/AR Association is producing an Education Report, an update to our previous Report version (Q4 2018) here, which spotlights some of the best, education-focused companies working in the immersive technologies field right now.

By the year 2025, immersive technologies of XR including augmented reality, virtual reality and mixed reality—will be as ubiquitous as mobile devices in the opinion of several consulting firms and Associations. As the Education Committee, we have come together globally to share best practices, reflections, experiences, case studies, meetings, where collectively work together to build global standards for VR & AR Technology. 

VR/AR in Education

• 97% of students would like to study a VR course.

• Education is expected to be the 4th biggest sector for VR investments.

• VR in education is predicted to be a $200 million industry by 2020 and $700 million by 2025.

• Almost 80% of teachers have access to virtual reality devices, but only 6.87% use them regularly in the educational process

• 93% of teachers said that their students would be excited to use virtual reality

• 7 out of 10 teachers want to use VR to simulate experiences that are relevant to the material covered in class

According to Statista research, 92% of respondents in the USA know the term Virtual Reality

New technologies are an emerging industry creating employment opportunities and entrepreneurial possibilities. According to projections set out by the European Commission, market demands for qualified information and communications technology (ICT) specialists will not be met, seeing a shortfall of up to 750,000 ICT professionals in 2025. VR/AR products are amongst those with some of the highest market demand in the ICT sector.

Many case studies demonstrate the impact and benefits of VR/AR in Education and Training today. Immersive experiences in virtual classrooms, immersive simulators, virtual labs, 3d content creation, 360º videos experiences, are some examples you can find in schools, vocational training centers…all around the world.

The VR/AR Education Industry Sector Report includes a wide range of companies and the kinds of customers they serve, showing how impactful their VR and AR solutions have become to education community. A quick look through this report also makes it clear just how targeted many of these companies are, with products and services often aimed squarely at specific topics and use cases.

As part of our new Mission “Jumping into the Future of XR in Education, diving in Blue Oceans Vision 2025”, we invite you to participate in our new VRARA Education Ecosystem.

The Report will be promoted globally and presented at events around the world.

About VR/AR Association

The VR/AR Association (VRARA) is an international organization designed to foster collaboration between innovative companies and people in the VR and AR ecosystem that accelerates growth, research and education, and develops best practices and guidelines. VRARA has over 4300 companies and 28,000 professionals registered, over 70 chapters globally, and 25 industry committees. VRARA programs & initiatives are designed to accelerate anyone’s growth, knowledge, and connections. Learn more here  

If interested to Sponsor, email info@thevrara.com