This presentation will address the kinds of support the author believes is needed to help faculty and students to effectively use and critically encounter XR, describing some of the technical and epistemic strategies which aim to balance technical competency with critical theory. The author will outline a post -qualitative approach (St. Pierre, 2020, 2021, Grant, 2018) to teaching VR and AR, in which students identify the materiality of technologies which are often framed as immaterial or removed from questions of their material and political implications. The author will explain how using VR has changed the way they teach, in particular the ways in which they frame spatiality in the pandemic and post-pandemic university.

XR & AI have long been sibling technologies co-evolving with each other. This keynote from Voices of VR podcast host Kent Bye will present some of the frameworks he uses to help navigate the interdisciplinary nature of experiential design, why embodied cognition so important for XR Education, and how to make sense of the recent inflection points in AI as well as where it overlaps with XR. He will also be exploring some of the ethical implications for both AI & XR, and doing a brief survey of the current state of XR education and where it might be headed in the future.

Advances in AI have been accelerating in the past few years especially deep learning models that have gone viral during 2022 where millions have been experimenting with Ai systems such as Dalle-2, Midjourney and ChatGPT. This resulted in a heated discussion around whether to embrace such technology and transform education or ban such models for cheating potential. As these applications have major implications on education, the goal of this panel is to address educators’ concerns and possible ways to leverage AI in education and revolutionize the way we teach and learn. This panel hosts academic and industry leaders in machine learning and education to address concerns and potential opportunities of using Ai in education. Panelists will discuss how these technologies work, and address educators and instructional designers' concerns and provide guidelines for the use of generative AI in education.

PANELLISTS

• Sandra Okita (Director of the Gizmo EdTech Lab at Columbia Teachers College, United States)
• Lidija Kralj (UNESCO and Council of Europe workgroups on AI and education, Croatia)
• Keram Malicki-Sanchez (Constant Change Media Group Inc., the VRTO Spatial Media World Conference & FIVARS festival, United States)

XR Women has been holding meetings in XR Women Hall on the iLRN Campus every week since November 2020. In this panel, members of the XR Women community will describe the cutting-edge work they do in XR and Web3. They will trace their path into the field and the skills they brought with them as well as others they gained along the way, how educators can prepare students for careers in immersive tech, and how technology will shape our lives and work going forward. These women live and work in the XR future today, across a wide range of fields including game design, music, live events, art, Web 3, education, training for enterprise, brand experiences, museums and community building. You will hear how immersive learning is at the center of our activities and feel empowered to experiment with how immersive learning will impact your students, groups, and community organizations. Learning is life-long, and iRLN allows for more!

PANELLISTS

• Karen Alexander (XRconnectED / MetaVRse, USA)
• Paige Dansiner (Third Academy, USA)
• Celeste Lear (Boutique Electronique Music, USA)
• Robin Moulder (3lbXR, USA)

Much of the evidence on educational virtual reality (VR) is based on quasi-experimental, cross-sectional research designed to measure the effectiveness of a specific VR application. This research is commonly conducted by university or industry researchers on mainly adult populations. This presentation showcases a different framework for research from the VR School Study, now in its 7th year (www.vrschoolresearch.com). The VR School Study is predicated on a participatory model where teachers are co-researchers and student are VR content creators. The study is conducted over long periods of time in different primary (elementary), middle and secondary schools and across different subject areas to capture the practical, ethical, pedagogical and curriculum potential and constraints of integrating this emerging technology into everyday classrooms. The presentation will provide a comprehensive pedagogical framework, case studies on regulation and student creativity for deeper learning, and insights into effective curriculum design for teachers.

What are the biggest design obstacles currently faced by the iLRN community? How do we quickly develop a shared understanding of these issues? As we begin working on these challenges, how do we allow interdisciplinary synergies to flourish?To answer these questions, the iLRN working group for the “Framework for Aggregation and Identification of Design Standards” (FAIDS) is presenting a two-part workshop at the iLRN 2023 annual meeting, for the virtual and in-person conferences. Using the design thinking methodology developed for the 2022 iLRN annual meeting in Vienna, FAIDS will guide attendees of the virtual conference in an ideation session, which will result in a topic to be more thoroughly explored by a large portion of the in-person attendees in California.

How can we use Alternate Reality Games (ARGs) for educational purposes. ARGs use transmedia storytelling to build a world and share a story across different platforms; which often uses real-world interactions to help tell this virtual story, such as phone calls, websites, social media accounts, and live events (Schrier, 2016; Schrier, Torner, & Hammer, 2018). ARGs have been used to market games like Halo 2, in the case of ilovebees, and to promote the launch of the film The Dark Knight or launch of the character, Sombra, from Overwatch. They could also potentially be used for teaching purposes (Hu, Zhang, & Rhea, 2016). However, there are limitations to using ARGs for learning, such as the current stigma that ARGs are associated with the propagation of disinformation and conspiracy theories (Davies, 2022). In this session, we will brainstorm ways to effectively use ARGs for learning, and we will also consider the limitations and how to constructively minimize those issues. How can we repair play (Trammell, 2023) and reclaim it for playing well together, rather than to harm or isolate others, or amass power (DeKoven, Zimmerman; ADL, 2022). The session will be collaborative, and use design thinking techniques to help participants brainstorm and learn from each others’ experiences. You are welcome no matter what your experience level is–even if you have never played or used an ARG, please join us!

Forecasts predict that by 2026 a quarter of the population will spend at least an hour a day in the Metaverse or digital virtual environments.Currently several tech companies are trying to understand how to design an entirely new immersive world, but when considering attitudinal, behavioral and social aspects of human diversity it is logical to ask how the Metaverse could be truly designed by people, with people and for people?There is no doubt that we are living in the immersive technology renaissance era, however how can we maximize this opportunity, by learning from what we have developed in the past with other technologies?With the Metaverse we are at a different point in history than when we created the Internet.We now have more knowledge of Inclusive Design, more understanding of DEI and ethics and integrity practices, and more accessibility standards and policies; therefore, businesses have no excuses for not designing a Metaverse and its technologies to be truly inclusive, accessible, and safe from the very start.As the society is rapidly moving towards addressing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals for all human beings, safety, inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility are becoming fundamental pillars upon which develop the Metaverse and digital, virtual environments.With this plenary session Dr. Zallio will share cutting-edge research findings, case studies from businesses and initiate a conversation on a new discipline called the Metavethics (https://www.metavethics.com/), that deals with ethical and integrity implications of the Metaverse and digital, virtual environments.Scientists, businesses and organizations are in urgent need to develop new knowledge, and tools to best address new challenges and maximize future opportunities to build digital, virtual environments that make people thrive.The boundaries for what the Metaverse could be and what people could do with it and in it are just set by human’s abilities of imagination and we can nurture this imagination by working together to design more sustainable.

Healthcare organizations carry the responsibility to ensure caregivers demonstrate competency to maintain the highest standards of patient safety and quality of care. A lapse in that care can result in serious physical and emotional harm to the patient, and financial repercussions for the healthcare organization.The burden of education and training is overwhelming for the healthcare industry. Ever-changing protocols and standards, nursing shortages and constant turnover, and limited resources - including educators, training spaces, supplies, and equipment - complicates this herculean task. Finding alternative methodology to train caregivers with efficiency and measurable effectiveness is paramount.3lbXR has developed a suite of VR training applications, partnered with Tucson Medical Center, for Registered Nurses and Primary Care Technicians. This project includes a module on Fall Prevention, which is currently part of a research study “Using Virtual Reality to Advance Education & Training for Nursing.”Robin Moulder will provide insight on how 3lbXR designed, implemented, and on boarded hospital staff, developed an academic study with our research partner to further VR initiatives for patient safety and quality, as well her thoughts on the future uses of XR technologies for training in the medical field.

The Immersive Learning Knowledge Tree is a conceptual framework that supports a common understanding of the diverse field of immersive learning. The ILKT is based on 1) The premise of the importance of developing a common language; 2) The premise of the importance of not only using similar terminology as other researchers, but also having a deep understanding of how the methods researchers utilize in their own research are similar or different from those used by others; and 3) The premise of advancing the use of common theoretical approaches and models. Since its initial inception, the ILKT has developed core concepts, methods, outcomes, and tools/instruments. The ILKT also has significant plans for future development. This presentation will provide a brief overview of what the ILKT is, what has been done to develop it thus far, and what our plans are for the future. 

Virtual and Mixed Reality has gained momentum in the recent years. COVID-19 pandemic has also accentuated this phenomenon as strict constraints in mobility and outdoors activities were in place. In the past, Virtual Reality (VR), and Mixed Reality (MR) technology more broadly, has been investigated on how it affects people's User Experience (UX) and performance on daily tasks or specialised contexts. Limited research has looked on how VR/MR can be used to support conducting remote research activities. This talk will provide a short introduction on some results and insights generated through research on Multimodality and Synaesthetic-approaches in VR that we have conducted during COVID-19. We utilised a multisensory remote Virtual Environment (VE) approach to bridge the gap between the Virtual and Physical realms and between remoteness and co-location. The talk will present some lessons-learned and implications on conducting and learning from different (and novel) research practices.

The Covid 19 pandemic and associated work-from-home culture reignites the importance of immersive media. Major industries used various terms like Metaverse (Facebook), Mesh (Microsoft), Nth Floor (Accenture) and so on to invest and commercialize immersive media related products. Traditionally, immersive media is described through a continuum between reality and virtual reality along with intermediate systems known as Augmented and Mixed Reality systems. In the middle of the commercialization efforts and advertisements from software giants, end users are often confused about the best solution for their needs. There are not many studies on analysing end users’ feedback across the continuum of immersive media. This talk will present a comparative study on XR Technologies with respect to ocular, EEG and hand movement parameters of users. This presentation will introduce a comparison of cognitive load for a virtual flight simulator and between VR and MR interface for a welding task and an Advance Driver Assistance System.

Although the adoption of the Metaverse is evolving at a slower speed than anticipated, it is still happening worldwide. In many cases, when creating an environment for the Metaverse, the aim is to simulate reality, a certain condition or an activity taking place in the physical world. However, when a simulation is not required, creating a virtual world involves the composition and development of a multisensory, synthetic environmental representation, which does not necessarily resemble physical spaces and within which these activities may appropriately unfold. This direction of research and education will be discussed with the help of relevant theoretical frameworks and several case studies. Furthermore, the art of creating virtual form, spaces and narratives for the Metaverse can ideally be taught within the Metaverse and towards this end, relevant implementations will be presented and discussed.

It's understood that Team Building relates to the cohesion of groups that already identify as a team while community building help groups of relative strangers to find a shared identity and reason to be together. Remio, a Social VR platform designed explicitly for team building, is expanding it's features and services to include community building going forward. Let's talk about how lessons from team building can be applied to this endeavor, and the core elements being introduced to make these communities possible.

Lets delve into the Metaverse concept and explore it  through a Latin American lens. Join me as we embark on a journey to discover how Latin American culture, creativity, and innovation are influencing and shaping the metaverse landscape.

The talk explores the virtually endless potential of immersive learning. New technologies like virtual reality and the metaverse have removed physical obstacles from schooling. We'll look at how immersive learning is changing the way people learn and opening up new options for both teachers and students.

The education system is rapidly changing as the globe and technology continue to change. There will probably be some kind of hybrid learning in the metaverse for the upcoming generation of pupils. A co-founder of VEDX in 2020 has stepped up to help schools create VR labs at their institutions in order to meet this challenge. The business focuses on the global adoption of virtual reality, providing students with immersive and engaging learning opportunities. VEDX is dedicated to granting access to cutting-edge technology that will improve the future of education because of its strong confidence in the transformative potential of VR technology.

The climate crisis poses an existential threat to the world and by extension to our ability to pass on heritage. It threatens the parts that make up cultural landscapes, including bio diversity, archaeological sites, historic buildings, historic artefacts and the ways of life that give rise to intangible heritage. Consequently, heritage organisations including museums, world heritage sites, geo parks and heritage agencies are increasingly concerned with monitoring, adapting to and mitigating against climate change. A new project DACCHE brings together partners in Iceland, Faroe Islands, Sweden, Norway, Ireland and Scotland to investigate how digital technologies can help address the impacts of climate change on heritage and wider society. Through DACCHE we will be exploring how citizen science can help monitor effects of climate change, how digitisation can provide some resilience and how virtual reality simulations of climate futures can motivate behavioural change to mitigate against climate change.

This presentation will focus on the use of virtual, mixed and augmented reality (XR) technologies in the field of higher education. XR is a medium that is likely to revolutionize the way students learn and interact with educational content. During the presentation, Rob will discuss the various ways in which XR technologies, predominantly virtual reality (VR), are being utilized at Georgian College, such as for immersive simulations, virtual field trips, and interactive course materials. Rob will share how Georgian has taken a thoughtful and fiscally responsible approach to the exploration and integration or immersive VR and will share many of the challenges along the way. He will present case studies and examples of successful implementation and some of the barriers and failures.

Hearst Castle is a National Historic Landmark and California Historical Landmark mansion located on the Central Coast of California, United States. Designed by architect Julia Morgan, it was a residence for newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst between 1919 and 1947.

Address: 750 Hearst Castle Rd, San Simeon, CA 93452. Website: hearstcastle.org

Hearst Castle is a National Historic Landmark and California Historical Landmark mansion located on the Central Coast of California, United States. Designed by architect Julia Morgan, it was a residence for newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst between 1919 and 1947.

Address: 750 Hearst Castle Rd, San Simeon, CA 93452. Website: hearstcastle.org

As one of the most well-known wine area of California, the Paso Robles country side harbors excellent vineyards and wineries in a dramatic scenery of smooth wine-hills.

Amidst the rapid evolution of emerging technologies, humanity, technology, and education converge at a critical juncture. This captivating keynote explores the transformative power of artificial intelligence, the metaverse, immersive experiences, and community centralization in revolutionizing education and empowering tomorrow's leaders. We will scrutinize innovative frameworks for AI-driven education, unveiling the potential for fostering creativity, critical thinking, and empathy in a human-centric learning environment. We will also address challenges like accessibility, ethics, and mental health impacts, as we apply these technologies across educational settings. Embark on a journey to redefine learning and leadership, creating a world where technology catalyzes human potential and inspires visionary pioneers. This keynote offers insights on harnessing technology to forge a more equitable, informed, and enlightened society.

Practitioner knowledge is invaluable in immersive learning research, contributing real-world expertise and contextual understanding while bridging the gap between theory and practice. By actively engaging with learners in immersive environments, practitioners offer useful insights that complement traditional laboratory studies, ensuring that research and design efforts effectively address the complexities encountered in contemporary classrooms and workplace training contexts. In this keynote, Paula MacDowell, iLRN Director of Immersive Practice, will showcase how immersive education lives in practice. She will present examples and evidence of successful immersive learning and immersive teaching while discussing areas for improvement. The focus will be on how practitioner knowledge can empower researchers to validate and refine theoretical frameworks, identify emerging trends, and optimize the relevance and usability of research outcomes.

From today’s technology, we can finally get real-time digitized data from a classroom environment, but what does it mean and how can we get structured contextual aspects from that to make a difference in how students learn. While an instructor’s observational skills and assessment related activities rule the environment today, classrooms of over 20 kids with distractions in plain sight for the students can mitigate all those efforts. Why not use an interactive and immersive (3D) experience to not only obtain additional observational data points and assessment type activities to improve attentiveness, but also use anonymity capabilities to further allow for openness and lowering of bias from other students for students to express themselves? Virtual reality is a tool to do just that. Join us to explore the possibilities of a classroom environment that might help out the next generation of students to transcend the norms of today and provide a smoother road to academic success!

As we stand at the precipice of technological advancement, artificial intelligence (AI) emerges as a powerful force reshaping our creative landscapes and ushering in a new era of immersive experiences and innovation renaissance. This talk explores the intersection of AI and the making of immersive worlds that blur the lines between the virtual and real , where human ingenuity converges with intelligent machines. The talk will put a spotlight on the next generation of creators and their involvement in shaping an immersive reality. By harnessing the power of machine learning, computer vision, and natural language processing, AI empowers artists, designers, and storytellers to craft immersive narratives that captivate audiences like never before. I will share emerging practices and work and discuss the ethical considerations and challenges surrounding the use of AI in creative endeavors, ensuring a responsible and inclusive approach to the future of immersive reality.

The Immersive Learning Knowledge Tree is a conceptual framework that supports a common understanding of the diverse field of immersive learning. The ILKT is based on 1) The premise of the importance of developing a common language; 2) The premise of the importance of not only using similar terminology as other researchers, but also having a deep understanding of how the methods researchers utilize in their own research are similar or different from those used by others; and 3) The premise of advancing the use of common theoretical approaches and models. Since its initial inception, the ILKT has developed core concepts, methods, outcomes, and tools/instruments. The ILKT also has significant plans for future development. This presentation will provide a brief overview of what the ILKT is, what has been done to develop it thus far, and what our plans are for the future.

This session will present outcomes and next steps from session 36 - FAIDS WORKSHOP: "Let’s put iLRN to work: Discovering a Common Vision for our Worldwide Nonprofit Organization".

This session will present outcomes and next steps from session 37 "Second Annual IEEE TC-ILE Member Meeting".

This presentation will focus on the use of virtual, mixed and augmented reality (XR) technologies in the field of higher education. XR is a medium that is likely to revolutionize the way students learn and interact with educational content. During the presentation, Rob will discuss the various ways in which XR technologies, predominantly virtual reality (VR), are being utilized at Georgian College, such as for immersive simulations, virtual field trips, and interactive course materials. Rob will share how Georgian has taken a thoughtful and fiscally responsible approach to the exploration and integration or immersive VR and will share many of the challenges along the way. He will present case studies and examples of successful implementation and some of the barriers and failures.