Immersive Meta-Education

We need to immerse our children in learning to fully personalise learning, which promises to ‘supercharge current educational standards and learning delivery’

10 or so years ago pushing the boundaries and immersing our children and young people in learning was outdoor education and things such as forest schools. Today and post-covid it is becoming very different.

We need to understand and think: ‘who are the learners of today?’ Those who use technology to communicate and interact in the digital space and, playing Minecraft and and playing it a lot! They will need a whole new skillset for the world they live in now and beyond.

Melissa and the team from this week’s podcast discussed how new technologies such as those surrounding the metaverse & some things which have been around a little longer such as VR, can really help our learners be involved and engage more in their learning.

They say ‘learning makes a difference when students are fully immersed in it…when they can feel it happen or experience it in a way that is just not simply possible on a 2D screen or a piece of paper’.

Now there are many challenges to these new ages of technology with one being cost. But as discussed in the episode, how much money is being spent on traditional investments which could be reduced to support these technologies?

A great example was a science lab. These are key for learning but bring other issues around cost of build and also the continual spend on equipment within it. Let’s not even discuss the health and safety aspect (a big issues why people worry about technology and new technologies)

Could we do more of the practical element immersed in the metaverse so that it is accessible to more learners? And also, to learners who have greater accessibility needs beyond the 4 walls of a building? That schools can use this metaverse even without a lab.

There is a barrier to entry for these new technologies but the cost always will decrease and this will increase the possibilities to access as it does become more affordable. There will be also a big learning curve for educators to be able to help support learning using it.

This is no different to any new technology. But I think the possibilities are there and education and educators would be wise to learn and develop their understanding and knowledge now ready for when it is no longer a niche but the norm.

Want to check out the full episode of the podcast then watch on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4etrVDrCRs. Watching it really is worth it for this episode alone!

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and sign up for the live event to find out the winners on the 30th June at https://www.edufuturists.com

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