Podcast Series: Innovations in Education

Explore the full series of eSchool News podcasts hosted by Kevin Hogan—created to keep you on the cutting edge of innovations in education.

D2L and Unity Partner to Help Revolutionize Education with Immersive Real-Time 3D

D2L, a global learning technology company, today announced a new partnership with Unity, the world’s leading platform for creating and operating interactive, real-time 3D (RT3D) content with a goal to transform the education landscape through classroom integration of immersive Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and RT3D technologies. The partnership is a direct response to the increased demand for innovative and engaging learning experiences in the classroom. 

“Immersive technology revolutionizes learning by breaking down traditional barriers, turning education into a dynamic and engaging experience that goes beyond the limits of classrooms,” said Natalie Mai, Global Head of Education Sales at Unity. “We’re excited to see how D2L can more deeply connect educators and students through Unity.”  

With Unity education licenses now available through D2L Brightspace, D2L’s learning innovation platform, educators can have access to tools, professional training, and certifications to help create immersive learning experiences that can transcend traditional boundaries of learning. From virtual science experiments to medical-training simulations, students can have the opportunity to test their knowledge and benefit from a more engaging and hands-on experience. …Read More

What are the trends in learning in 2024?

Key points:

In 2024, K-12 learning experiences are evolving rapidly, shaped by technological advancements and educational paradigms.

Personalized learning gains momentum as AI-driven adaptive platforms cater to individual student needs, fostering a more customized educational journey. Virtual and augmented reality technologies immerse students in interactive, dynamic lessons, enhancing engagement and comprehension. Collaborative online platforms facilitate global connections, fostering cultural awareness and diverse perspectives. Additionally, emphasis on critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills takes precedence, preparing students for a rapidly changing future. …Read More

How immersive technology can empower students (and teachers) to learn

Immersive, experiential technology is transforming how both students and teachers learn. Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR and VR) provide deeper engagement, opportunities for collaboration, and hands-on learning that places newly acquired knowledge and skills in context.

For students, immersive technology can make abstract concepts tangible through interactive visuals. But immersive technology is useful for teachers, too, powering professional learning that helps educators translate research and theory to actionable practices through dynamic examples.

When purposefully designed, augmented reality opens equitable pathways to deep student learning.…Read More

Cutting-Edge Technology Teaches Lessons about World War I

WASHINGTON, D.C. – During the upcoming National History Day Finals, The Doughboy Foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to World War I education, will be on hand to demonstrate the power of augmented reality (AR) to immerse history lovers in WWI. Using the Foundation’s Augmented Reality Apps, attendees registering on June 11 for the National History Day Finals week can explore life-sized WWI-era aircraft and giant timelines right in the registration hall at the University of Maryland, College Park.

“It can be a challenge to engage students in lessons about events that happened more than a century ago,” said Theo Mayer, chief technologist/program lead for the Doughboy Foundation. “Making the subject experiential and interactive through smartphones and tablets that use the power of AR brings the subject of World War I to life for today’s students.”

While National History Day participants will get a personal introduction to the WWI Teaching Resources, educators anywhere in the country can use them to bring history to life. Using the resources, made available through Verizon Innovative Learning HQ, educators and students can immerse themselves in WWI history. They can experience the wide-reaching effects of the war by viewing it in the context of women’s rights, immigrants’ experiences, Black and Native Americans struggles, propaganda, and the Bill of Rights.…Read More

A free AR app can bring learning to life

McGraw Hill and Verizon launched a new mobile application to bring augmented reality (AR) learning activities to K-12 students and classrooms across the country: McGraw Hill AR. The free AR app leverages the immersive and interactive features of AR technology to bring academic concepts to life and give students and educators new ways to engage with educational content.

“As we look to combine the value of hands-on learning with the benefits of emerging technologies, we found AR to be a natural area of exploration in the development of our suite of education tools,” said Shawn Smith, chief innovation officer for McGraw Hill’s School group.

“Following the disruptions to classroom learning over the past few years, our AR app will pioneer new ways of engaging students with important concepts and materials. While AR technology may still be an area of uncertain utility today, we see the possibility of boundless impact tomorrow and are excited to take this step in support of the students and teachers we serve.”…Read More

Discovery Education’s Augmented Reality App Earns Spaces4Learning New Product Award

Silver Spring, MD (Tuesday, August 2, 2022) – Discovery Education—the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports learning wherever it takes place—recently earned the Spaces4Learning New Product Award in the K-12 Remote Learning Technology category for its Sandbox AR app. The Spaces4Learning New Product Award program honors the outstanding product development achievements of companies whose products or services are particularly noteworthy for their ability to enhance the learning environment.  Spaces4Learning is a leading publication for companies and organizations interested in creating high-quality facilities in both K-12 and higher education.  

Discovery Education’s  Sandbox AR app empowers students and teachers to create, share, and even inhabit virtual environments. Within Sandbox AR, users can create virtual worlds and populate them with some of the hundreds of unique objects from history, the built world, science and nature, and more. Sandbox AR also gives students new ways to express themselves and demonstrate their learning through a feature that lets learners take photos or record a video walkthrough with their own voice over. Sandbox AR even offers a mode that allows users to scale up and inhabit their own life size virtual environments. 

For those new to AR, Sandbox AR includes many pre-built sandboxes exploring diverse subjects such as ancient Egypt, space exploration, Mayan civilization, road construction, and more, with additional sandboxes coming soon. Discovery Education is also making available several free, pre-built lessons educators can use with the app to familiarize themselves with integrating AR into classroom instruction. Sandbox AR is available for download  here. …Read More

5 ISTELive 22 sessions that caught our eye

It’s that time of year again–ISTELive 22 is just around the corner, and this year, the nation’s largest edtech show takes place in New Orleans.

Focusing on empowering educators and elevating equity, ISTELive features in-person content live and streamed from the conference, along with online content from remote presenters.

Sessions include focuses on blended learning, curating classroom resources, using augmented reality, project-based learning, building student media literacy, time-saving tech tricks from librarians, using digital tools with students who have special needs, digital problem-solving, and more.…Read More

10 cool AR and VR tools for the classroom

We all know that augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are super fun, but AR and VR tools can also be incredibly powerful when integrated into classroom learning.

What’s the difference? AR is the idea that the user brings something into their real world and using a device to see something that isn’t actually there–animation or 3D images come into the real world. VR immerses a person in the experience, as if they’re actually there.

AR and VR tools have a number of benefits for students, and because the tools are engaging, students are more likely to absorb classroom lessons and concepts. Plus, students are engaged in active learning with AR and VR tools.…Read More

Bringing the world to life through augmented reality

My school, located in London, is a rich and diverse community with over 40 languages spoken at the school. Affectionately known as a ‘village school in the United Nations of Brent,’ we can see the arch of the iconic Wembley Stadium from the end of our street. However, like some of our American counterparts, we serve students who have never been able to visit–let alone step inside–the iconic landmarks like Wembley, Buckingham Palace, or the Tower of London, in their own backyard. 

This fact was brought home to me several years ago when a 10-year-old student from Brazil, whom we will call Lucas, made a sobering observation on a school trip to center city London. Looking up at the glass, the skyscrapers, the abundance of wealth, Lucas casually remarked, “I didn’t know London could look like this.” 

In that moment we knew we were failing our children. If our neighborhood of Cricklewood in North London was all they knew, how could they have aspirations beyond it? It was augmented reality that began to bring the world to life for our learners.…Read More

Discovery Education Celebrates 20th Year of Innovation by Unlocking the Power of Augmented Reality with No Cost iPad App and Exclusive New Original Content

SILVER SPRING, MD (Tuesday, January 25, 2022)— Discovery Education—the innovative edtech company that over 20 years ago revolutionized classroom instruction with the first digital service delivering educational content directly to classrooms—today opens a new chapter in its history with the launch of a cutting-edge iPad app that puts Augmented Reality (AR) at the fingertips of learners and educators worldwide. 

Since its inception, Discovery Education has been an early mover in bringing modern technologies—such as video streaming services and digital textbooks—to the classroom. Now, Discovery Education is introducing a powerful new app putting the power of AR into the hands of educators.  

AR technology has the potential to expand educators’ ability to create immersive, interactive learning experiences that unlock students’ natural curiosity. By superimposing virtual images and data on a user’s view of the real world, AR supports visualization of complex topics, creates digital “hands-on” learning opportunities, and heightens student engagement with digital content, all while improving students’ ability to retain knowledge longer by being a participant in the learning experience. To help educators leverage the power of AR wherever learning takes place, Discovery Education has made the Sandbox AR iPad app available today in the Apple App Store.  …Read More

21 great tools for AR and VR in the classroom

Each year, we share our 10 most-read stories. Not surprisingly, many of this year’s Top 10 focused on student engagement and online or hybrid learning strategies related to pandemic teaching. This year’s 10th most-read story focuses on engaging AR and VR tools to use in the classroom.

Nearly everyone has experienced augmented reality and virtual reality to some degree, and while they’re fun, AR and VR can also be incredibly powerful when integrated into classroom learning.

During an engaging ISTELive 21 session, Jennifer Hall, NBCT, an educational technology specialist with Atlanta Public Schools, outlined an abundance of AR and VR apps for students and educators.…Read More

Ozobot Brings Learning to Life with MetaBot™ — the First Free Educational Augmented Reality Robot

REDONDO BEACH, CA – December 8, 2021 – Ozobot, global leader of programmable robotics and STEAM-based learning solutions for K-12 education that empower the next generation of creators, today unveiled its newest innovation –  MetaBot™ – the first free augmented reality (AR) robot for education. MetaBot™ is an interactive learning experience that enables all children to build coding literacy and create with technology in any environment using a single smartphone or tablet.  

Research shows that AR immersive experiences enhance K-12 learning outcomes and expand opportunities at all levels of learning¹. Starting today, students and educators of all backgrounds can unlock unlimited possibilities to learn with augmented reality and transform any space into an engaging 3D experience with MetaBot. Whether at home, in the classroom or on-the-go, students can use a smartphone or tablet to bring a 3D Evo robot to life instantly, right in front of their eyes. No physical robots, apps or fees required. 

“MetaBot is our answer to the digital divide and furthers our mission to democratize educational technology while also allowing us to stake a claim in the metaverse with education,” said Andy Fathollahi, CEO, Ozobot. “We believe every student should have access to STEAM education and equity in computer science, regardless of their circumstances or environment.” …Read More