A newly published white paper investigates the pedagogical theory and use cases for deploying mixed reality in the classroom.

It is easy to get excited about the possibilities the Mixed Reality spectrum brings to education. Humans are essentially programmed to learn best through experience, and that is just what immersive technologies enable: we’re not just learning it, we’re living it.

Humans are essentially programmed to learn best through experience, and that is just what immersive technologies enable
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And exploring a few of those possibilities is what I had the chance to do when I collaborated with Microsoft Education to write the Immersive Experiences in Education white paper we’ve published at the ISTE 2019 conference a few weeks ago.

Methodology

Now, I’m very much a technology enthusiast. I’ve been called a futurist, evangelist, influencer, all those really annoying trendy buzzwords… But at heart I am also an educator. I worked in academia, I taught English as a second language, I’ve mentored people and for many years I worked in the EdTech sector, so I speak truthfully when I say I’m forever in awe of teachers and mindful of the importance of education in society.

Mixed Reality technology is amazing but is it really useful to educators? Does it actually influence learning outcomes, and if so, how?
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This is why when Microsoft approached me to collaborate with them in researching and writing this white paper, I wanted to take a step back and ensure that we weren’t just flashing a shiny pretty tech trinket around. The technology is amazing, there’s no doubt about that, but is it really useful to educators? Does it actually influence learning outcomes, and if so, how?

When deploying any technology in the classroom, success depends on engaging educators and building a responsive feedback loop that prioritizes learning outcomes rather than the technology itself
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Through our research and interviews, a picture of the concrete pedagogical benefits of using Mixed Reality in the classroom emerged
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I was keen to ensure that our methodology really reflected this educator-led focus as much as possible, and was happy to find that the team at Microsoft Education very much shared that vision.

The paper cross-referenced pedagogical theory with case studies obtained through personalized email interviews with teachers, students, researchers, and technologists who have successfully deployed such technology within various learning environments and contexts, and the bulk of my time was indeed spent on an extensive literature review and on gathering and processing the data from those testimonials to try and gleam insights that could be useful for educators.

I will let you judge for yourselves whether we’ve succeeded – you can read and download a free copy of the white paper here –  but our guiding principle was very much that when deploying technology in the classroom, success is dependent on engagement with educators, and on building a responsive feedback loop that prioritizes learning outcomes rather than the technology itself.

The paper cross-referenced pedagogical theory with case studies of teachers, students, researchers, and technologists who have deployed such technology
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Through our research and interviews, an overall picture of the concrete pedagogical benefits of using Mixed Reality in the classroom did start to emerge, and although further research is certainly needed and I wouldn’t dream to claim that this is the definitive document on the subject, it manages, in my humble opinion, to tease out some really important findings and a lot of interesting questions. I, for one, always think the most successful research is the one where you end up with a lot more questions than when you started, which is why I hope to hear lots of questions from the community (you can always send a tweet my way @alicebonasio or connect on LinkedIn). Below are some of our key research findings:

Immersive digital simulations allow learners to absorb knowledge within a realistic context through experiential learning

Our research indicated that the most effective educational experiences often involve mastering tasks within context of personally relevant, realistic situations. Situated learning in well-designed digital environments actually leads to the replication of those behaviours in the real world.

The key differentiator in using Mixed Reality is that it seems to dramatically increase the rate of transfer – in other words, our ability to apply and adapt learning to different real-world situations.It Mixed Reality facilitates transfer by simulating realistic scenarios within specific pedagogical contests. It literally can bring a curriculum to life for students. This means we not only can create more effective learning experiences, but also expand the range of available experiences, since we can simulate scenarios that would be too difficult, too expensive, or too dangerous for students to experience in real life.

Mixed Reality helps to prevent Cognitive overload.

This second finding probably comes as no surprise to most educators, in that trying to visualize and assimilate large amounts of complex information is HARD. It can literally trigger a bottleneck within the limited working memory of the brain, and we soon become tired of it. Attention and interest lags, and it becomes harder to engage students in the subject.

Our research indicates that the most effective educational experiences involve mastering tasks within personally relevant, realistic context
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Mixed Reality, however, can help reduce this cognitive load by allowing learners to directly visualize, manipulate, and interact with complex structures, so that the brain is not so busy trying to visualize the data, but instead engaged in understanding, assimilating, recalling, and applying it.

Test scores among students using immersive technologies improved by as much as 22%

Now, those two findings we looked at are crucial in improving learning outcomes such as test scores, increased performance of skills-based tasks, abtract reasoning, and critical thinking. It also had positive effects on retention of knowledge.

Most interestingly, however, we found indications that this technology was particularly helpful in improving learning conditions for learners with conditions such as dyslexia, autism, and ADHD.

Mixed Reality can help reduce the cognitive load on the brain by allowing learners to visualize, manipulate, and interact with complex structures
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Here, immersive technologies have been shown to assist previously low-achieving students in overcoming learning challenges to the point where there was no longer any statistical difference in test scores between them and high achieving students.

Mixed Reality 
in the classroom fosters self-directed learning

Teachers reported that using MR in the classroom promoted a more inquiry-based environment that maximized learning opportunities by instilling a greater sense of autonomy, encouraging students to creatively engage with the subject beyond the pedagogical task at hand.

“Students report a greater understanding and appreciation for the development of VR content after engaging in 3D animation and/or game design projects. In particular, students are able to see the connection between the engineering of a virtual world, and the virtual world’s role as an element of digital storytelling.” Paul Turnbull 
President Mid-Pacific Institute

Co-created content fosters a more meaningful connection by generating something in which the student has a personal emotional investment. Extended experiences that immerse students in rich contexts with strong narratives, authentic practices, and links to real-world outcomes are what truly unleash the transformational power of immersive experiences.

Co-created content fosters a more meaningful connection by generating something in which the student has a personal emotional investment
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“We led a lesson with an English class, where students designed a safe and scary space, then were able to experience them both in Virtual Reality. The lesson brought technology in the context of an English lesson by creating a spark for students to translate into their writing exercises.” Cody Karutz
Founder and CEO of Blue Trot

Like all technologies adopted within a pedagogical classroom setting, MR should remain supplementary to in-person academic programming, allowing for human relations and interactions to ultimately guide the social- emotional learning experience.For me, the biggest takeaway from this is that for Mixed Reality to be effectively implemented in the classroom we must ensure that the technology is integrated into pedagogical theory and best practice.

Immersive technologies have been shown to assist previously low-achieving students in overcoming learning challenges
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Tech Trends offers a broad range of Digital Consultancy services to guide companies, individuals and brands in effectively leveraging existing and emerging technologies in their business strategy.

Alice Bonasio is a VR and Digital Transformation Consultant and Tech Trends’ Editor in Chief. She also regularly writes for Fast Company, Ars Technica, Quartz, Wired and others. Connect with her on LinkedIn and follow @alicebonasio on Twitter.

The post Report: Immersive Experiences in Education appeared first on Tech Trends.

By Eve Debbage, Project Officer at Teacher Tapp

There is no shortage of education data on schools. It is gathered by a wide range of organisations and individuals to meet a variety of objectives. From government polls and online censuses, to mobile apps that deliver daily teacher surveys, technology has given us access to all the data we could want, both big and small.

Schools are increasingly taking advantage of technological advances to collect their own data. Information management software such as SIMS and MIS has been an established part of the classroom for many years. Once a tool used primarily for registration and storing student records, teachers now rely on these software packages to provide all the data they need for Ofsted inspections and to support their teaching and learning.

From government polls and online censuses to mobile apps that deliver daily teacher surveys, technology has given us access to all the data we could want, both big and small
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Many schools use innovative assessment tools and software applications to provide real-time data on students’ progress. But collecting data is a pointless exercise unless we do something useful with it.

there is a lot to be learned from reviewing data collected by surveys of the wider teaching profession
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How Can School Leaders Use Data from Teacher Surveys? 

When it comes to improving teaching and learning, there is a tendency to focus on student data, and data gathered internally. However, there is a lot to be learned from reviewing data collected by surveys of the wider teaching profession. As debates over the use of standardised testing rage on amidst record number of teachers leaving the profession, surveys of students and teachers are being used more frequently as a means of measuring the performance of a school.

Schools are increasingly taking advantage of technological advances to collect their own data
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Surveys provide immediate insights into teacher satisfaction levels — which can have a significant impact on the effectiveness of teaching and learning. So how can school leaders use data from teacher surveys to improve teaching and learning?

1. Make changes to retain high-quality staff. Staff retention in schools is a nation-wide problem. Teacher surveys provide valuable insight into their satisfaction levels. School leaders should review teachers’ perceptions on key issues and evaluate their school to determine if there might be issues. Often, addressing simple causes of dissatisfaction can significantly raise morale and performance.

2. Identify the teacher’s needs for specific resources and spend the budget wisely. Teachers are in the classroom every day so using their feedback on which resources work, which don’t and which they feel they are missing, is a logical way to determine where to spend the school budget and be rid of what isn’t working and replace it with something teachers feel will support effective teaching and learning.

3. Identify CPD needs. Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is crucial to the effectiveness of teaching and learning. The teaching profession is continually evolving as government expectations change, so teachers need ongoing training to ensure their teaching meets the standards set. Data from teacher surveys provides school leaders with an insight into potential areas for CPD, but also barriers to teachers’ participation in their development. If 80% of teachers feel their school does not support CPD or they cannot find the time for it, perhaps changes need to be made.

4. Update school policies. Teacher surveys can reveal teachers’ perceptions on everything from staff dress codes to salaries. If there is a common theme of dissatisfaction amongst teachers, a simple amendment to school policy could increase staff satisfaction. Even if changing policy is not appropriate, use the data to invite feedback and start a discussion with staff.

5. Gain new ideas for developing best practice. Data from teacher surveys can often inspire positive change in schools — or at least start useful discussions in the staffroom. Identify trends in data and consider these findings in terms of your school. If 90% of teachers polled feel they don’t have time for lunch, perhaps school leaders should consider making changes to provide teachers with a suitable break, so they return to the classroom ready to deliver their best teaching.

Advances in education technology make it relatively easy for schools to amass big data on their student population
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School leaders, government and other organisations which lead the way in shaping our schools, can learn a great deal from listening to teachers. If teachers feel their voices are heard and positive changes implemented, they are more likely to feel happy in their work and less likely to leave the profession.

Data from teacher surveys can often inspire positive change in schools — or at least start useful discussions in the staffroom
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Many schools use innovative assessment tools and software applications to provide real-time data on students’ progress
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Is an Obsession With Student Data Damaging Teaching and Learning?

The pressure of Ofsted and league tables has led to an obsession with pupil progress data. Advances in education technology make it relatively easy for schools to amass big data on their student population and many schools rely on this data to drive improvements in teaching and learning. But is this endless quest to collect more and more student data actually impeding teachers’ ability to teach? If there is no clear purpose for data collection it becomes a pointless exercise which consumes precious time in a teacher’s day and zaps their energy for doing their jobs and doing them well. While some data shines a light on progress which enables targeted interventions and differentiated teaching, focussing too much on it can result in significant losses in other areas.

Budgets are limited for the majority of schools, so ensuring that the most effective technology is in place is vital for maintaining effective teaching
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In a classroom where data is everything, high achievers will be constantly rewarded by graphs trending in the right direction and numbers which signify their success. But pupils who are not meeting expected performance targets will be continually reminded of their underperformance, down to the exact percentage. This could be extremely damaging for the morale and motivation of these students.

Student data can be a valuable resource in understanding progress, adapting teaching practice and improving student outcomes, but using it in isolation can be dangerous. Software can record and analyse quantifiable data but this can often be misleading or give an incomplete picture if it is not viewed in context. And there are certain types of qualitative data that technology is just not designed to gather. No algorithm will record how a nervous child who has always been too frightened to put their hand up in class does so for the first time. Yet this would be an important milestone in a child’s learning and a clear indicator for the teacher that they’re on the right track.

Gathering huge amounts of data simply because we have the technological capacity to do so is pointless and could reduce the resources available to achieve improvements
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Student data is often touted as the ultimate resource for demonstrating accountability. Not just to HMRC but to parents and carers. Parents are bombarded with statistics about how their child is performing in school, how they compare to the national average and how much they need to progress by the end of the year. Some schools even send text updates and photographs so that families can share in a child’s school day. Including parents in their child’s education is a valuable and important role of schools, but it can go too far. Access to endless pupil data can result in parents becoming excessively demanding of the school and the child. Parents should be involved in but not leading their child’s education. Equally, where a child perceives excessive pressure to perform, they may become anxious and depressed.

Schools should continually review the data collection software and hardware they use
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The technology available within schools and to external organisations has allowed access to a wealth of education data. Schools should continually review the software and hardware they use to collect this data. Budgets are limited for the majority of schools, so ensuring that the most effective technology is in place is vital for maintaining effective teaching and learning.

Both school leaders and teachers must carefully consider what data they need to collect and why. Gathering huge amounts of data simply because we have the technological capacity to do so is pointless and could reduce the resources available to achieve improvements. Education data — if used effectively — can significantly enhance teaching and learning, resulting in a more positive experience for pupils and their teachers.

The post Education Data Optimizing Learning appeared first on Tech Trends.

In a beautifully kitted out room in central Paris, Colin Fillaudeau is teaching a group of youngsters how to build in Mixed Reality.

Even though my French is far from perfect and I’m unfamiliar with the program he’s using, I’m able to follow along quite well, and the same is certainly true for the 14 year olds in the room, who have come here for the day from a deprived area on the outskirts of Paris.

This room – which resembles an open-plan tech start-up office with its multiple screens, robots, VR headsets and Minecraft plush toys and LEGO – and the 3D design concepts they are learning, literally represent a gateway into another world for these students.

This room represents a gateway into another world for these students #E2 #MicrosoftEDU
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It is often said that in order to address the world’s chronic digital skills problem we need to address an endemic gap in access and opportunity rather than talent or skills. The truth of that becomes abundantly clear when you observe the eagerness and engagement with which these students embrace the opportunity extended to them by such initiatives.

Microsoft's immersive classroom sits within the company’s French Headquarters in Paris #E2 #MicrosoftEDU
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Favreau is a Learning Consultant working with Microsoft, and this “immersive classroom” sits within the company’s French Headquarters. It is open for schools to experiment with incorporating digital tools in learning, and has facilitated the delivery of more than 60 free workshops for over 1000 students since opening in 2018.

These digital tools, they’re keen to emphasize, are not just the company’s own, as only about 20% of the tech in the room is Microsoft’s.

The class I was observing was called 3D conception & Mixed Reality, and it incorporates Paint 3D, HoloLens and other Mixed Reality headsets, and 3D printing. Other activities also explore coding and robotics using tools such as Minecraft and Artificial intelligence, where students get to build their own chatbot.

The immersive classroom is open for schools to experiment with incorporating digital tools in learning, and has facilitated the delivery of more than 60 free workshops for over 1000 students since opening in 2018 #E2 #MicrosoftEDU
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The class I was observing was called 3D conception & Mixed Reality #E2 #MicrosoftEDU
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As the market for immersive technology continues to grow in the coming years, the already existing issues around a shortage of creative and skilled tech talent is only going to be compounded unless we start building purposeful learning pipelines that start teaching students like the ones I met in Paris not only the relevant skills, but the right mindset.

What it comes down to is that it’s very much in the interest of companies like Microsoft to foster such initiatives, as they are reliant on building and expanding that talent pipeline for their future survival #E2 #MicrosoftEDU
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To create compelling content in a fast-evolving new medium such as Mixed Reality, you need what’s called a “growth mindset” that builds grit and a tolerance for failure. This does not mean ignoring your mistakes or being blind to shortcomings, but recognizing that success is incremental, and that iterating and improving your approach is an essential part of building a successful product. That means finding out what doesn’t work can be as (or more) valuable than finding out what does.

This broader trend is sometimes also referred to as Social Emotional Learning – an emphasis on the whole package of preparing a human being for work and society. Looking around at a room where young people who were handling these tools for the first time managed to produce interesting and workable content, it’s clear that the approach is one that is much more suitable for getting them ready to tackle the challenges of a modern workplace than traditional schooling.

To create compelling content in a fast-evolving new medium such as Mixed Reality, you need to cultivate a growth mindset #E2 #MicrosoftEDU
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What it comes down to is that it’s very much in the interest of companies like Microsoft to foster such initiatives, as they are reliant on building and expanding that talent pipeline for their future survival. But in doing so they can also help to address many of the issues around access and inequality that have long plagued the tech industry, even if it’s just because – as a CEO once told me at a conference – “there just aren’t enough white guys in the world to do all these jobs.”

This article originally appeared on The Next Web

Stepping into the immersive classroom https://t.co/j82tCZOPjF

— TNWRSS (@tnwrss) April 3, 2019

Tech Trends offers a broad range of Digital Consultancy services to guide companies, individuals and brands in effectively leveraging existing and emerging technologies in their business strategy.

Alice Bonasio is a VR and Digital Transformation Consultant and Tech Trends’ Editor in Chief. She also regularly writes for Fast Company, Ars Technica, Quartz, Wired and others. You can follow @alicebonasio on Twitter, connect with her on LinkedIn or subscribe to her Inside VR/AR Newletter for all the latest curated immersive news.  

The post The Mixed Reality Classroom appeared first on Tech Trends.

Technology can be a great aid for teachers in engaging with students and helping them learn, but it must be smartly integrated into classroom design to be effective.

Student outcomes are the most relevant factor when it comes to measuring the success of a learning environment. Though classroom design has an important influence on learning achievement, the majority of time and resources is still spent on traditional methods of enhancing the learning progress, such as executing standardized tests, professional growth for educators, and advancement or mediation courses for students.

There is a growing awareness of the profound impact classroom design can have on the educational achievements of students
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Thanks to a growing awareness of the profound impact classroom design can have on the educational achievements of students, however, educators are making strides toward constructing optimal learning environments to better meet the educational needs of various groups of students. The infographic below from Worthington Direct outlines some of the emerging best practices.

Alice Bonasio is a VR Consultant and Tech Trends’ Editor in Chief. She also regularly writes for Fast Company, Ars Technica, Quartz, Wired and others. Connect with her on LinkedIn and follow @alicebonasio on Twitter.

The post Infographic: How Does Classroom Design Affect Learning? appeared first on Tech Trends.

Mixed Reality is increasingly being used to teach the creative and collaborative skills needed for the digital age.

As all major tech giants converge in London this week for BETT UK – arguably the biggest event in the EdTech calendar – many companies like Microsoft are keen to showcase how immersive technologies can be powerful aids to learning.

“Technology has the power to unlock limitless learning, and lesson plans that encourage hands-on and visual learning drive deeper engagement from students,” says Yusuf Mehdi, Corporate Vice President at Microsoft. Studies show improved test performance and passion for learning among students who experience 3D content, girls in particular.

Many companies like Microsoft are keen to showcase how immersive technologies can be powerful aids to learning
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One tool which has proved extremely successful in doing so has been Minecraft: Education Edition, which is used in classrooms in more than 115 countries. This spring, a free Chemistry Update will enable teachers to use Minecraft to engage students of all ages in chemistry through hands-on experimentation. Students will be able to leverage the game-based learning with which pupils are already familiar with to build compounds and tackle complex topics like stable isotopes in a highly visual way.

One tool which has proved extremely successful in doing so has been Minecraft: Education Edition, which is used in classrooms in more than 115 countries
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“Our research shows the most effective learning involves multiple regions of the brain. In the era of mixed reality – which includes augmented and virtual reality – we are working with our partners to deliver products and experiences that will help teachers push the boundaries of their curricula,” says Mehdi.

It is no secret that Microsoft believes that Mixed Reality represents the next computing revolution, and Anthony Salcito – Vice President of Worldwide Education at Microsoft – confirms that in addition to a new features and hardware releases aimed at the education market, they are looking to significantly expand their Mixed Reality curriculum offerings through strategic content partnerships.

Microsoft is looking to significantly expand its Mixed Reality curriculum offerings through strategic content partnerships
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Pearson will begin rolling out curriculum that will work on both HoloLens and Windows Mixed Reality immersive VR headsets
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Among those is a project with PBS and NASA’s “Bringing the Universe to America’s Classrooms” and Oceans: Our Blue Planet – a collaboration between Microsoft Education and BBC Earth that will launch in the Spring to explore ways to bring the BBC’s content to life in classrooms and museums across the world.

Pearson the world’s largest education company – will also begin rolling out in March curriculum that will work on both HoloLens and Windows Mixed Reality immersive VR headsets. These six new applications will deliver seamless experiences across devices and further illustrate the value of getting hands-on with technology immersive educational experiences, teaching everything from anatomy to math.

Students build tools with LEGO bricks from the Simple & Powered Machines set or cardboard to create and visualize an initial transportation plan for the development of an island National Park in Excel
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Together with LEGO Education, Microsoft’s Hacking STEM program (already used by educators in over 75 countries worldwide) will also offer schools a new, free online lesson plan where students use the Pythagorean Theorem to explore and measure topography in 2D/3D space. They will be offering a new free online Hacking STEM lesson plan that has students use the Pythagorean Theorem to explore and measure topography in 2D/3D space.  Acting as environmental surveyors and engineers, students build tools with LEGO bricks from the Simple & Powered Machines set or cardboard to create and visualize an initial transportation plan for the development of an island National Park in Excel. They can then bring their National Park to life by adding topographic elements.

LEGO Education and Microsoft’s Hacking STEM program will use the Pythagorean Theorem to explore and measure topography in 2D/3D space
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Until May 31st 2018, qualified academic institutions will be able to purchase discounted Commercial and Developer HoloLens units at 10% off
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Mehdi says that over the last year Microsoft has seen remarkable instances of teachers and institutions using Microsoft HoloLens to bring 3D experiences to life in the classroom. To keep up with growing demand for HoloLens in the classroom they have also announced that they will be making a limited-time academic pricing offer available for HoloLens. Until May 31st 2018, qualified academic institutions will be able to purchase discounted Commercial and Developer HoloLens units at 10% off in select markets where HoloLens currently ships. Additionally, they hope that the release of the Windows Mixed Reality immersive VR headsets at a lower $299 price point will also help to build up the momentum for take-up of MR technology in the classroom.

Creativity is predicted to be one of the top three most desired skills by employers in 2020
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According to Futuresource, the worldwide education market grew 15 percent year-over-year, yet although Microsoft is certainly staking its claim on that market, it also has a significant Philanthropic Commitment to Education, donating over $1.2 billion in software and services to more than 90,000 nonprofit organizations around the world in 2017.

According to Futuresource, the worldwide education market grew 15 percent year-over-year
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With nine out of ten teachers seeing creativity as central to future careers and 93 percent of students view technology as key, the two clearly go hand-in-hand
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Creativity is predicted to be one of the top three most desired skills by employers in 2020. With nine out of ten teachers seeing creativity as central to future careers and 93 percent of students view technology as key, the two clearly go hand-in-hand, and it is increasingly becoming clear that immersive technologies are going to be the glue that binds those two trends together.

#Immersive learning transforming #education – https://t.co/dE0JZhEKLj @alicebonasio @CIOonline @IDGCN

— IDG Contributor Network (@IDGCN) January 23, 2018

This article was originally published on IDG Connect

Tech Trends’  Virtual Reality Consultancy services offers support for companies looking to get a foothold in the growing Mixed Reality spectrum and enhance their brand strategy with immersive technologies. 

Alice Bonasio is a VR Consultant and Tech Trends’ Editor in Chief. She also regularly writes for Fast Company, Ars Technica, Quartz, Wired and others. Connect with her on LinkedIn and follow @alicebonasio on Twitter.

The post How Mixed Reality is Transforming Learning appeared first on Tech Trends.

Brain science tells us that VR could be a powerful tool for effective sports training

American football is extremely popular in the U.S. and continues to gain many fans on the international stage, yet the sport has been plagued by issues such as the high likelihood of incurring injuries and concussions.

Football players need to train to perform at their highest level, but this training needs to proceed with little, or no, physical contact. And this is especially true of the most important player on the field – the quarterback. As Ted Sundquist, former Air Force Academy player and coach, and 16-year veteran with the Denver Broncos know all too well:

“Quarterback play is the single biggest determinant for an NFL team of its win-loss record and for that reason NFL Teams invest heavily in that position. This season NFL teams are spending over $550 million on quarterback salaries,“ he says.

From observing the way that pilots trained in simulators, Ted realized that the only way to effectively train quarterbacks was also to put them in a fully immersive simulation
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Sundquist’s time in the college and pro game, combined with his background in the Air Force where he saw fighter pilots train daily in simulators, offered him a unique perspective on the problem of quarterback training. This experience led him to found Sports VTS (where he serves as CEO), a Sports Virtual Training System built upon proprietary technologies that take quarterback training beyond Virtual Reality (VR) into a fully immersive, “Simulation Reality.”

The player had to actively generate realistic quarterback behaviors. Simply observing a quarterback, even from a first-person VR perspective, was just not enough
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From observing the way that pilots trained in simulators, Ted realized that the only way to effectively train quarterbacks was also to put them in a fully immersive simulation, with a real football and helmet, room to run, and the ability to throw that ball from the real world right into the simulated virtual environment.

In other words, the player had to actively generate realistic quarterback behaviors. Simply observing a quarterback, even from a first-person VR perspective, was just not enough.

“The vision for Sports VTS came out of my efforts to solve that very real NFL problem. When you combine the most cutting-edge virtual reality training technology with the best practices in training quarterbacks you get our QBSIM platform, which allows you to train a quarterback in a game-like situation, without the risk of contact injury. We are the only system available that allows a QB to throw a real ball in a way that his ability to complete the pass in the virtual training environment is actually based on how accurately he throws the real football.”

QBSIM takes this training to the next level, however, by incorporating real game data into these simulations:

“The fundamental advancement of QBSIM is its proprietary process for combining years of real game data with the schemes, alignments and responsibilities of real offenses and defenses in a way that allows a QB to step into the simulator and actually practice game speed reps with a true sense of urgency,” Sundquist explains. “The quarterback has to read defenses, call audibles, avoid the rush and, most importantly, make the accurate throw. He can get hundreds of repetitions without tiring out receivers or needing to practice against a full defense. He can also practice as much as he wants without any risk of a contact injury.”

The key to training any motor or behavioral skill is to provide real-time corrective feedback to the learner immediately following the behavior
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From a brain science of learning perspective, this approach facilitates the development of muscle memory. The ability to take hundreds of reps with different offensive and defensive schemes, trains for both generalization and long-term retention. The key to training any motor or behavioral skill is to provide real-time corrective feedback to the learner immediately following the behavior. QBSIM does this by allowing the quarterback to practice the game at speed, reading the offense and defense, making a decision to throw, initiating the throw and receiving real-time feedback regarding accuracy of that throw, all in real-time.

From a brain science of learning perspective, this approach facilitates the development of muscle memory
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QSIM has the potential to democratize quarterback training by allowing non-starters to get the reps that they need to achieve greatness
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Since repetition is so crucial in the game, QSIM has the potential to democratize quarterback training by allowing non-starters to get the reps that they need to achieve greatness. Additionally, it would allow kids who are interested in the game, to gain valuable exposure and experience to facilitate an informed decision about whether they want to enter the sport.

Ultimately, QBSIM could also be used to assess talent. Once performance norms are developed, players can be rated objectively on their ability to read defenses, to call audibles, and to make the pressure-packed plays. All of this will be invaluable in informing teams’ decisions on who to recruit, draft or trade each season.

Although QBSIM can’t guarantee injury-free practices, it could reduce the likelihood of these occurring, and help prepare backups for prime time
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Although QBSIM can’t guarantee injury-free practices, it could reduce the likelihood of these occurring, and help prepare backups for prime time. And as Matt Barnett – Co-founder and COO at Sports VTS – point out, that preparedness could make a very big difference:

“The last thing any team wants is to experience what the Miami Dolphins have faced this season. First, they lose their starting QB, Ryan Tannehill and his $20 million salary to a season-ending injury suffered in practice. Then, because they are not comfortable that their backup QB has enough game experience, they entice Jay Cutler out of retirement for another $10 million. I call this the $30 million practice injury.”

Some of the earliest applications of VR have in fact been sports-related, including the Stanford University research that led to the launch of STRIVR
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Sundquist and his team are not the only ones who recognize the potential of VR to enhance performance and improve existing coaching methodologies. Some of the earliest applications of VR have in fact been sports-related, including the Stanford University research that led to the launch of STRIVR.

But while only time and additional performance testing will tell which are the best tools and methodologies in this emerging space, the results so far are highly encouraging, and there’s little doubt that sports coaching will continue to greatly benefit from advances in immersive technologies.

There’s little doubt that sports coaching will continue to greatly benefit from advances in immersive technologies.
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For companies looking to get into VR/AR/MR our Virtual Reality Consultancy services offer guidance on how these technologies can enhance and support your brand strategy.

Todd Maddox is Science, Sports and Training Correspondent at Tech Trends, and the CEO of Cognitive Design and Statistical Consulting. Follow him on Twitter @wtoddmaddox

The post Using Virtual Reality to Train NFL Players appeared first on Tech Trends.

A scalable and sustainable initiative is empowering teachers to deliver better learning outcomes in some of the most deprived areas of Africa.

Many children in sub-Saharan Africa – over 400,000 in Ghana alone according to 2014 UNESCO estimates – either don’t go to school or eventually drop out of education altogether. The scale of the challenge is considerable to say the least, yet one successful program has recently shown how directed investment in technology can make a significant impact within a relatively short time.

The results from an independent evaluation of Train for Tomorrow demonstrated how higher quality teaching can help reverse such negative trends and inspire more children in the world’s most deprived areas to attend school and complete their education.

Over 400,000 children in sub-Saharan Africa don't access education
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Many teachers in countries like Ghana don't have any formal training
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What makes programmes like this so crucial is the fact that such a large proportion of teachers in countries like Ghana haven’t received formal training. According to the Ghanaian Ministry of Education, 45 percent of primary school teachers and 30 percent of those teaching junior high are untrained. This amounts to a staggering 90,000 working teachers in need of acquiring such skills.

Under the Train for Tomorrow programme – which is run by the Varkey Foundation and funded through a $2 million USD grant from philanthropic organization Dubai Cares – 40 ‘hub’ schools were provided with solar powered video-link equipment. This enabled highly qualified teacher trainers based in the country’s capital Accra to hold regular interactive training sessions at those hub schools, where head teachers and school leaders from surrounding areas come to receive their training.

Train for Tomorrow enables qualified teachers to share their knowledge remotely
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The focus of those sessions was on best practice teaching methods and techniques which have been proven to deliver better quality educational outcomes, such as group work, critical thinking, use of higher order thinking skills, reflection and analysis.

40 schools were provided with solar powered video-link equipment
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The program relies on a ripple effect whereby the head teachers and school leaders who participate in the hub school sessions then repeat the training in their own school for other teachers. This strategy managed to amplify the reach of the programme to nearly 5,000 teachers and their 90,000 students. Initially operating from three studios, the foundation has now expanded that number to five larger facilities, all equipped with the latest technology.

An evaluation conducted by Dalberg Global Development Associates showed that teachers going through Train for Tomorrow demonstrated statistically significant improvement in instructional performance. Teachers in the 40 hub schools showed significant improvement in their teaching techniques, demonstrably encouraging cooperative learning – which enhances retention of learning through group work – increased from 13% in the baseline analysis to 60%

“The results of this independent evaluation clearly demonstrate that pioneering EdTech can improve learning in parts of the world that are often off the power grid, have limited access to the internet and have few resources to share,” says Vikas Pota, CEO of the Varkey Foundation.

Pota also added that he hopes the results will encourage more investors to support similar projects, as well as inspiring technology entrepreneurs to come forward with fresh ideas that are hardy enough to improve education where it is needed the most.

Teachers going through the programme significantly improved their performace
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This technology, which earlier this year was used to deliver the world’s first satellite-enabled interactive distance learning project to a Refugee Camp, was also successfully deployed by the Varkey Foundation for the Making Ghanaian Girls Great! (MGCubed) project.

MGCubed is a three-year pilot project funded by the Department for International Development (DFID)’s Girls’ Education Challenge (GEC) which used interactive distance learning technology to deliver Maths and English lessons daily to more than 10,000 pupils in 72 of Ghana’s most deprived communities. In addition to delivering after-school club activities covering crucial topics such as reproductive health, financial literacy, entrepreneurship, career guidance and the environment, the MGCubed model was shown to have a significant positive impact on literacy and numeracy skills.

According to the Varkey Foundation, this is a highly replicable model
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Professional Learning Networks have long-lasting impact on teachers’ development
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According to Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) pupils participating in that programme were able to read between 3.21-3.74 more words per minute than those in regular classes, and in numeracy tests MGCubed teaching has been found to increase average scores by the equivalent of one school year.

Professional Learning Networks encouraged by such projects have been shown to have long-lasting positive impacts on teachers’ professional development, and form the basis of scalability and sustainability of the initiatives. Since participants will be able to rely on one another for advice, evaluation and support for the continuous improvement of their own practice, their experience and expertise can be constantly communicated and amplified.

According to the Varkey Foundation, this is a highly replicable model, since the educational and technical expertise deployed create a significant body of assets that can be reused either within the original hub schools, or through installation of the technology package in further schools. The nature of the model means that after the fixed infrastructure costs are paid for, operating costs are minimal, therefore making the long-term effects far reaching and enduring.

“With Train for Tomorrow, our aim is to improve the quality of teaching, and create a positive teaching and learning experience for children in Ghana, through an innovative program model utilizing technology,” adds His Excellency Tariq Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer at Dubai Cares. “The learnings from the final evaluation of the program which has concluded, will contribute to the growing evidence surrounding teacher training modalities, helping strengthen the design and delivery of teacher training programs in developing countries.”

This article was originally published on The Huffington Post

How Pioneering EdTech is Empowering Teachers in Africa https://t.co/Hcitr4BQWv via @HuffPostBlog

— Alice Bonasio (@alicebonasio) November 20, 2017

Alice Bonasio is a VR Consultant and Tech Trends’ Editor in Chief. She also regularly writes for Fast Company, Ars Technica, Quartz, Wired and others. Connect with her on LinkedIn and follow @alicebonasio and @techtrends_tech on Twitter.

The post Amplifying the Impact of Teaching Through Technology appeared first on Tech Trends.

The Winners of this year’s EdTechXGlobal Awards were just announced, and show how Education Technology is still booming.

The winners of the EdTEchXGlobal Awards were just announced
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Europe’s largest Education Technology Summit, EdTechXEurope, just wrapped up and the winners of the prestigious prize were announced on June 21^st 2017 in London.

“Participation for this year’s awards has been higher than ever with 179 applications from 32 countries showcasing the best and brightest companies in EdTech. The six winners were selected for market impact, production innovation and growth trajectory of their EdTech startup. All the entries from the EdTechXGlobal All Stars Awards highlighted the impressive work being done by EdTech players at a global scale” said Benjamin Vedrenne-Cloquet, Co-Founder of EdTechXGlobal.

These awards featured companies who demonstrated the most significant innovation in the past year. The 3 winners are:

Lingvist –Language learning program that uses AI to help users learn more quickly and effectively by tailoring materials to their specific needs, based in Estonia

 

Primo – Award-winning educational toy company designed to teach children how to code using a tangible programming language that doesn’t require screens or literacy

 

Thinglink – A dynamic platform from Finland that incorporates 360 storytelling with content from online publishers, with over 2.5 million teachers and students in 190 countries

EdTechXGlobal All Stars Growth Awards also highlighted companies that have shown the most revenue growth momentum over the past 3 years. The panel of international judges also evaluate a variety of additional factors including, scale, innovation and market impact. For each category, the awards showcase the top three start-ups across segmentation, geography and industry trends. This year’s winners included:

Touch Surgery –Touch Surgery is a surgical simulation platform started in the UK which uses cognitive mapping techniques to train surgeons and healthcare professionals using AI and 3D rendering technology to help rehearse steps of the operation on the go.

 

Youscian – Another Finnish start-up this interactive music service with over 60 million users around the world lets you learn, play and create your own music

 

Learnlight – Is a Barcelona-based start-up focusing on the global language and skills training sectors

The six winners received prizes to enable the continued growth of their companies from the partners of the EdTechXGlobal All Stars awards, including boutique technology-focused law firm Kemp Little, global leader in skills development City & Guilds, IE Rockets, a programme powered by IE Business school designed to reinvent higher education in partnership with startups and specialist investment and corporate advisory group IBIS Capital. Finalists have also been awarded the opportunity to join the EdTechXEurope team at worldwide partner events including Slush, SXSWedu, WISE and GETT.

There were 179 applications from 32 countries for the awards
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Here is a list of the 20 finalists from which the winners were chosen: Blinklearning.com (Spain), BridgeU (UK), Busuu (UK), Cialfo Pte. Ltd. (Singapore), Coursedot (Bulgaria), Examus (Russia), Fullstack Academy (USA), Goodwall Org (Switzerland), Growth Tribe (Netherlands), Learnlight (Spain), Linvist (Estonia), Open Classroom (France), Peergrade.io (Denmark), Primo (UK), Snapask.co (Hong Kong), Thinglink (USA), Toppr (India), Touch Surgery (UK), Wonde (UK), Youscian (Finland).

Tech Trends is an official EdTechX Media Partner

Now in its fifth year, EdTechXEurope was part of London EdTech Week, which brought together 6000+ attendees to London in June, and the EdTechXAsia summit will invite 1200+ global thought leaders to Singapore in October.

For companies looking to get into Immersive technologies such as VR/AR/MR/XR our Virtual Reality Consultancy services offer guidance and support on how best to incorporate these into your brand strategy.

Alice Bonasio is a VR and Digital Transformation Consultant and Tech Trends’ Editor in Chief. She also regularly writes for Fast Company, Ars Technica, Quartz, Wired and others. Connect with her on LinkedInand follow @alicebonasio on Twitter.

The post Meet The Hottest EdTech Start-Ups of 2017 appeared first on Tech Trends.

Most teachers in England think that the careers support offered by their schools is inadequate, and would like to see business playing a bigger role in that area.

A survey by The Varkey Foundation, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and the Times Educational Supplement TES showed that nine in 10 teachers in the UK (87% of the 1100 surveyed) believed that business could help schools by providing mentorships and work placements, for example.

Most teachers would like to see business playing a bigger role in supporting careers advice in schools
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Interestingly, there seems to be a perception among teachers that the best opportunities for their pupils actually lie in the tech sector. When asked which of the top 20 most valuable brands in 2016 they would most like to engage with in their school, their top choices were Apple, Google and Microsoft, with traditional household names like Toyota and BMW coming much lower on the list despite talk of a “modern apprenticeships revival”.

Teacher's top choices for companies they'd like to partner with were Apple, Google and Microsoft
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Vikas Pota, Chief Executive of the Varkey Foundation, said the survey showed that tech companies were teacher’s dream partners:

It is clear that teachers overwhelmingly prefer the involvement of those types of companies to more traditional manufacturing industries, he pointed out.

In some schools, lack of resources saw careers advice being delegated to receptionists
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The quality of careers advice in schools is a contentious issue following the publication of a report by the Commons sub-committee on Education, Skills and the Economy, which says the skills shortage in England is being exacerbated by inadequate support in this area. This follows an equally damning report by the Education Committee last year that raised concerns about issues such as the fact that in some schools career guidance was being delegated to receptionists.

Good information on jobs and opportunities in our schools is the engine of social mobility
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Stephen Tetlow, Chief Executive of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, agreed that careers advice in secondary schools in England just isn’t good enough at the moment.

We are denying a generation the opportunity to make the right life choices, as good information on jobs and opportunities in our schools is the engine of social mobility.

Poor careers advice has in fact been shown to have a negative impact on social mobility, since pupils who are the first in their family to go to University may not actually know what it takes to be a surgeon, a barrister or a scientist.  Without solid advice, they might not understand that dropping a language at sixteen, or discontinuing STEM subjects, could severely limit their options further down the track. This is where teachers believe that businesses can have a positive impact, by, for example, providing inspirational speakers that can come to schools and share their experience and advice with students on how they can reach those career aspirations.

With serious skills shortages in the UK, especially in science, engineering and technology, it’s absolutely vital that young people understand the many highly rewarding paths they can choose where they can best make a contribution to our nation, says Stephen Tetlow

A greater involvement by tech companies in schools can help improve the tech skills of young people
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“Not only can technology play a huge role in improving the quality of education, but it is needed in the modern global economy, which demands that young people are technologically savvy. A greater involvement by tech companies in schools can help improve the tech skills of young people. This, in turn, could help reduce the gap between the number of technology jobs and the people qualified to fill them,” added Vikas Pota.

Before rushing in, businesses need to engage teachers in dialogue to find out how they can best contribute
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“Schools are struggling with getting careers advice right,” agreed Ann Mroz, Editor of the Times Educational Supplement. She says that shrinking budgets often mean that schools find themselves under increasing pressure, and careers advice provision is one of the areas that can suffer as a consequence of this. She concludes that it is a positive factor that teachers seem happy to work with businesses in addressing this issue, but stresses that it’s important for those businesses to engage in a dialogue with schools about their specific needs before simply rushing in to help.

Alice Bonasio is a VR Consultant and Tech Trends’ Editor in Chief. She also regularly writes for Fast Company, Ars Technica, Quartz, Wired and others. Connect with her on LinkedIn and follow @alicebonasio and @techtrends_tech on Twitter.

The post Teachers Partnering with Tech Companies to Plug Skills Gap appeared first on Tech Trends.

The BBC Micro:bit launched as a tool to tackle the so-called digital skills gap, where most of us depend upon technology, but not enough learn about what is required to build and maintain the digital economy.

Products like the Raspberry Pi, Arduino and Micro:bit are proving to be effective platforms through which teachers can engage students with technology and teach them these skills in a practical, fun way.

10,000 teams from England, Scotland and Wales to be sponsored in national competition
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This week saw the launch of the Race for the Line competition created by Microsoft in partnership with Bloodhound Education, an initiative looking to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers. Secondary school pupils aged 11-16 will be able to build their own model rocket cars using BBC Micro:bit kits, and teachers can access resources to help them leverage the competition activities in other areas of the school curriculum.

The cars themselves will be made of foam and powered by a small solid fuel engine, and students will use the Micro:bit to collect and analyse data about the car’s performance, making adjustments and modifications to optimise performance and make it go as fast as possible. At this point, I’m probably not the only one wishing they were young enough to take part… they had me at “rocket”.

The 3 fastest teams will not only receive cash prizes for their schools, but also have their names included in the tail fin of the full-size rocket car being developed by the project: The Bloodhound SSC, which aims to go faster than the speed of sound, covering a mile in 3.6 seconds.

Schools registering before April 29^th 2016 will be eligible for the free race car kits, and finals will take place in June. Visit the Bloodhound Project website for more information and to register online.

The post UK Schools Can Get Free BBC Micro:bit Rocket Car Kits appeared first on Tech Trends.