Share Paper: Introducing K12 Teachers to Emerging Technologies within an Online Graduate Course that Used an Immersive Virtual Reality Environment

  1. Eileen Oconnor, Empire State College / SUNY, United States
  2. Terri Worman, Empire State College, United States
Thursday, October 18 10:45 AM-11:15 AM Las Vegas Ballroom 4

Abstract: Within a 100% online graduate teacher-education course that prepared new teachers for effective use of educational media and technologies, a series of synchronous class meetings were held within a virtual-reality (VR) environment. The intention was to have these students “experience” and not simply read and report about the type of avatar-based environments that many K12 students already use recreationally. Meetings were structured to: allow these teachers to form a community, to have shared problem solving activities (dressing the avatars; getting basic virtual building skills), and to provide an experience of immersion and telepresence. After some initial glitches, the students formed ...