Friday, April 15
12:00 PM-2:00 PM
PDT
Osprey

Building Meaningful Asynchronous Interactive STEM Content: Online Activities Designed for Engaged Learning

Workshop (F2F) ID: 60863
  1. Amrutha Vasan
    Inspirit VR
  2. Aditya Vishwanath
    Inspirit VR
  3. Sarah Taylor
    Inspirit VR

Abstract: Inspirit uses virtual labs and 3D learning content to transform the way science is taught. We offer K-12 access to a next-generation learning platform with a large collection of immersive labs and simulations, available across a range of desktop/laptop and VR platforms. Our platform includes classroom management tools, custom assessment integrations, virtual lab sessions, and options for curriculum alignment. Built by a team of Stanford University Education and VR researchers, our content is designed to stimulate high knowledge gain, deep engagement, and critical thinking in learners through their active involvement in virtual environments. With COVID-19, the need for a tool of this kind has only shot up — and in the short span of our company, we’ve seen thousands of teachers use our resources and request more. We believe that high-quality content should be accessible, so we do not bundle and charge for the labs, but offer them completely for free, in order to also build a strong and engaged community. We monetize platform-level tools and take a B2C approach by reaching out to the teachers and parents. I am a Knight-Hennessy scholar and Ph.D. candidate in Education technology, and we work at the cutting edge of VR and learning science. My co-founder, Amrutha, is an ex-Proctor and Gamble manager and engineer and leads our outreach, brand, and sales. We are seed-stage backed, and always looking to reinvent the way students enjoy STEM content.

Objectives

1. Create interactive STEM experiences for asynchronous online learning 2. Align new media technologies with curriculum, standards, and desired outcomes 3. Understand where 3D simulations add value in learning and where it does NOT add value

Topical Outline

In addition to answering these fundamental questions: (1) What is XR? What devices do we need to improve student engagement and learning outcomes? (3) How can we align with existing agencies of participants and existing beliefs about the technology, to support more meaningful and long-term integration? (4) What does it take to bridge the best practices of academic research in gamifying STEM education with practical considerations for making this technology work in a real-world setting? We will teach participants (1) How to align new media technologies with diverse curriculum, standards, and desired outcomes. (2) How to use virtual 3D STEM labs in meaningful ways in the classroom or learning space and understand where they add value in learning and where they do NOT add value. (3) How to deepen the level of student engagement and critical thinking skills using affordable, accessible, interactive, gamified STEM experiences and student-authored storytelling techniques. We will also share a range of real-world VR learning experiences we have developed and studies we have conducted at Inspirit: (1) Findings from a storytelling experiment we ran with students where they created VR movies and stories using 360 cameras on local topics of social justice. (2) Research on science curriculums in VR and gamifying physics education, and (3) our work with the Google Education team on bringing Expeditions VR to low-income classrooms in urban India.

Prerequisites

No prerequisites necessary- just a curious mind.

Experience Level

Beginner

Qualifications

Aditya is the co-founder and CEO of Inspirit, a virtual STEM simulations platform for K-12 education. He is also a Ph.D. candidate and Knight-Hennessy scholar at Stanford University, where his research focuses on developing technologies that support universal access to immersive learning content. Previously, he co-founded MakerGhat, a research makerspace, and incubator for youth from low-income communities in urban Mumbai.

Topics

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