Informações:
Sinopse
VR in Education will provide tips and explore topics related to using immersive Virtual Reality in the classroom.
Episódios
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Episode 169-What Makes Quality Immersive VR? Moving Beyond the Hype
08/04/2026 Duração: 37minHello everyone, welcome to another exciting episode of VR in Education, where we dive into how virtual reality is being used for teaching and learning. Today’s conversation gets right to the heart of a question many educators are wrestling with: What actually makes immersive learning high quality? It is one thing to put students into a headset. It is another thing entirely to ensure that what happens inside that experience is aligned, intentional, and impactful. I am thrilled to be joined by Dr. Erica Barhorst-Cates, who has been deeply involved in research connected to Pearson’s focus on learning efficacy and their partnership with Meta to better understand what effective immersive learning truly looks like. Together, we are going to unpack the emerging Framework and discuss what teachers need to consider when bringing immersive experiences into their classrooms.
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Episode 168-From Isolation to Connection: What Education Can Learn from VR in Aged Care
08/04/2026 Duração: 44minHello everyone, welcome to another exciting episode of VR in Education, where we explore how virtual reality is transforming teaching, learning and our everyday lives. Today I’m joined by Colin Pudsey, Founder of SilVR Adventures. Through his work with SilVR Adventures, Colin has focused on creating meaningful, shared experiences for older adults, helping to spark connection, memory, and engagement. In this conversation, we explore what educators can learn from that work, especially when it comes to designing experiences that go beyond the “wow factor” and truly impact people. Check out SilVR Adentures here, https://silvradventures.com.au/
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Episode 167-Immersion vs Accessibility: Where Does PortalVR Fit in Education?
23/03/2026 Duração: 42minHello everyone, welcome to another exciting episode of VR in Education, where we explore how virtual reality can enhance teaching and learning. VR has opened up powerful possibilities by placing learners inside experiences. But today, we are exploring a different angle. What happens when you remove the headset? In this episode, I am joined by Greg Fodor, creator of PortalVR, a tool that streams VR experiences directly into a browser so users can interact without wearing a headset. It promises greater accessibility and ease of use, but also raises important questions about what makes VR effective for learning. You can reach Greg at https://portalvr.io/ or through email at gfodor@portalvr.io
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Episode 166-VR Without the IT Headache: Managed Support for the Modern Classroom
04/03/2026 Duração: 47minHello everyone, welcome to another exciting episode of VR in Education, where we explore how virtual reality can enhance teaching and learning. In today’s episode, we’re diving into a side of immersive learning that doesn’t always get the spotlight but determines whether VR succeeds or stalls in schools. It’s one thing to design a powerful virtual experience. It’s another to deploy, manage, and sustain the technology that makes that experience possible. I’m joined by Laura Piza, COO and Co-Founder of Reboot Imagine, and Jonathan Chavez, Co-founder, to unpack what it really takes to support VR at scale. t. For many educators and leaders, the real challenge begins after the headsets are purchased. Ensuring that virtual reality tools actually function smoothly and meaningfully when students walk into the classroom requires thoughtful planning and systems. Also check out their website, https://www.rebootimagine.com/
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Episode 165-The Immersive Learning Event Playbook: What Actually Works
21/01/2026 Duração: 37minHello everyone, welcome to another exciting episode of VR in Education, where we dive into how virtual reality is being used for teaching and learning in real, practical, and meaningful ways. Today I’m joined by Jay Schnoor, CEO of VEDX. Jay has worked closely with educators and immersive learning teams around the world, and in this episode we’re talking about what actually drives adoption—events, conversations, and the moments that move people from curiosity to action.
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Episode 164- When VR Makes Us Care: Immersive Storytelling for Education and Advocacy
21/01/2026 Duração: 48minHello everyone, welcome to another exciting episode of VR in Education, where we dive into how virtual reality is being used for teaching and learning in real, practical, and meaningful ways. Today, we’re exploring the power of immersive storytelling and what it means to use VR not just to inform, but to help people truly care. I’m joined by two guests—Ryan D’Souza, a human rights advocate and immersive storytelling producer, and Thikran Mato, a Yazidi genocide survivor who has been deeply involved in bringing this work into schools. Together, we’ll unpack how experiences like Nobody’s Listening use VR to foster empathy, responsibility, and reflection around complex global issues—and what this means for educators thinking about VR for good.
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Episode 163-VR is Not Dead with Melinda Cuilty
07/01/2026 Duração: 34minHello everyone, welcome to another exciting episode of VR in Education, where we dive into how virtual reality is being used for teaching and learning in real, practical, and meaningful ways. Today’s conversation tackles a big question in immersive learning right now: while some voices are saying “VR is dead,” what does it actually look like when VR is done well and scaled with intention? To help us unpack this, I’m thrilled to be joined by Melinda Cuilty from New Mexico State University. Melinda brings firsthand experience moving VR beyond one-off pilots and into sustainable, campus-wide use, working closely with faculty, leadership, and students along the way.
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Episode 162-Finding Your Voice in VR: Learning, Confidence, and Resilience with VR Comedy
16/12/2025 Duração: 37minHello everyone, welcome to another exciting episode of VR in Education, where we explore the use of VR for teaching and learning. Today I’m joined by Aaron Sorrels, founder and world creator of The Soapstone Comedy Club, to talk about the recent launch of Soapstone Comedy – Heckler’s Bay in Meta Horizon worlds. We’ll explore how this social VR space supports confidence, communication, and skill development for teens and young adults, and what educators can learn from its approach to safety, avatars, and learning transfer from virtual performance to real-world settings. Check out https://www.soapstonecomedy.com/.
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Episode 161-Scaling Immersive Learning: Inside the Melcher VR Hub
15/12/2025 Duração: 38minHello everyone, welcome to another exciting episode of VR in Education, where we explore how VR is being used for teaching and learning. Today we’re talking about one of the most important challenges in immersive learning: how to scale VR beyond a single demo or one-off experience. Joining me is Dwayne Melcher, CEO of Melcher Studios, the team behind the innovative VR Hub — a growing library of job-role simulations, safety modules, and career exploration experiences designed to help institutions deliver meaningful VR training at scale, including in remote or hard-to-reach communities. In this episode, we’ll explore the story behind the VR Hub, why so many organizations struggle to expand their VR use, and how Melcher Studios is creating solutions that make immersive learning more accessible and sustainable.
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Episode 160-From Cubism to Laser Dance: The Art of Motion, Movement, and Mixed Reality
29/10/2025 Duração: 37minHello everyone, welcome to another exciting episode of VR in Education. In today’s episode, we’re thrilled to reconnect with a returning guest — Thomas Van Bouwel, the creative mind behind one of VR’s most elegant puzzle experiences, Cubism. Last time Thomas joined us, we explored how Cubism invited players into a meditative world of calm, spatial problem-solving. Today, he’s back with something completely different — Laser Dance, a new mixed-reality experience that turns your physical room into a dynamic obstacle course where you move, dodge, and flow through lasers in real time. We’ll talk about how Thomas transitioned from designing quiet, contemplative puzzles to creating full-body movement experiences, how mixed reality is reshaping play and learning.
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Episode 159- Preventing the Shiny New Toy Syndrome in Immersive Technology
14/10/2025 Duração: 51minHello everyone, and welcome to another exciting episode of VR in Education, where we explore how virtual reality is transforming teaching and learning around the world. In today’s episode, we’re joined by Tyler Heaton, Research & Industry Liaison at Lethbridge Polytechnic. We’ll be talking about how to avoid the “shiny toy syndrome” when it comes to immersive technologies—ensuring that schools and institutions don’t just chase novelty, but instead focus on meaningful and sustainable integration. You can reach out to Tyler at Tyler.heaton@lethpolytech.ca or check out https://lethpolytech.ca/.
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Episode 158-Creating Meaningful Learning Through VR Games with the Makers of Europa Prime
09/10/2025 Duração: 43minHello everyone, and welcome back to another episode of VR in Education. Today we’re diving into the world of educational game design in VR with a truly exciting guest. Joining me is Jeff Rayner, Founder and CEO of MXTreality and Drivers of Tomorrow, and one of the creative minds behind Europa Prime. Europa Prime is a VR game set on one of Jupiter’s moons, where players uncover mysteries, restore systems, and engage in problem solving across a wide range of environments—from microbial labs to hydrothermal vents. It’s a project that blends science, storytelling, and immersive gameplay, offering learners a chance to engage with complex content in a way no textbook ever could. In our conversation today, we’ll explore what it takes to build a game like Europa Prime, the challenges of balancing learning and fun.
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Episode 157- Evolving Empathy: How Body Swaps Is Redefining Soft Skills in VR
06/10/2025 Duração: 39minHello everyone, and welcome back to another episode of VR in Education, where we explore how virtual reality is transforming teaching and learning Today we’re reconnecting with someone I first spoke to five years ago — back when his company was just getting started. In 2020, I had the pleasure of interviewing Christophe Mallet, co-founder of Bodyswaps, a pioneering platform using VR to help people practice and improve their soft skills. At the time, Bodyswaps was at the beginning of its journey, experimenting with modules on active listening, clear communication, and inclusivity — and already pushing us to think differently about how immersive technology could transform learning. Now, five years later, Bodyswaps has grown, the technology has evolved, and the field of immersive learning has shifted dramatically. In this episode, we’re going to dive into the lessons learnt along the way — the big decisions, the surprises, the challenges, and the future of soft-skills training in an age of AI-driven avatars an
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Episode 156- Intergenerational Learning in Immersive Environments
03/10/2025 Duração: 34minHello everyone, and welcome back to another episode of VR in Education. Today we’re diving into a fascinating topic at the intersection of immersive technology and human connection: how VR, can be used to bring different generations closer together. Our guest is Beck Stewart, a PhD researcher at the University of South Australia and an affiliate member of the Australian Research Centre for Interactive and Virtual Environments. Beck has an interdisciplinary background in digital immersive media and education, and she recently co-authored a scoping review that looked at how immersive environments can support intergenerational engagement. Today, we’ll unpack what her research found.
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Episode 155- Making Immersive Learning Work: Teamwork, Holograms, and What’s Next
12/09/2025 Duração: 45minHello everyone, and welcome to another exciting episode of VR in Education, where we explore how virtual reality is transforming teaching and learning around the world. Today we’re excited to have Professor Gary Burnett from Loughborough University back to the show. Gary was on the podcast in 2023. Gary’s research spans some of the most exciting—and challenging—frontiers in immersive education. We’ll dive into his work on using VR mazes to transform teamwork and leadership skills, explore his groundbreaking experiments with holographic lectures, and discuss the heavy lifting that’s still needed for widespread adoption of immersive tools in higher education.
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Episode 154- Teacher Competency in Virtual Worlds
23/07/2025 Duração: 39minHello everyone, and welcome to another exciting episode of VR in Education, where we explore how virtual reality is transforming teaching and learning around the world. In today’s episode, we’re honoured to welcome Dr. Kim Abel, Head of School at Optima Academy Online—one of the leading institutions pioneering fully immersive education. We’ll be diving into what it takes to teach effectively in a virtual world, exploring how teacher competencies shift when the classroom is no longer bound by four walls. From managing student engagement and designing immersive lessons to training educators, Kim brings a wealth of insight into the evolving role of the virtual educator.
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Episode 153- Healing with Headsets: Vizmoo’s VR Revolution
17/07/2025 Duração: 44minHello everyone, and welcome to another exciting episode of VR in Education, where we explore how virtual reality is transforming teaching and learning around the world. In today’s episode, we’re honored to welcome Michael Stauffer, CEO of Vizmoo, an innovative company using VR movement therapy to help neurodiverse individuals grow, heal, and thrive. Michael and his team are behind Groove Catcher Tx, a rhythm-based VR experience that blends music, dance, and visual engagement to support clients with Autism, ADHD, and more. To learn more check out https://www.vizmoo.com/.
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Episode 152-Unlocking Potential: VR Education for Africa’s Next Generation
08/07/2025 Duração: 52minHello everyone, and welcome to another exciting episode of VR in Education, where we explore how virtual reality is transforming teaching and learning around the world. In today’s episode, we’re honored to welcome Diana Njeri, Associate Director of the Africa VR Campus and Center, and Paul Waiyaki, CEO of the Africa VR Campus. Their work is a shining example of how purposeful technology can empower youth, especially young women in rural Kenya, to imagine—and build—a future beyond the limitations they’ve inherited. From helping students create digital twins of mushroom farms to designing and hosting events in virtual worlds, Diana and Paul are not only teaching tech—they are unlocking potential. But as we’ll hear, their journey hasn’t been easy. Today, we dive into what it takes to build an immersive learning ecosystem where none existed before, and how VR Africa is reimagining education—one VR headset, one learner, at a time.
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Episode 151- What Really Moves Learning? A 3DOF vs. 6DOF Debate
08/07/2025 Duração: 58minHello everyone, and welcome to another exciting episode of VR in Education, where we explore how virtual reality is transforming teaching and learning. Today’s episode is a little different—in the best way. We're diving into a timely and important conversation about the role of 3DOF versus 6DOF headsets in education. It’s a topic that often sparks strong opinions, and we’re thrilled to have someone who brings a fresh, thoughtful, and even contrarian perspective to the table. Joining me is Dave Dolan, CEO of Sensible VR and a lifelong educator who has been deeply focused on issues of attention, accessibility, and equity in immersive learning. While I’ve long championed the potential of 6DOF for deep engagement and interaction, Dave challenges us to consider whether simplicity, scalability, and practicality,hallmarks of 3DOF,might in fact be better suited for real-world classrooms.
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Episode 150- How Virtulane is Rising Above in a Crowded VR Market
27/06/2025 Duração: 49minHello everyone, and welcome to another exciting episode of VR in Education, where we explore how virtual reality is transforming teaching and learning. We’re thrilled to welcome Richard Lane, the founder and visionary behind Virtulane—an innovative immersive learning company based in Australia. Richard brings a unique blend of educational insight, and deep tech expertise to the world of virtual reality. Under his leadership, Virtulane has been pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in immersive education, not only within Australia’s diverse education systems but also with international partners, including clients in Alberta, Canada. His passion lies in designing meaningful learning experiences that prioritize process over product. Check out https://virtulane.com.au/.