XRA Immersive Insights

On the final episode of our education-focused mini-series, “XR in the Classroom,” XRA’s Senior VP of Research and Best Practices Stephanie Montgomery speaks with Kaylee Brown, Manager of Innovation Development at Pearson, Paul DelSignore, Manager of Strategic Initiatives at Pearson and Joseph South, Chief Innovation Officer at ISTE about how XR can help to reduce education inequality. Their conversation explores the benefits of using XR in education from the lens of accessibility and inclusion, and dives into the ways in which XR can contribute to a unique education for all learners. Tune in to hear their perspectives on this episode of Immersive Insights!

On this episode of our education focused mini-series, “XR in the Classroom,” XRA’s Senior VP of Research and Best Practices Stephanie Montgomery dives into what content developers and software engineers can do to create safe experiences fit for use in the classroom. She is joined by Harvey Wright, Seattle Public Schools Curriculum Specialist, and Melissa Oldrin, Senior Product Manager for Unity’s Education market. Together they share their views on student data privacy issues and considerations for physical and emotional safety for students and teachers. They also discuss practical applications in the classroom and what the future of security and privacy for students might look like.

Capping off our policy-focused mini-series, “Reality Check,” XRA’s Senior VP of Public Policy Joan O’Hara is joined by Adam Thierer, Senior Resident Fellow for Technology & Innovation at the R Street Institute. Joan and Adam discuss the domestic and foreign regulatory frameworks surrounding new technologies like XR, and what governments must do to allow innovation in this space to flourish. Tune in to learn about what the U.S. and other countries are doing right, and what these governments could be doing better to allow for future innovation, on this episode of Immersive Insights!

Continuing with our education-focused mini-series, “XR in the Classroom,” XRA’s Senior VP of Research and Best Practices Stephanie Montgomery is joined by immersive technology expert and CEO and Founder of ReframeXR, Jonathan Teske, and Senior Manager at HTC VIVE Taz Abbas. Jonathan and Taz discuss how XR technology is making a significant impact on learning in American schools and how immersive tech can enhance the education industry by reducing barriers and improving techniques for teaching complex material. Tune in to learn about how leading companies in this space are working to improve the XR experience in classrooms and address challenges associated with its adoption, on this episode of Immersive Insights!

Kicking off our education-focused mini-series, “XR in the Classroom,” XRA’s Senior VP of Research and Best Practices Stephanie Montgomery is joined by Tommy Truong, President of Great Lakes Reality Labs, Ashleigh Moro, a special education transition teacher certified in cognitive impairments, autism-spectrum disorders and secondary English, as well as Jenna Kogut, an instruction coach in special education working on supporting teachers to more effectively support students and their individual needs. All three guests share their unique perspectives on the benefits and challenges of utilizing XR technology in the classroom. Tune in to learn about how immersive technology can transform traditional learning and its ability to better engage students, on this episode of Immersive Insights!

On this episode of our policy-focused mini-series, “Reality Check,” XRA’s CEO Elizabeth Hyman fills in for Joan O’Hara to explore how a modern and diverse workforce can contribute to U.S. competitiveness globally. Liz joins Chike Aguh, the Former Chief Innovation Officer at the U.S. Department of Labor along with Bharanidharan Rajakumar, CEO of the VR workforce training company Transfr. Their discussion dives into how immersive technologies can help build a future-proof workforce over the next several decades and what both government and the private sector can do to help spur this critical transition in our economy.

Continuing with our policy-focused mini-series, “Reality Check,” XRA’s Senior VP of Public Policy Joan O’Hara is joined by Senior Director for Foreign Policy at the Special Competitive Studies Project Joe Wang. As lawmakers recognized in the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, United States leadership in technology cannot be taken for granted. There is intense competition underway – and U.S. allies and adversaries alike are eager to win the tech race. On this episode of Immersive Insights, Joan and Joe discuss the role of emerging technologies, including XR, in the 21 geostrategy, and consider what the U.S. needs to do to ensure it remains the world’s leader.

Kicking off our policy focused mini-series, “Reality Check,” XRA’s Senior VP of Public Policy Joan O’Hara is joined by Susan Aaronson and Adam Zable of George Washington University’s Digital Trade and Data Governance Hub to discuss an upcoming whitepaper jointly authored by XRA and GWU. Susan and Adam discuss what it will take for nations to successfully lead on XR technology and the development of the metaverse. Tune in to learn where the U.S. ranks among its competitors and allies and the implications of falling behind in the race towards XR innovation on this episode of Immersive Insights!

On this inaugural episode, “Views of XR from a Historic Futurist” XRA’s CEO Elizabeth Hyman is joined by renowned nonfiction writer Steven Johnson to discuss the evolution of immersive technologies and their future, as the technology continues to power new innovations across industries. Steven shares insights from his 2016 book, Wonderland, and how his perspective around augmented, virtual and mixed reality technologies has changed since then. Steven ponders the implications of modern-day immersive experiences, avatars, and social VR spaces on broader social trends and the adoption of XR. Tune in to learn what he’s most excited about, and his concerns around XR’s future on this inaugural episode of Immersive Insights! Visit xra.org or follow us @XRAssociation on Twitter for more information about the XR Association, and how you can stay up to date on all of our latest episodes.