The Future of Education is Experiential

This book is about the power of virtual, mixed and augmented reality and artificial intelligence to transform how students learn and how learning is assessed. The passion all educators share, and the driving force to explore new technologies, is a common desire to help students learn. Each educational technology tool should be examined from the perspective of how it may or may not enhance learning. As edtech champions we must be willing to accept both. Learning is the central focus of pedagogy, and technology is just another medium that may or may not facilitate or enhance learning. After many years of exploring educational technology I am more skeptical, not less, about the value of edtech. I think it's important to seek evidence to support the efficacy of educational technologies. For all the claims and assertions I make in this book about the role edtech plays in the classroom, I have provided research citations from scholarly sources. Part of my reason for writing this book is that, of all the educational technologies I have explored and integrated, none have been as transformative as I believe virtual, mixed and augmented reality and AI will be.

This book draws upon my experiences integrating virtual, mixed and augmented reality, as well as artificial intelligence into education practice. I am excited to share what I have learned from exploring these tools and to help you imagine new ways to explore and integrate these technologies.

To try to thwart the passage of time inherent in any book once it hits the market, I have added QR codes at the end of each chapter for references, resources, and XR apps. These added resources will be updated continuously as research progresses. This is particularly important for subjects like XR and AI which are evolving rapidly.

My goal is to provide educators with both insight and practical guidance, empowering you to critically examine and cultivate your own approach to leveraging emerging technologies for meaningful learning. I hope that this book and the additional resources I've provided will help to shorten and enrich your edtech journey.