AW4.1 XR Learning Framework

Slide 2 – Can you imagine being able to teach subjects like geography where you can take your students on excursions around the world without ever leaving the classroom? Or perhaps, giving your science students the opportunity to learn anatomy by interacting with virtual models of the human body? How about being able to equip your students on how to build worlds and models where the only barriers are time and imagination? With immersive learning, you can. So, what is immersive learning? To put it simply, it’s a pedagogical approach where you use technologies like virtual reality and augmented reality to enhance educational experiences. It brings real world learning straight into the classroom in an engaging and enriching manner. So, instead of your students just reading about Ancient Egypt, they can actually visit an Egyptian tomb using VR. They can also  explore relics using AR as though they’re in a museum. They won’t even get into trouble for touching the relic! Don’t get me wrong. I absolutely love books and reading. They’re essential parts of learning. But, just picture how much more engaging it would be if your students could actually experience what they’re learning. This is the power that immersive learning brings to the classroom. But, does it really work? Isn’t VR and AR mostly used for playing Beat Saber or Pokemon Go? It may seem gimmicky, but there are actually a few things that teachers can do to include these types of fun Extended Reality games in the classroom. There are also many educational apps that provide great learning opportunities for students. Based on initial studies in immersive learning, researchers have found several benefits of using VR and AR in the classroom. First, student engagement with the topic is higher when using immersive technologies. Teachers who use immersive learning in the Lumination Learning Labs, for example, have reported an average of 70 to 80% student engagement scores. Researchers have also found that when students use immersive learning, they retain more  information compared to when they just read the same information. They are also able to retain such knowledge for longer periods.  So, being able to explore inside a virtual body can be more effective than just reading about anatomy in a science textbook or website.  There have also been reports where the right VR experiences enabled learners to transfer skills gained virtually into real life settings. 

Slide 4 – There are many learning frameworks that are useful with immersive learning. At Lumination, we use three learning frameworks to guide our practice. When we consider why we should use XR technologies in the classroom, we follow the Future Thinking framework. Let’s gain a better understanding of this framework with the video on the next slide.

Slide 5 – It feels really strange to think about it, but there was a time when we didn’t have computers or the internet in the classroom. Going further back, there was also a time when students didn’t watch videos to supplement learning, and they had to do all their math computations without a calculator. It may not seem like it, but the first teachers who introduced videos, calculators, and computers in the classroom were futurists of their time. Now, a new age of learning is unfolding with the introduction of Extended Reality technologies like VR and AR, Artificial Intelligence, and other emerging technologies. As educators, how are we equipping our students with futures thinking amidst this rapid growth and development in our society?In this episode, we’re talking about futures thinking, which is one of the learning frameworks that we use at Lumination. From an education perspective, futures thinking is a cross-disciplinary approach that enables learners to consider potential futures through the exploration of trends and drivers for change. This includes being able to evaluate different types of future scenarios: the possible, the probable, and the preferable futures. Notice I didn’t say predicting futures. That’s because futures thinking is not about making predictions. It is about developing critical thinking skills that enable learners to consider the future carefully, helping them to make better and more informed decisions and to take decisive actions in the present. So, how can we teach futures thinking to our students? In the Australian Curriculum, creating solutions for preferred futures is the overarching core concept of the Technologies learning area. This core concept involves identifying compelling visions of the future and making considered design decisions that take different factors into account. But Technologies isn’t the only area we should encourage the use of futures thinking. In reality, most subject areas would benefit from this approach. In industry, this skill has been vital in the development of different sectors other than technology. It plays a huge part in policies for environment, finance, energy, and transport. There are many ways we can start including futures thinking skills in our teaching. We can use relevant prompts or thinking routines to encourage discussions, research projects, presentations, and journals. Let’s say, you’re looking at studying transportation. You can guide your students in reviewing the existing situation in this sector. What are the good and exciting things that are happening now? What are the issues and challenges? Next, you can look at the trends. What is the current situation like compared to the past? Are there recurring patterns? Then, analyse the drivers of change. Are the differences between past and present influenced by technology, economy, environment, or other factors? From here, you can then look at possible, probable, and preferable future scenarios. Ask the students: What might happen? What is likely to happen? What would you like to happen? Students can then design potential solutions and ideas based on these guiding questions. We study history to learn, analyze, and interpret human identities and transformations of societies and civilisations over time. Learning about the past helps us to understand the present and prepare for the future. Futures thinking is a skill that helps learners not only to prepare for the future but also to enable them to shape the future. Here at Lumination, we aim to equip and empower educators to become today’s futurists in the classroom. 

Slide 6 – When we’re looking at the ‘What’ XR technologies can do and what they can be used for, we use the Design Thinking Framework to lead our practice. The video on the next slide will delve deeper into the stages of this framework. On slide 9, you can also find 5 of the most useful ways to utilise XR technologies within your classroom.

Slide 7 – When students are presented with real world problems in the classroom,  learning becomes more engaging and meaningful. They can harness their critical, creative, and systems thinking skills while trying to analyse and consider possible solutions to these problems. So, what’s a great way to help them to navigate through these learning experiences? Let’s talk about Design Thinking for immersive learning. In this episode, we’re focussing on design thinking. Design thinking has been around since the 1950s and 60s. However, this framework has gained traction over the past 10-20 years as a human-centred approach to problem solving. In fact, it’s part of the Australian Curriculum’s core concepts in Technologies. But, technology isn’t the only learning area where you can use Design Thinking. You can actually use this framework for pretty much any subject across the curriculum. There are many models of Design Thinking out there, and here’s the one that we use at Lumination: Let’s look at the three main areas: Inspiration, Ideation and Implementation. To inspire students, we start by having them empathise with the problem. This could be anything from looking at sustainability issues to designing an invention or innovation. From an immersive learning perspective, this stage is a great way to incorporate Exten ded Reality (XR) technologies like Virtual or Augmented Reality. So, if you want students to design a waste management system, for example, you can get them to go through immersive experiences that give them a better understanding of waste issues. Using our our Lumination Learning Labs and VR/AR Education Kits, teachers can take students to VR tours of landfills or even get them to experience what it’s like to physically sort rubbish in a recycling facility. Once your students are able to empathise with the issue at hand, they can define the problem that they want to solve. Referring back to our waste management example, teachers can ask the students — What is the problem that they’re trying to solve? Are they able to come up with a better way to recycle? Or, maybe, a new way to package goods to avoid waste? Once your students have defined their problem, the ideation stage begins. We always tell our students, in order to get a great idea, you need to start with more than one.  So, if they’re eager to find a better way to recycle, they can list as many solutions as possible to that problem. Next, they can choose one of those ideas to work with and come up with a prototype. Rapid prototyping is an essential part of the Design Thinking process. In traditional prototyping, students might use materials like cardboard, paper, and craft sticks, that are not great for sustainability. But with VR and AR, students can create their prototypes using digital tools and make them more interactive and engaging. In the testing stage of this framework, students share their solutions with teachers and peers and go through a feedback process to see what they did well and what they can improve upon. This is a great way to get students applying critical thinking skills as they learn to give and receive feedback. Finally, in the implementation stage, they bring their solution to life, creating a version of their prototype using 3D printing, immersive VR, or perhaps, presenting their ideas during a showcase or event. Some students can even bring their design solutions to market. 

Slide 10 – By now you may have a better understanding of what XR technology is capable of, and how it will benefit your students. Now, let’s find out how to successfully use your limited immersive stations with a full class of 30 students and keep their learning meaningful and engaging.

Slide 11 – What is the dream scenario when it comes to immersive learning in the classroom? Having one-to-one virtual reality devices for students might seem ideal and efficient, but getting all students to do the same thing at the same time can be very limiting especially when it comes to differentiation and student agency. That’s why in our Lumination Learning Labs, we promote station-based learning when using immersive technologies. In this video, we’re talking about station-based learning. This is a student-centred teaching method where learners work independently or collaboratively to complete tasks or engage with content through learning stations in the classroom. It allows teachers to differentiate instruction and incorporate students’ needs, interests, and learning styles. It also promotes collaboration, communication, and creativity. When using technology, it also enables equity of access especially when there’s a limited number of available resources. Some studies have even shown that using learning stations is found to be very effective in increasing student success compared to the traditional approach. There are definitely many benefits of using this method in the classroom. If you’re considering using station-based learning as part of your teaching practice, here are my top three tips: First – Plan and prepare: One of the most important aspects of station-based learning is planning and preparation. Determine the learning objectives and outcomes for your lesson, and choose appropriate activities that align with these objectives. Then, gather all the necessary materials and resources needed for each station and ensure that they are easily accessible. Tip Number 2 – Provide clear instructions: Students need to know how to complete the activities successfully. So, it’s important to provide clear directions and expectations for each station, including how much time they have to complete the task and what they need to do. It’s also important to provide guidelines for transitioning from one station to another to manage noise levels and behaviours in the classroom. It would be helpful if you can provide a visual schedule for station rotations. And, number three- Monitor and assess: Station-based learning requires active monitoring and assessment to ensure that students are engaged and making progress. Observe students as they work on the activities, offer guidance and support when needed, and provide feedback on their performance.  You can also adjust instructions as needed. To make sure students stay on track, it’s great to use formative assessments, such as digital notebooks, quizzes, checklists, or exit tickets. Finally, encourage students to reflect on their learning and provide opportunities for them to share their work with their peers.

Slide 12 – Although station based learning is the goal, it may feel overwhelming for teachers to run and manage 3 separate stations, especially if they too are learning the use of the technology themselves. So, although our lesson plans and lesson bytes always include ideas for 3 or 4 stations, it is completely expected if educators want to start off with just two stations and work their way up. Some teachers may even choose to begin their journey by just focusing on one new technology at a time. For example, if your site owns 2 AR/VR Education Kit, you could provide your students with a 360° video that they all view at the same time, followed by a reflective task. This allows students time to gain confidence around the technology, help each other troubleshoot, and allow the teacher to run demonstrations to the whole class. Running a 3 station based lesson as your student’s first time in the Lumination Lab can feel very overwhelming to both the teachers and students, and may result in technical confusions around what needs to be done, as opposed to focusing on the learning outcomes.