jonathon

Pac-Man, originally called Puck Man in Japan, is a 1980 maze action video game developed and released by Namco for arcades. In North America, the game was released by Midway Manufacturing as part of its licensing agreement with Namco America.

As we stand at the precipice of technological advancement, artificial intelligence (AI) emerges as a powerful force reshaping our creative landscapes and ushering in a new era of immersive experiences and innovation renaissance. This talk explores the intersection of AI and the making of immersive worlds that blur the lines between the virtual and real , where human ingenuity converges with intelligent machines. The talk will put a spotlight on the next generation of creators and their involvement in shaping an immersive reality. By harnessing the power of machine learning, computer vision, and natural language processing, AI empowers artists, designers, and storytellers to craft immersive narratives that captivate audiences like never before. I will share emerging practices and work and discuss the ethical considerations and challenges surrounding the use of AI in creative endeavors, ensuring a responsible and inclusive approach to the future of immersive reality. About the Keynote Presenter: Maya Georgieva is a leading voice in the fields of innovation, immersive storytelling, and frontier technologies. As the Senior Director of the Innovation Center and XR, AI, and Quantum Labs at The New School, she leads a team focused on driving innovation in spatial computing, AI, Quantum Computing, future interfaces, and design. In addition to teaching the signature Immersive Storytelling course at The Parsons School of Design, Maya is a sought-after speaker and has spoken about topics such as the Metaverse, AI, and Quantum at prestigious events such as SXSW and the MIT Media Lab. Her work has been featured in notable publications like The Atlantic and The Economist. Maya has been recognized as one of the 30 Higher Education Influencers to follow in 2022 and is the designer of the first-ever Quantum Computing Design Jam for creatives. She served as the final judge for the MIT Reality Hackathon in 2023 and actively writes and speaks on the topics of digital transformation, immersive storytelling, and the future of learning, creativity, and work. Maya also consults with organizations and startups in this space and serves as a judge and coach for several competitions and accelerator programs. Maya is the co-founder of Digital Bodies, a startup focused on XR and AI and their impact on media and society. She has worked with major tech companies such as IBM, Google, HP, Microsoft, and Meta. Maya has spoken at United Nations, UNESCO and European Commission forums on the ethics of XR and AI and education, policy, and corporate Innovation forums.

This presentation will focus on the use of virtual, mixed and augmented reality (XR) technologies in the field of higher education. XR is a medium that is likely to revolutionize the way students learn and interact with educational content. During the presentation, Rob will discuss the various ways in which XR technologies, predominantly virtual reality (VR), are being utilized at Georgian College, such as for immersive simulations, virtual field trips, and interactive course materials. Rob will share how Georgian has taken a thoughtful and fiscally responsible approach to the exploration and integration or immersive VR and will share many of the challenges along the way. He will present case studies and examples of successful implementation and some of the barriers and failures. About our Featured Speaker: Rob Theriault is the Immersive Technology Manager for Georgian College in Ontario, Canada. Prior to taking this position, Rob was a 35 year veteran paramedic and former Critical Care Flight Paramedic. Rob also taught paramedics for almost as many years. After introducing virtual reality into the paramedic program at Georgian and helping to create a VR hub in the library, Rob was asked to lead the exploration and integration of VR for Georgian’s seven campuses. Since the start of 2020 Georgian has launched over twenty virtual reality pilots in program areas such as Indigenous language learning, Veterinary Technician, Biotech, Paramedic, Nursing, Power Engineering, Events Management, Maritime Ship Navigation and others. In 2022, Rob received the Virtual World Society’s prestigious Nextant Educator Prize which honors those individuals who dedicate their work to enhancing the educational XR experience for others.

The world as we know it is in jeopardy. Rumor has it that the sinister Dr. Roberto Nasir, who mysteriously disappeared six months ago, is back and ready to launch his latest invention, Genesis. Moreover, our expert group of data scientists have just reported that he is looking to hire participants for his final set of trials for this ‘world changing’ machine. Hitcher Encounters has joined hands with iLRN in this race against time and we are looking for the most intellectual, adventure seeking recruits to protect innocent lives and stop this evil scientist. Does this sound like you? Join a global team of high performing individuals to track and bring down one of the most dangerous fugitives of the scientific community. Genesis, Hitcher Encounters’ latest metaverse AR experience, welcomes all adventure-loving immersive tech enthusiasts and novices. NOTE: Participant Players should select ONLY one heat to participate in. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: All iLRN Genesis participants will need the following to fully engage in the game: Internet-connected device with access to a web browser. Must be able to access websites, a shared Google drive folder, and FrameVR A device with WhatsApp installed and available to use Virbela installed

The world as we know it is in jeopardy. Rumor has it that the sinister Dr. Roberto Nasir, who mysteriously disappeared six months ago, is back and ready to launch his latest invention, Genesis. Moreover, our expert group of data scientists have just reported that he is looking to hire participants for his final set of trials for this ‘world changing’ machine. Hitcher Encounters has joined hands with iLRN in this race against time and we are looking for the most intellectual, adventure seeking recruits to protect innocent lives and stop this evil scientist. Does this sound like you? Join a global team of high performing individuals to track and bring down one of the most dangerous fugitives of the scientific community. Genesis, Hitcher Encounters’ latest metaverse AR experience, welcomes all adventure-loving immersive tech enthusiasts and novices. NOTE: Participant Players should select ONLY one heat to participate in. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: All iLRN Genesis participants will need the following to fully engage in the game: Internet-connected device with access to a web browser. Must be able to access websites, a shared Google drive folder, and FrameVR A device with WhatsApp installed and available to use Virbela installed

The world as we know it is in jeopardy. Rumor has it that the sinister Dr. Roberto Nasir, who mysteriously disappeared six months ago, is back and ready to launch his latest invention, Genesis. Moreover, our expert group of data scientists have just reported that he is looking to hire participants for his final set of trials for this ‘world changing’ machine. Hitcher Encounters has joined hands with iLRN in this race against time and we are looking for the most intellectual, adventure seeking recruits to protect innocent lives and stop this evil scientist. Does this sound like you? Join a global team of high performing individuals to track and bring down one of the most dangerous fugitives of the scientific community. Genesis, Hitcher Encounters’ latest metaverse AR experience, welcomes all adventure-loving immersive tech enthusiasts and novices. NOTE: Participant Players should select ONLY one heat to participate in. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: All iLRN Genesis participants will need the following to fully engage in the game: Internet-connected device with access to a web browser. Must be able to access websites, a shared Google drive folder, and FrameVR A device with WhatsApp installed and available to use Virbela installed

The Immersive Learning Research Network (ILRN) is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit member association of immersive learning professionals who seeks out, showcases, and innovates on "what works" in Immersive Learning for the public good, together. In this closing keynote for the online conference of iLRN2023, iLRN Chief Executive Officer and Board President Jon/athon Richter will cast the work of over 15 years in light of this moment, this inflection point for XR and for humanity. We have, with our collective capacity in iLRN to co-create the future. See how the iLRN infrastructure has been purposefully created for generative co-design, to amplify our interdisciplinary expertise and build rapidly upon principles of Principled Design and Open Science practices in ways that could help us create a more human, more sustainable, more tranformationally great future. Bio: Dr. Jonathon Richter is co-founder, CEO and President of the Immersive Learning Research Network. He is also Associate Professor of Research at the University of Montana in the Department of Teaching & Learning. He is a futurist, designer, and practitioner of XR and digital experiences and events. Previously, Jon was a Teacher Educator, Instructional Designer and Research Associate creating online courses and materials for students with learning disabilities, and a Department Chair of Digital Design Technologies programs at a tribal college in Montana. He has experience researching and developing from lenses of sociomateriality, design patterns, graphic organizers, and electronic portfolios. His interests in co-creation and Tech4Good initiatives drives him to remain optimistic despite challenges and is chief in his push to help find others to lead in developing the Immersive Learning Research Network.

Location MAIN STAGE Experience the forefront of XR and immersive learning at our virtual showcase! Join Maya Georgieva and Jonathon Richter for an interactive session and virtual tour! Experience the iLRN's State of XR and Immersive Learning Report come to life as we dive into the three research questions: opportunities, barriers, and catalysts, along with the eighteen trends identified by our esteemed expert panel. In this unique session, step into the virtual realm as we explore the research questions of the report. Through this immersive journey, you'll gain valuable insights into the latest trends and findings in XR and immersive learning. Engage in live discussion and Q&A session with experts, educators, and practitioners. Gain insights into implementing XR technologies and harnessing their potential in your own learning initiatives. Be a part of shaping the future of education by experiencing the power of virtual reality and immersive technologies firsthand. Presenter Bio: Maya Georgieva is a leading voice in the fields of innovation, immersive storytelling, and frontier technologies. As the Senior Director of the Innovation Center and XR, AI, and Quantum Labs at The New School, she leads a team focused on driving innovation in spatial computing, AI, Quantum Computing, future interfaces, and design. In addition to teaching the signature Immersive Storytelling course at The Parsons School of Design, Maya is a sought-after speaker and has spoken about topics such as the Metaverse, AI, and Quantum at prestigious events such as SXSW and the MIT Media Lab. Her work has been featured in notable publications like The Atlantic and The Economist. Maya has been recognized as one of the 30 Higher Education Influencers to follow in 2022 and is the designer of the first-ever Quantum Computing Design Jam for creatives. She served as the final judge for the MIT Reality Hackathon in 2023 and actively writes and speaks on the topics of digital transformation, immersive storytelling, and the future of learning, creativity, and work. Maya also consults with organizations and startups in this space and serves as a judge and coach for several competitions and accelerator programs. Maya is the co-founder of Digital Bodies, a startup focused on XR and AI and their impact on media and society. She has worked with major tech companies such as IBM, Google, HP, Microsoft, and Meta. Maya has spoken at United Nations, UNESCO and European Commission forums on the ethics of XR and AI and education, policy, and corporate Innovation forums. Maya is also Board Director of Immersive Futures for the Immersive Learning Research Network and with iLRN CEO Jonathon Richter leads the State of XR & Immersive Learning Report project.

Close out the iLRN2023 Online Conference at the Awards Virtual Watch Party! Did you win an award?!? Come and be showered with virtual glitter and bathed in song and lights! We'll watch highlights of the Awards Show in California and give award winners special moments whenever possible! See the iLRN2023 Awards page on our website for information on awards criteria, jury panels, and more Come play in the virtual waters, watch the fireworks, and set your sights from the iLRN Immersive Futures Lighthouse Beach Stage one more time before heading off into the summer sunset! DIRECTIONS Log into the iLRN Virtual Campus (powered by Virbela) Click the map icon in the upper right corner of the screen Click on location 6, Lighthouse Beach Station

Join us for iLRN's gala event: The Awards Dinner and Masquerade Ball for the Immersive Learning Research Network's 9th annual worldwide conference LIVE in San Luis Obispo, California on the beautiful campus of CalPoly! 2023 Awards in Academic, Practitioners, Immersive Futures, and Network Choice categories will be presented. Information on iLRN2023 Awards categories, criteria, and jury panels may be found <HERE> Formal presentations of awards will be streamed live from the stage at CalPoly and online for the iLRN Awards Watch Party!

Augmented realty is increasingly used as a learning tool in educational settings. There are a wide variety of different AR implementations ranging from simple 3D model viewers to more interactive and dynamic content such as videos and animations. We developed two different types of AR experiences around ocean education: (1) a "tap-to-place" highly-immersive narrated experience that uses the principles of gamification, simulation, role-playing to engage students in scientific concepts around basking sharks and (2) a species learning modules that use realistic and animated 3D representations of marine and freshwater species to teach students about their physiology, morphology and ecology. We conducted a controlled experimental study comparing the impact of each experience on motivation and student engagement. We tested each module in a large, first-year environmental sciences class under remote learning conditions (~200 students). We measured how motivation, engagement, engrossment, and cognitive load differed between the two groups within the context of their attitudes towards science (as assessed by the Modified Attitudes Towards Science instrument). The results of the study and its consequences will be discussed. www.marinexr.ca About the presenters: Dr Paul Mensink is the Director of Graduate Environmental Programs and Teaching Fellow for the Faculty of Science at Western University. Paul’s project, Engagement through Immersion: Immersive Education in Science, focuses on the impact of immersive technologies (e.g., virtual reality, augmented reality, immersive video) on student motivation, engagement, and scientific literacy in undergraduate and graduate courses at Western. Paul’s work has a particular focus on interdisciplinary environmental courses and engaging students with STEM subject matter related to sustainability and climate change education. Dr. Lisa K. Briona is an entrepreneur in the area of gamification. Her research focuses on engaging and retaining students by leveraging game mechanics in K-20 STEM education. She is the recipient of several education and educational technology awards recognizing innovation in technology enhanced teaching. Dr Isha Decoito focuses on two major aspects of STEM education: 1) curriculum, pedagogical perspectives and practices that reflect EDID, and 2) professional development of educators. Dr Decoito's research interests are organized under the following overarching themes: 1) EDID in science/STEM education; 2) digital technologies to improve scientific and technological literacy, given that a current barrier to their wider adoption is the learning curve associated with implementation by both instructors and students; and 3) mentoring and professional development.

The global virtual reality market size, valued at 21.83 billion USD in 2021, is expected to expand with an annual growth rate of 15.0% from 2022 to 2030. Virtual Reality, although massively known for immersive gaming and entertainment, has revolutionized education and training during the last years in many fields. In medicine, VR has been used from the simulated reconstruction of organs to preoperative planning and from teaching anatomy to rehabilitation. XR healthcare resources are enthusiastically accepted from healthcare learners and teachers alike. However, they still are not mainstream into formal academic curricula. The core precept for curricular integration is educational justification. In short, the question is whether the cost of an impressive VR resource will be returned as educational efficacy. Pivotal for positive reply in this question is the correct design of the educational resource for each use case. Is XR appropriate for clinical, manual skills, or decision-making training? Would you choose an exploratory «Human Atlas» for anatomy teaching or an interactive case study? How much «game» do you need in your educational experience? These are all questions that so far have been answered ad-hoc based on intuitive needs of the practitioners. This panel will present the results of the first healthcare practitioners’ worskhop that was co-organized by iLRN and several healthcare institutions to tackle these questions. Based on practitioner’s feedback, a select group of panelists will open the discussion to the audience of the conference for identifying features and practices for optimal XR design for healthcare use cases. About Panagiotis Antoniou: Panagiotis Panagiotis E. Antoniou is a senior research associate and Laboratory Reader in the Lab of Medical Physics and Digital Innovation, and a Laboratory Reader in the School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He received a degree in Physics from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in 1997, a M.Sc. degree in Medical Physics in 2001 from the Democritus University of Thrace and a Ph.D. degree in Medical Physics in 2004 from Democritus University of Thrace. His research interests included Medical Signal processing, Medical Informatics, Educational Technologies and design based research. Currently he is active in the fields of Technology Enhanced Learning (Augmented and Virtual Reality -AR/VR in education and virtual patients), co-creative/ co-design paradigms in experiential educational techniques. He has participated and managed several EU and nationally funded research projects. He has authored more than 80 publications in peer reviewed journals and conferences (h-index:11, i10-index:17, 617 citations), and 5 book chapters in collaborative scientific publications. He is a reviewer in several international journals and member of the organizing committee in several international conferences.

Amidst the rapid evolution of emerging technologies, humanity, technology, and education converge at a critical juncture. This captivating keynote explores the transformative power of artificial intelligence, the metaverse, immersive experiences, and community centralization in revolutionizing education and empowering tomorrow's leaders. We will scrutinize innovative frameworks for AI-driven education, unveiling the potential for fostering creativity, critical thinking, and empathy in a human-centric learning environment. We will also address challenges like accessibility, ethics, and mental health impacts, as we apply these technologies across educational settings. Embark on a journey to redefine learning and leadership, creating a world where technology catalyzes human potential and inspires visionary pioneers. This keynote offers insights on harnessing technology to forge a more equitable, informed, and enlightened society. About Christopher Lafayette: Christopher Lafayette is an emerging technologist, humanitarian, architect, and speaker. He is bringing thousands of communities and millions of people into the metaverse and emerging technologies in a humane manner. As a thought leader and advocate for greater inclusion and cross-cultural community building, Christopher works to create a more equitable culture of technology. He is the founder of GatherVerse and The Black Technology Mentorship Program. An expert on the metaverse, medtech, AI, education, Web3, and applied sciences, he has served as an advisor to companies, organizations, and universities around the world. https://www.christopherlafayette.com

In 2021, two issues that dominated both headlines and management discussions were the extension of remote work resulting from the ongoing pandemic and the explosive hype of the "metaverse." What if these issues were to collide? As industry and agencies alike grapple with engaging their remote workforce during the "great resignation/reset," the go-to platforms for meetings and gatherings have represented the "Hollywood Squares" video conference format. New issues of equity have emerged in this format for numerous reasons. In the metaverse, opportunities to build identity, experiences, and environments and to build engaged communities are limited only by our imagination. This panel will discuss the practical challenges embedded in creating safe and productive environments and experiences when considering virtual worlds as workspaces and the digital identities we create in those spaces. Presenter Bios: Donna Davis, PhD is an expert in virtual reality (VR), digital embodiment, tech equity and inclusion, and digital social capital. At the University of Oregon in Portland, she is an associate professor and director of both the Oregon Reality Lab and the Strategic Communication Master’s Program. She will also direct the new Immersive Media Communication Master’s program, set to launch in Fall 2023. Her ethnographic research focuses on the potential uses of social virtual worlds, gamification, and other emerging immersive media, with a special interest in marginalized and vulnerable communities. Her research on embodied experience and identity among people with disabilities in virtual reality was funded through a grant from the National Science Foundation. She has also extensively studied people with Parkinson’s disease who find and build support in the virtual world. Her interests continue to explore the impacts of these experiences on both the promise and peril of technosolutionism, recognizing both isolating and connecting powers of these emerging immersive environments. Linjuan Rita Men, Ph.D., APR, is a Professor of Public Relations and Director of Internal Communication Research in the College of Journalism and Communications at the University of Florida. With a background in corporate communication research and consulting, Men’s research interests include internal communication, leadership communication, emerging technologies, and entrepreneurial communications. Men has published more than 90 articles in refereed journals and as book chapters. She is the (co-) author/editor of four books, Excellence in Internal Communication Management (Business Expert Press, 2017), Strategic Communications for Startups and Entrepreneurs in China (Routledge, 2020), Current Trends and Issues in Internal Communication: Theory and Practice (Palgrave Macmillan, 2021), and Internal Communication and Employee Engagement: A Case Study (Routledge, 2023). Men serves as an associate editor for Journal of Communication Management and is a member of the Arthur W. Page Society. Men has worked internationally with Alibaba Group, Inc., Ketchum, Inc., and provided management communication consulting for various multinational corporations, startups, and non-profits. Andrea Stevenson Won, M.S., Ph.D, is an assistant professor in the Department of Communication at Cornell University, and the director of the Virtual Embodiment Lab. The lab’s research is funded by NSF, NIH and DoD, and focuses on how mediated experiences can be used to change people’s perceptions, especially how appearance and behavior can be tracked and transformed in virtual environments. Recent applications include improving collaboration and social connections over distance, training teachers and others to be aware of their nonverbal behavior, and using social virtual reality to address pain.

Advances in AI have been accelerating in the past few years especially deep learning models that have gone viral during 2022 where millions have been experimenting with Ai systems such as Dalle-2, Midjourney and ChatGPT. This resulted in a heated discussion around whether to embrace such technology and transform education or ban such models for cheating potential. As these applications have major implications on education, the goal of this panel is to address educators’ concerns and possible ways to leverage AI in education and revolutionize the way we teach and learn. This panel hosts academic and industry leaders in machine learning and education to address concerns and potential opportunities of using Ai in education. Panelists will discuss how these technologies work, and address educators and instructional designers' concerns and provide guidelines for the use of generative AI in education. About the Panelists: Chris Dede, session moderator/panelist: Chris Dede is a Senior Research Fellow at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and was for 22 years its Timothy E. Wirth Professor in Learning Technologies. His fields of scholarship include emerging technologies, policy, and leadership. From 2001-2004, he was Chair of the HGSE department of Teaching and Learning. In 2007, he was honored by Harvard University as an outstanding teacher, and in 2011 he was named a Fellow of the American Educational Research Association. In 2020 Chris co-founded the Silver Lining for Learning initiative (https://silverliningforlearning.org). He is currently a Member of the OECD 2030 Scientific Committee and an Advisor to the Alliance for the Future of Digital Learning, sponsored by the Mohammed bin Rashid Global Initiative (MBRGI). Also, Chris is a Co-Principal Investigator and Associate Director for Research of the NSF-funded National Artificial Intelligence Institute in Adult Learning and Online Education. His most recent co-edited books include: Teacher Learning in the Digital Age: Online Professional Development in STEM Education; Virtual, Augmented, and Mixed Realities in Education; Learning engineering for online education: Theoretical contexts and design-based examples; and The 60-Year Curriculum: New Models for Lifelong Learning in the Digital Economy. Lidija Kralj, session panelist: Lidija Kralj is an international analyst and expert in data and AI in education, she is a member European Commission’s working groups on Artificial intelligence and data in education and training, digital education and safer internet; UNESCO and Council of Europe workgroups on AI and education, and author of digital learning resources and textbooks, as well as an advisor and teacher trainer. She had been working at the Ministry of Science and Education in Croatia, where she led reforms in the area of digital education, learning analytics, data-based decisions in education and comprehensive curricula reform. Lidija is eLearning and project manager, and a lecturer in Mathematics and Computer Science with 30 years of experience, currently works as a senior analyst at European Schoolnet. Keram Malicki-Sanchez, session panelist Keram founded Constant Change Media Group Inc., the VRTO Spatial Media World Conference & FIVARS festival. He contributed to the Handbook of the Global Impact of Immersive Technologies and the 2022 PEW Research Report on the Metaverse. In addition to his industry contributions, Keram teaches Blender for WebXR design at UCLA Extension, where he designed the first workshop around generative AI art. He won Creator of the Year at the 2022 Poly Awards. Sandra Okita, session panelist: Dr. Sandra Okita is the Director of the Gizmo EdTech Lab at Columbia Teachers College, New York. Dr. Okita's current research interest is focused on the learning partnership between individuals and technology, and how technology intersects with learning and instructional processes. One characteristic of Dr. Okita's work is the use of technological boundary objects as a threshold to learning, instruction, and assessment. Here, Dr. Okita defines boundary objects as computational artifacts where animate and inanimate features overlap between fantasy and reality (i.e. robots, agents in virtual reality environments, mixed-reality). Dr. Okita's interest in boundary objects is due to their strong social component that enables students to build a peer-like relation with technology that reveal new insights to the role of social relationships in learning. Other interests include designing technology assisted learning/intervention in formal/informal settings, and children's interpretation and conceptual development in relation to technological boundary objects. Theoretical research interest areas include self-other monitoring, learning by teaching, learning by observation and its influence on behavior in the domain of biology, math, and agency.

In this presentation, Knox Grammar Preparatory School in Sydney showcases how they use immersive Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) in inquiry learning projects for students from Kindergarten to Year 6. The presenters will demonstrate a range of inquiry units that provide students with meaningful and engaging learning programs, fostering critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration skills. Through the VR and AR projects, students can safely explore and develop prototypes for various concepts and phenomena in a controlled virtual environment. This enables them to observe, experiment, code, and interact with 3D objects and simulations that enhance their understanding of complex topics. The presentation will describe the pedagogical principles and technological tools used to create immersive and engaging learning experiences. Examples of student work and feedback will be shared, highlighting the benefits and challenges of using VR and AR in the classroom. The demonstrated deep learning of the students through their inquiry projects has important implications for future research and practice in the field of immersive learning. Educators interested in incorporating VR and AR into their teaching practices will benefit from the recommendations presented. Overall, this presentation offers insights into how immersive VR and AR technologies can support inquiry-based learning across subjects and age groups. It provides a case study of successful integration of these technologies in contemporary classrooms, demonstrating their potential to engage students and enhance their learning experiences. The Knox Grammar immersive presentation platform:https://framevr.io/knoxpreppresentationshttps://sites.google.com/knox.nsw.edu.au/knoxpreppresentations/home About the Presenters: Nely Daher is a K-6 educator and Kindergarten Team Leader who is driven to make a positive difference in the future of education. Her passion is to empower students to become innovators of change by instilling and equipping them with confidence, agency, identity and self-efficacy whilst nurturing quality learning and life skills needed in our VUCA world. Ian Fairhurst is a passionate educator who leads the Innovation and Technology Team at Knox Grammar Preparatory School in Sydney, Australia. He specializes in inquiry-based, real-world STEM learning, and leveraging technology to empower students to become authentic change-makers. With a Master of Education in Innovation and Change Ian is dedicated to helping students develop the skills they need to succeed in a complex and technology-driven world. Sue Floro is an audacious educational thinker who understands the importance of a future focused, experience rich curriculum that encourages K-6 students to seek solutions to issues on a global scale. She has led the development of a school based curriculum platform, with the deep integration of the purposeful use of technology to design, create and innovate, at her school in Australia. Sue believes in the power of children to creatively solve great big world problems, and enjoys providing an environment where they can do just that!

Immersive learning research and practice cannot hold their promises without setting inclusivity as a high priority. This workshop aims to raise awareness of inclusivity and accessibility in education; identify opportunities and challenges for inclusivity when creating and deploying immersive learning experiences; share good practice; and induce reflection on one’s own practice and research agenda. A 90-minute hybrid interactive event is proposed during which participants will work in small groups on several activities, and then discuss how these activities enabled them to reflect on their own practice. Participants will then be asked to discuss their reflections with the whole group, and facilitators will summarize with a call to action, which will be either a collaborative project or a white paper to capture the findings of the workshop. Workshop Facilitator Bios: Marie-Luce Bourguet is Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in the School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) in the UK. She teaches multimedia signal processing, interactive media design and 3D Graphics programming courses on the transnational program between EECS and the Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications in China. Since 2008, she has been based in Tokyo, Japan, where she has research collaborations with the University of Tokyo on the use of social robots in education. Her work is in the areas of immersive learning, inclusive curriculum, learning analytics, social robotics, and AI in education. She is an expert at the European Commission on Robotics & Artificial Intelligence and an Academic Adviser to the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission. At QMUL, she is director of the EECS Educational Scholarship Centre (ESC), which she established in 2022, and deputy director of the Centre for Academic Inclusion in Science and Engineering (CAISE). Sarune Savickaite is a PhD candidate at the School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Glasgow, currently finishing writing up her thesis. Sarune is also tutor at the School of Education and Lifelong Leardning, and is currently working on a project funded by Meta - SEER (Scoping Extended Educational Realities). Sarune was also Education Research Manager at Edify.ac through the industrial partnership studentship with ESRC/SGSSS. Sarune holds BA Hons Illustration & Graphic Design (First Class; University of Bedfordshire), HEDip Life Sciences (Birkbeck), BSc Hons Psychology with Commendation for Outstanding Contribution to Psychology (University of St Andrews) and MSc Hons in Psychological Research Methods (University of Glasgow). Sarune has experience in project management, experimental design and data management. With memberships at British Psychology Society (BPS) and American Psychology Association (APA) Sarune is an early career researcher in the field of cognitive psychology. Sarune also is an active member of strategy and organisational boards for the new Advanced Research Centre for Extended Reality at the University of Glasgow. https://www.sarune.info/

What are the biggest design obstacles currently faced by the iLRN community? How do we quickly develop a shared understanding of these issues? As we begin working on these challenges, how do we allow interdisciplinary synergies to flourish? To answer these questions, the iLRN working group for the “Framework for Aggregation and Identification of Design Standards” (FAIDS) is running a two-part workshop at the iLRN 2023 annual meeting, one for the online virtual portion and another during the in-person conferences. This will be a continuation of the work that began at the annual meeting in 2022 in Vienna, where the FAIDS working group engaged in-person attendees to identify and describe “standards for the development and implementation of immersive learning environments,” which is summarized in the two-page proceedings document (https://immersivelrn.org/resources/ilrn-publications-proceedings/70/ilrn2022-synthesis-of-faids-workshops). The two-part iLRN2023 workshop will provide an opportunity for the iLRN community to discover a topic we want to better understand and then collaboratively explore that topic. Using the design thinking methodology developed for the conference in Vienna, FAIDS will guide attendees of the virtual conference in an ideation session, which will result in a topic to be more thoroughly explored by a large portion of the in-person attendees in California. This will allow the iLRN community to determine a large, pressing issue for which we are all interested in developing language and standards towards a shared understanding. The results of this workshop will be published in a proceedings document and/or paper by the FAIDS working group.

The climate crisis poses an existential threat to the world and by extension to our ability to pass on heritage. It threatens the parts that make up cultural landscapes, including bio diversity, archaeological sites, historic buildings, historic artefacts and the ways of life that give rise to intangible heritage. Consequently, heritage organisations including museums, world heritage sites, geo parks and heritage agencies are increasingly concerned with monitoring, adapting to and mitigating against climate change. A new project DACCHE brings together partners in Iceland, Faroe Islands, Sweden, Norway, Ireland and Scotland to investigate how digital technologies can help address the impacts of climate change on heritage and wider society. Through DACCHE we will be exploring how citizen science can help monitor effects of climate change, how digitisation can provide some resilience and how virtual reality simulations of climate futures can motivate behavioural change to mitigate against climate change. Discussing the potential of connecting immersive learning as a method for communicating and engaging users with heritage threatened by the current climate crisis, Dr. Alan Miller and Catherine Cassidy will explore a variety of examples and connect opportunities for educators and museums around the world facing similar challenges. As a special preview of iLRN2024's Grand Challenge theme and conference, this presentation will contain some special opportunities and possible collaborative possibilities for the entire Immersive Learning Research Network. Speaker Bios: Alan Miller lectures on “Computer Communications” and “Digital Preservation and promotion of heritage” in the School of Computer Science. Alan’s research explores the ways that 3D technologies can be utilised to address sustainable development including the promotion of Climate Action. Maria Andrei is PhD student in Computer Science at the School of Computer Science, University of St Andrews. She is researching how Virtual Reality can improve climate change science communication and influence pro-environmental behaviour. Catherine Anne Cassidy is a research fellow in the School of Computer Science. She recently completed her PhD which investigated strategies for preservation and promotion of threatened cultural and natural heritage using democratised 3D digitisation. They work as part of the open Virtual Worlds group (www.openvirtualworlds.org) and in the Northern Heritage Network (northernheritage.org)

Hop on the iLRNetwork Virtual Campus powered by Virbela for the official closing of our 9th Annual Worldwide online conference!