Maine Department of Education to Host VR Expo for Educators

  • By Staff
  • 05/30/17

The Maine Department of Education wants to foster deeper learning by introducing virtual reality (VR) in the classroom. In June, the department is hosting an expo to familiarize educators with tools that facilitate immersive learning experiences.

The Virtual Reality Immersive Expo will take place at the Maine State Library, June 19 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Throughout the event, various academic institutions, schools, companies and organizations will hold 30-minute presentations showcasing VR tools that are already being used in classrooms. Participants include Nearpod, ThingLink, HP, Luccia, Bates College, the University of New England and many others. (The event website says the complete list of participants will be updated and to check back for a schedule of presentations.)

The York School Department, for example, will showcase virtual field trips on Google Expeditions. California-based tech firm zSpace will present its zSpace Learning Lab software, which combines virtual and augmented reality to deliver hundreds of learning activities.

Registration for the expo is free.

Featured

  • central cloud platform connected to various AI icons—including a brain, robot, and network nodes

    Linux Foundation Adopts Protocol for AI Agent Interoperability

    The Linux Foundation has announced it will host the Agent2Agent (A2A) protocol project, an open standard originally developed by Google to support secure communication and interoperability among AI agents.

  • stylized illustration of a desktop, laptop, tablet, and smartphone all displaying an orange AI icon

    Survey: AI Shifting from Cloud to PCs

    A recent Intel-commissioned report identifies a significant shift in AI adoption, moving away from the cloud and closer to the user. Businesses are increasingly turning to the specialized hardware of AI PCs, the survey found, recognizing their potential not just for productivity gains, but for revolutionizing IT efficiency, fortifying data security, and delivering a compelling return on investment by bringing AI capabilities directly to the edge.

  • modern classroom with a large screen displaying AI, cloud infrastructure, analytics, and data visualization, alongside a laptop and tablet on a desk

    Ed Tech Leaders Name Top Tech Enablers Driving Innovation in K-12

    Like in many other sectors, K-12 ed tech leaders have named generative AI as their number one "tech enabler," according to a recent CoSN survey.

  • laptop with AI symbol on screen

    Google Launches Lightweight Gemma 3n, Expanding Emphasis on Edge AI

    Google DeepMind has officially launched Gemma 3n, the latest version of its lightweight generative AI model designed specifically for mobile and edge devices — a move that reinforces the company's focus on on-device computing.