{"id":1363,"date":"2025-03-17T16:50:45","date_gmt":"2025-03-17T20:50:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.ubalt.edu\/celtt\/?p=1363"},"modified":"2025-03-17T16:50:45","modified_gmt":"2025-03-17T20:50:45","slug":"what-if-learning-felt-more-like-an-experience","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.ubalt.edu\/celtt\/2025\/03\/17\/what-if-learning-felt-more-like-an-experience\/","title":{"rendered":"What If Learning Felt More Like an Experience?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">For many students, learning is most impactful when it feels real, interactive, and immersive; it should go beyond textbooks and slideshows to draw them into the material. Extended Reality (XR)<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u2014<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">which includes Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and Mixed Reality (MR)<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u2014<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">is transforming education by making learning more\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">engaging, accessible, and dynamic<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. While often associated with gaming, XR is proving to be a\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">powerful tool across disciplines<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">As technology continues to shape classrooms,\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">faculty have an opportunity to rethink how they engage students<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. Could immersive experiences help students grasp complex topics, explore historical events, or better connect with campus? These recent examples showcase how XR is already reshaping learning\u2014and how UBalt is part of this shift.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"2\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">At\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">SXSW EDU<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">,\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/schedule.sxswedu.com\/2025\/events\/PP149023\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">experts discussed how XR\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">supports neurodivergent students<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0by creating adaptable learning environments<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. For students with ADHD or autism, virtual spaces can\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">remove distractions, enhance focus, and personalize learning<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. Imagine students in a law or business class practicing professional skills in a\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">low-stakes, interactive environment<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0before applying them in real-world settings.<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"2\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">XR is also transforming history education. Another\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">SXSW EDU session<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/schedule.sxswedu.com\/2025\/events\/PP151879\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">demonstrated how AR can bring\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Holocaust survivor stories to life<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, helping students interact with primary sources in ways that deepen emotional and intellectual engagement. Educators in the humanities could consider how\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">interactive storytelling tools<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0might enhance their own instruction.<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-aria-level=\"2\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">A recent<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/span><\/i><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Inside Higher Ed<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0article<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0highlighted how the\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidehighered.com\/news\/student-success\/college-experience\/2024\/11\/08\/encouraging-campus-city-exploration-virtual\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">University of Miami\u2019s UMverse VR platform<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0allows students to explore their campus and city virtually, creating a sense of connection even for those who cannot be there physically. This kind of\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">immersive engagement could be especially impactful at UBalt<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, where many students juggle work, family, and other responsibilities.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ubalt.edu\/cas\/undergraduate-majors-and-minors\/majors\/simulation-and-game-design\/\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">UBalt\u2019s\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Simulation and Game Design program<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0has already been at the forefront of\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">interactive digital learning<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0for years. Students in the program develop\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">simulations, training programs, and interactive media<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0that mirror real-world applications. While traditionally linked to game design, these skills are becoming valuable in business, law, healthcare, and public policy.\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">These tools now have more potential than ever before to bridge gaps in engagement and access.\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Could XR be used to help new students explore Baltimore, navigate\u00a0UBalt\u2019s\u00a0campus, or connect with faculty and peers before setting foot in a classroom?\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Could simulations be used to\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">teach ethics, practice crisis response, or visualize complex data in new ways<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">With XR technology becoming more accessible, these possibilities are no longer limited to specialized fields.<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0Now&#8217;s the time to\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">rethink how we engage students and enhance learning<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. Even small changes, such as\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">360-degree video, digital simulations, or interactive storytelling<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, can help students connect with material in new and meaningful ways.\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">As the conversation around XR in education continues,\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">what role could these technologies play in your classroom?<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>For many students, learning is most impactful when it feels real, interactive, and immersive; it should go beyond textbooks and<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6618,"featured_media":1364,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubalt.edu\/celtt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1363"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubalt.edu\/celtt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubalt.edu\/celtt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubalt.edu\/celtt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6618"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubalt.edu\/celtt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1363"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubalt.edu\/celtt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1363\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1365,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubalt.edu\/celtt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1363\/revisions\/1365"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubalt.edu\/celtt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1364"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubalt.edu\/celtt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1363"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubalt.edu\/celtt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1363"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubalt.edu\/celtt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1363"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}