Jaime Donally is an author, speaker, and consultant specializing in immersive technology. Awareness of AR and VR capabilities has increased, and Donally is excited about the developments. “Last year, we were still explaining the difference between augmented and virtual reality. But [today] I think people are starting to get more of a grip on what it is and some of the concepts behind it,” she adds.
Today, many teachers are embracing and “digging into” AR and VR applications in the classroom. Donally is highly optimistic about even greater acceptance moving forward. As she further explains, “They’re not just jumping on the technology because of the ‘wow;’ they’re now jumping in because they’re ready to see it transform their classrooms. It’s an exciting time because we’re finally ready to transition from the foundation to more of the immersive experience for students as a whole and [having an] effect on curriculum.”
Conversations around AR and VR are moving away from discussions of buying the newest thing to educators asking, “What are the practical devices to use in immersive technology?” With a newfound teacher interest comes the consultant’s job of posing, “What do you currently have right now? Let’s make that useful. Let’s make sure that we’re maximizing what you currently have available.”
There are practical matters to think about with immersive technologies that lead to what Donally calls “ramifications of choice.” She adds, “I love immersive technology, but I’m also very much practical. I’m always about ‘What is your budget? Let’s look at what you want to get from this. Are you hitting what you’re supposed to be hitting, and are you doing what is safe for your kids and what’s going to be beneficial for their lives? If done right, it’s beautiful and amazing. Kids will be spurred on to do some pretty phenomenal things.”
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