Article Planning

Please note: Below is a rough outline of the current ideas for the final assignment for LRNT 523. Of course, it is not exhaustive as I often go through many refactors during the writing process. My writing style requires me to completely engross myself in the process, so this activity (most notably writing the start of the article) is very hard and would most likely be thrown away. Since time is a resource that I am in short supply, I thought I would share my brainstorming process and some of its organizational methods.

Experiencism, one could be forgiven for not knowing this phrase in 2030. However, it has embedded itself in the education profession with the help of a small but passionate group of educators worldwide. The term first came into prominence in the early 2020s as a framework that focuses on creating realistic experiences using virtual and related technologies. At its core, the framework believes that learners learn best by doing; the more natural the experience, the more likely valuable knowledge will be obtained. // TBC...

What is experiencism & what enabled this scenario? 

• Cost of VR technology dropping.
• Open source VR equipment (using the 3D opensource movement 2006-2012 as an example)
• Possible funding from companies like Google/Facebook (Most likely as they create VR)/Amazon or maybe a new startup?
• Experiencism
  • Learn by doing
  • Framework focusing on creating authentic learning opportunities.
  • Enabled by VR

Retrospective of the last ~20 years. (Combined with the previous section focusing on milestones, (1) Circumstances, (2) Inception, (3) Early Adoption, (4) Going Mainstream – this leads nicely into the problems and issues paragraph)

• 2012: VR in the Classroom (phones mostly/Google Daydream)
• 2018: First standalone headset released (Oculus Quest)
• 2020: The cheaper and more powerful Quest 2 release (~350 CAD)
  • Few case studies looking at how VR using all modalities and improves learning.
• 2022: Open VR movement (Opensource)
• 2022: My case study on VR Interventions
• 2023: Case study: Grade 6 students cover curricular outcomes of the Space unit using VR
• 2025: Exploration of some educational instructions as pilot programs
• 2027: TED Talk
• 2028: Education institutions struggle to implement Experiencism
• 2030: Open-source Content Creation

Examples from the field using experiencism. (possible not used by leave for inspiration)

• Grade 6 Space Explores 
  • Explores space using VR, whole unit covered in VR for the first time.
• Grade 10 Molecule Structure and Reactions
  • Students explore molecule structure using the Nicholson Model (ball-and-stick), and chemical reactions are viewed in realtime 
• Post-Secondary: Engineering, Mars habitat construction
  • Engineering students have to work together to create a survivable habitat on Mars.

Problems

• Cost
• Expertise
• TAM (Technology Acceptance Model)
• Experiencism does not tie into traditional testing well.

Future speculation.

• Speak of the open-source content creation tools easing use for educators
• More immersive experiences (touch, smell, full locomotion)
  • Examples of full locomotion/touch/smell already exist, just are expensive.
• Assessment models for Experiencism

Conclusion.