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Facilitating Innovative Learner Experiences in the AI & VR Era

Greetings from Team Yellow!

As we dive into an exciting journey into the world of AI and VR-enhanced facilitation, we’ve crafted a dynamic week-long experience that will challenge and inspire you to think critically about the future of learning. Join us as we explore “Facilitating Innovative Learner Experiences in the AI & VR Era.”

What to Expect

Our week-long facilitated learning module is designed to provide an introduction and high-level overview of using AI and VR/AR to innovate learner experiences. While we can’t cover every aspect of this rapidly evolving field in just one week, we aim to spark your curiosity and interest in exploring these powerful tools!

Learning Objectives

By the end of this week, you’ll be able to:

  1. Understand various AI and VR/AR applications that facilitators can use to innovate learning experiences
  2. Examine the benefits and challenges of using AI and VR/AR tools in learning environments
  3. Experiment with different applications of AI and VR/AR to facilitate innovative learning experiences

Our Journey: Day by Day

Day 1: Setting the Stage

We’ll kick off with a video introduction to the topic, sharing our own experiences with AI and VR/AR tools in facilitation. You’ll then have the chance to discuss your own experiences and expectations in an asynchronous forum.

Day 1 will also start off by exploring ways that facilitators are using AI and VR/AR to innovate learner experiences:

  • Reducing administrative tasks to focus on presence
  • Enhancing learner engagement
  • Supporting collaboration and connection
  • Spurring creativity
  • Potential to reduce participation barriers related to unconscious bias

Day 2: Critical Examination

We’ll dive deeper into the ethical, cultural, and EDIA (Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility) considerations of using AI and VR/AR tools in learning environments. Expect thought-provoking discussions on AI bias, cultural sensitivity, and ethical considerations.

Day 3: Exploring AI and VR/AR Tools

Get ready to discover a variety of tools that can enhance your facilitation practices! From virtual classrooms to AI-powered mock interviews, we’ll introduce you to innovative solutions that are shaping the future of learning. You’ll have the opportunity to select and test out an AI or VR/AR tool using one of the showcased tools or one of your choice. This hands-on experience will prepare you for our synchronous discussion on Day 5.

Day 4: Hands-On Experimentation

Building on Day 3, we will continue to explore these tools and what studies are showing and predicting for the future of AI and VR/AR in the learning environment.

Day 5: Sharing Experiences

In our live synchronous session, you’ll share your experiences with the tools you’ve tested. We’ll discuss what worked well, challenges encountered, and how these tools could enhance learning in your own facilitation practices.

Day 6: Reflection and Future Planning

We’ll wrap up our week with a summary of key learnings, prompt for personal reflection on AI and VR/AR use, and guide you in looking toward the future of your own facilitation practices using these tools.

Engage and Collaborate

Throughout the week, we encourage you to:

  • Participate actively in asynchronous discussions
  • Attend the synchronous session on Days 5
  • Experiment with AI and VR/AR tools with an inquisitive and open mind
  • Reflect on the potential impact of these technologies on your facilitation practice

Looking Ahead

As we explore the cutting edge of AI and VR in facilitation, we invite you to consider:

  • How do these technologies change the role of the facilitator?
  • What ethical considerations arise when using AI and VR in education?
  • How can we harness these tools to create more inclusive and accessible learning environments?
  • What skills do we need to develop to thrive as facilitators in an AI and VR-enhanced world?

Get ready for a week of innovation, critical thinking, and hands-on exploration as we shape the future of learning together. We can’t wait to see the creative ways you’ll incorporate AI and VR into your facilitation practices and the insightful discussions that will emerge.

Let’s innovate, collaborate, and transform the learning landscape!

One response to “Facilitating Innovative Learner Experiences in the AI & VR Era”

  1. Mary Burgess Avatar
    Mary Burgess

    Hello Tracy Tracy and Matt,

    I found your introduction very compelling, it makes me excited to know more, well done. Here is my feedback against the list of 8 items in the assignment description:

    1. A learning objective for the week. You have 3 learning objectives. I think just a bit of working tweaks would make them clearer. For example, “Understand various AI and VR/AR applications that facilitators can use to innovate learning experiences” would be pretty hard to measure as currently written. To what degree will they understand the applications? A more specific verb such as “describe” or “explain” might be a better fit.

    2. The learning resource and/or reading you have found and will be using for your facilitation week: I don’t see readings or resources included.

    3. A brief description of your asynchronous activity including potential discussion prompts: Your asynchronous activities sound very effective, I especially like the critical examination section. In your introductory forum where people talk about experiences, try to be specific in your prompt, especially given learners have already done a “what is your impression of AI” discussion with Team Blue. I also think giving people an opportunity to do some hands on playing is really effective.

    4. A brief description of your synchronous session: I like the sound of your synchronous session. I would suggest having some specific questions to ask learners as well as being prepared for a more open discussion.

    5. Date and time for your synchronous session: I *think* you’ve chosen a time for your synchronous session, please add that to the plan.

    6. The technologies you will use and why you have chosen them: I assume you’re planning on using Moodle and Zoom but don’t see that in your plan or a rationale for the choices.

    7. A timeline of the flow of your week including when and how you plan to communicate with learners: The timeline looks great, I like how it builds and ending with a reflection is excellent.

    8. How do you plan to establish Teaching, Social, and Cognitive presence, and what indicators will you be looking for that each presence has been achieved in your week: I don’t see any reference to elements of the COI

    Reply

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