Meta recently rolled out its ‘Meta for Education’ initiative, opening the doors for schools and various educational institutions worldwide to boost their classrooms with Quest headsets and an arsenal of educational XR apps and software.
First revealed in April, Meta for Education presents a robust package for educators eager to embrace XR in their teaching environments. It offers a suite that includes Quest headsets and subscriptions to XR management solutions tailored specifically for educational settings, paired with a range of tools and apps designed for administrators, teachers, and students alike.
During its beta phase, Meta collaborated with universities in both the US and the UK, gathering invaluable feedback from educators. They noted a significant uptick in student engagement and a better grasp of challenging concepts thanks to virtual and mixed reality experiences.
Nick Clegg, Meta’s President of Global Affairs and former UK Deputy Prime Minister, emphasizes the game-changing nature of immersive tech in learning, granting students opportunities to explore scenarios beyond their usual reach.
“Enhancing educational outcomes for children has been a keen interest of mine throughout my journey in politics and tech,” Clegg shares. He adds that among the technological evolutions he’s witnessed at Meta, virtual and augmented reality stand out for their potential to revolutionize learning. Clegg’s vision for Meta for Education is to simplify the learning process, making it easier for students to acquire, practice, and implement new skills, feel a stronger connection with their teachers and peers, and embark on virtual journeys to otherwise unreachable destinations. Above all, he hopes it empowers teachers to excel in their roles.
Meta cites data from 43 schools within the Inspired Education Group that already employ immersive technology with their teenage students. The results are promising—87% of students have become more engaged and interested in their studies, and 85% of teachers find virtual and mixed reality to be invaluable in enhancing their teaching methods. Moreover, students saw a 15% improvement in their academic performance on multiple-choice exams.
The program’s completion of the beta stage coincides with a series of alliances with educational heavyweights like Arizona State University, Imperial College London, and the University of Miami, integrating VR into their curriculum.
Furthermore, Meta, in partnership with VictoryXR, has established over 30 “metaversities” through the Engage XR platform, crafting digital twin campuses to foster interaction among remote students. These digital twin campuses are now accessible to learners at The University of Leeds in the UK, the University of the Basque Country in Spain, and the University of Hannover in Germany.
Educators eager to delve into Meta for Education can explore the program’s site for more details. It offers contact information for applicants from Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK, and the US.
