Latest education updates from around the world

Streamline with ChatGPT Plugins

By |September 6, 2023|

Adding ChatGPT plugins are simple and can help you teach more effectively

Spellcaster ‘Waltz of the Wizard’ Coming to PSVR 2 in October, Including Asymmetric Co-op

By |September 5, 2023|

Waltz of the Wizard (2019), the single-player spellcasting experience for SteamVR, Quest, and the original PSVR, is bringing its magical exploration and dungeon crawling to PSVR 2 next month.

Waltz of the Wizard started out life as a casual exploration game that put you at the top of a very Hogwarts-inspired castle spire. There, you combine arcane ingredients into a boiling cauldron with the help of an ancient talking skull, unleashing spells upon a fully interactive and mysterious world using technologies like voice interaction and gestures.

Introduced later in the ‘Natural Magic’ expansion, Waltz of the Wizard essentially tacked on a pretty substantial dungeon […]

European Pricing for Quest 3 Accessories Allegedly Leaked

By |September 5, 2023|

Meta Quest 3, the company’s upcoming $500 standalone mixed reality headset, is probably going to get a big info dump at Connect 2023 later this month. It appears an ecommerce site in Europe has leaked some of the available accessories and prices.

As first reported by MIXED, Netherlands-based online vendor UnboundXR.eu listed a number of Quest 3 accessories and prices ahead of their official availability:

Meta Quest 3 Silicone Face Interface (Black) for €49.99
Meta Quest 3 Carrying Case for €79.99
Meta Quest 3 Elite Strap with Battery for €149.99
Meta Quest 3 Charging Dock for €149.99

Listings for everything but the Quest 3 carrying case […]

Teaching Data Science

By |September 5, 2023|

Data science education and literacy are critical for students to learn, especially with the ever-growing focus on digital data

The intersection of the science of reading and edtech

By |September 5, 2023|

Key points:

States are ensuring teachers have thorough professional development as they implement lessons learned from the science of reading

Using digital tools can positively impact students’ literacy achievement

See related article: As we embrace the ‘science of reading,’ we can’t leave out older students

While this fall marks my 38th year in education, it has been 28 years since I was a classroom teacher. Teaching elementary school was the hardest job I ever had, but there are many parts of the role I miss. This time of year, I especially miss the opportunity to teach young learners to […]

Meta is Reportedly Partnering with LG to Create Apple Vision Pro Competitor

By |September 4, 2023|

Meta is reportedly teaming up with South Korean tech giant LG Electronics to offer up competition to the Apple’s forthcoming Vision Pro mixed reality headset, which is slated to arrive sometime in 2024.

South Korea’s Maekyung (Korean) is reporting on two new Meta headsets: a low-cost Quest model that will be priced at “less than $200” coming in 2024, and a high-priced model in a joint venture with LG in 2025, which is supposedly set to take on Apple Vision Pro.

The report maintains the name of the Meta/LG headset will be ‘Meta Quest 4 Pro’.

Mass […]

Beautiful Literacy and Language Arts Posters for Classrooms

By |September 3, 2023|

Literacy and language arts posters is the topic of our blog post today!

Step into any successful classroom, and you’ll likely find the walls adorned with educational posters that do more than just beautify the space—they serve as silent teachers. But not all posters are created equal, especially when it comes to the nuanced realm of literacy and language arts. With so many options available, the challenge lies in choosing ones that both capture attention and clarify complex linguistic rules or ideas.

According to a research article by Peter Barrett et al entitled :The Impact of Classroom Design on Pupils’ […]

‘Gorilla Tag’ Studio Teases Next Title, a Spiritual Successor to ‘Echo VR’—But So Much More

By |September 2, 2023|

Another Axiom, the studio behind the viral VR indie hit Gorilla Tag, has revealed the first glimpse of its next project. ‘Project A2’ is an ambitious spiritual successor to the now shuttered Echo VR, and a full-circle moment for the studio.

With its low-fi graphics and simple gameplay, you might not think it but Gorilla Tag is one of the most popular Quest games ever. In fact, it holds the most reviews of any VR game on the platform and is also one of the best-rated free games.

While Gorilla Tag is still going strong (if not growing), the studio behind the […]

Unicorn AR Startup Magic Leap is Killing Its First Headset Next Year

By |September 1, 2023|

Magic Leap 1, the AR headset that helped the Plantation, Florida-based startup attract over three billion dollars in funding, will be completely defunct by late next year.

The company announced this week that Magic Leap 1’s cloud services are due to be shut off on December 31st, 2024. After that date, the headset will receive no further support.

The loss of cloud services indeed means the headset will essentially be ‘bricked’ on that date, as “core functionality will reach end-of-life and the Magic Leap 1 device and apps will cease to function,” the company says in a […]

20 Amazing Science Facts for Kids

By |September 1, 2023|

Science facts for kids is the topic of our blog post today!

Today, we’re shifting our gaze from edtech and reading lists to zoom into something just as riveting: the universe of science. As a researcher and educator, I can’t help but marvel at how science brings us face-to-face with the unfathomable, the intricate, and the downright jaw-dropping phenomena of our world. And let’s face it, kids love stuff that’s both amazing and a little bit weird.

Now, for those of you who might be thinking, “But you’re not a science teacher,” you’re right! But that’s the beauty of education—its […]

Major ‘The Light Brigade’ Update Brings New Player Classes, Items, Levels & More

By |September 1, 2023|

Funktronic Labs released a massive update today to its roguelike shooter The Light Brigade (2023), which includes new player classes, tactical items, power-ups, levels and more.

Called the ‘Memories of War’ Update, the new content drop is rolling out today to SteamVR, Quest 2, and PSVR 2, including a bunch of new stuff.

Check out what’s in the update below, courtesy of Funktronic Labs:

The Engineer: a new player class that deploys pilotable drones
The Breacher: a new shotgun-wielding player class, by popular request!
New tactical items and power-ups to find on runs or stock up in the shop: including flare gun, cigarettes/cigars […]

Hands-on: ‘Vampire: The Masquerade – Justice’ Could Be a Better VR ‘Hitman’ Game Than ‘Hitman 3’

By |September 1, 2023|

Fast Travel Games gave us a hands-on with Vampire: The Masquerade – Justice on Quest 2, the studio’s upcoming single-player adventure RPG set in the ‘World of Darkness’ universe. The vertical slice offered up an intriguing look into the game’s stealth combat mechanics, all of which feel pretty Hitman-esque, albeit with a sufficiently paranormal bend—not to mention a lot more VR-native design than Hitman 3’s VR mode.

In Vampire: The—ok, for brevity’s sake let’s just call it VMJ—players embark on an adventure to figure out who killed their sire and reclaim a stolen relic in the dark underbelly of Venice, Italy.

Arriving in […]

PSVR 2 is Missing a Critical Mass of Compelling Exclusives, But There’s No Telling When More Will Come

By |September 1, 2023|

It’s been six months since Sony launched PlayStation VR 2, handily one of the best pieces of consumer VR hardware we’ve laid eyes on. While the headset is undeniably great, Sony’s content strategy hasn’t been. Beyond a handful of launch titles, PSVR 2 didn’t really explode out of the gate like we hoped, and a future with high-quality content on the horizon hasn’t materialized either. This, compounded by the lack of backwards compatibility, has hobbled the platform to the point that long-term viability could be an issue if Sony doesn’t step up their game.

Like the original, […]

‘Alvo’ to Bring ‘CS:GO’ Style Gun Battles to PSVR 2 Next Month, SteamVR Soon After

By |August 30, 2023|

Alvo VR (2021), the PvP shooter that offers up some CS:GO-inspired gameplay, is coming to PSVR 2 in September, as well as SteamVR headsets soon afterwards.

Publishers OutsideIn Entertainment say Alvo is slated to arrive on PSVR 2 on September 14th, 2023.

There’s also a new launch trailer that shows off the shooter’s multiplayer action, which in the PSVR 2 version is said to include enhanced dynamic lighting, “stunning 4k resolution,” and head and controller haptics.

Alvo has included cross-play between the original PSVR, Quest 2 versions, and Pico headsets. A SteamVR version is also coming, although it’s still uncertain when.

Integrating Generative AI into Edtech

By |August 30, 2023|

Edtech solution providers need to integrate generative AI into their products to keep up with student and educator needs

Varjo Signs “multi-million dollar” Deal to Provide Headsets for Army Training Systems

By |August 30, 2023|

Varjo, maker of high-end XR headsets, today announced that it has closed a multi-million dollar deal to supply headsets for the U.S. Army’s Reconfigurable Virtual Collective Air Trainer (RVCT-A) initiative.

The US. Army’s Reconfigurable Virtual Collective Air Trainer (RVCT-A) aims to deliver virtual training modules that are easy to set up and transport, making training cheaper and more accessible. Specifically the training modules are focused on training pilots of Apache, Chinook, and Blackhawk helicopters.

Varjo says it has been selected by integrator Cole Engineering to supply XR-3 Focal Edition headsets for the program in what amounts to a “multi-million dollar” deal for […]

Fun Math Facts for Kids

By |August 30, 2023|

Fun math facts for kids is the topic of our blog post today!

Today we’re taking a little detour from my usual focus on educational technology and diving headfirst into the captivating world of math! Now, let me set the record straight: I’m not a math teacher. But you know me—I love digging into various corners of education and bringing you gems that could make learning a spellbinding experience for kids and adults alike.

So, I went on a research spree, consulted a plethora of articles to compile this list of fun math facts for kids. Why? Because who says […]

PvP Brawler ‘Glassbreakers: Champions of Moss’ Launches on Quest App Lab

By |August 30, 2023|

Polyarc Games, the studio behind hit single-player adventures Moss (2019) and Moss: Book II (2022), released Glassbreakers: Champions of Moss in early access today, a new 1v1 real-time battler set in our favorite pint-sized pal’s woodland universe.

To boot, today’s the first time the studio showed Glassbreakers in action, debuting the first real gameplay video alongside the announcement that early access is now available on Quest 2 and Quest Pro.

In Glassbreakers, players choose a combination of three Champions, each of which have their own unique abilities. Go head-to-head with friends in private games, or directly into matchmaking so you can […]

Meta Avatars Finally Get Legs on Quest

By |August 29, 2023|

Meta released a Quest software update via its public test channel (PTC), which lets users opt-in to try new features before they’re pushed out to everyone. Among the v57 PTC update is a feature that’s been notably missing from Meta avatars: legs.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg promised at Connect 2022 that its avatars would eventually be getting legs, putting an end to the platform’s characteristic floating torsos at some point in the not-too-distant future. At the time, Zuckerberg showed off his on-stage avatar jumping and kicking, although it was revealed later this was actually created using […]

5 ways to help students struggling with algebra due to learning loss

By |August 29, 2023|

Key points:

Students need algebra, but many get “stuck” as they learn

Offering tutoring, particularly high-dosage tutoring outside of school hours, could help

See related article: 5 ways virtual tutoring reinforces our after-school program

Since the pandemic, students have struggled markedly in math, particularly algebra. According to NAEP Mathematics Assessment data, eighth-graders’ algebra scores were eight points lower in 2022 than in 2019. According to the Nation’s Report Card, the average eighth-grade mathematics score was lower than all previous assessment years—going back to 2003.

As a gateway content area, algebra prepares students to tackle advanced study in calculus, physics, […]

5 Teaching Tips Using Brain Science

By |August 28, 2023|

Teaching tips using brain science from Beth Rogowsky, a professor at Bloomsburg University, from her book on brain science and teaching.

Meta Launches ‘Horizon Worlds’ Closed Beta on Smartphones

By |August 28, 2023|

Meta’s social VR platform just took its first step outside of Quest-exclusivity, as the company recently launched a closed beta for Horizon Worlds on Android mobile devices.

You won’t find Horizon Worlds on Google Play. Users taking part in the closed beta can directly launch the app through the Quest Android app.

X (previously Twitter) user Lunayian was apparently one of those chosen few, showing off a brief hands-on in the Super Rumble lobby, Meta’s first-party hero shooter revealed late last month.

Meta Horizon Worlds – PC Footage pic.twitter.com/VL0IhbPmKr

— Luna (@Lunayian) August 27, 2023

Besides scripted avatar animations, […]

GarageBand: How To Use it to Teach

By |August 28, 2023|

GarageBand is a powerful teaching tool for music mastery in class and beyond.