Latest education updates from around the world
A Concise Beginner’s Guide to Apple Vision Pro Design & Development
Apple Vision Pro has brought new ideas to the table about how XR apps should be designed, controlled, and built. In this Guest Article, Sterling Crispin offers up a concise guide for what first-time XR developers should keep in mind as they approach app development for Apple Vision Pro.
Guest Article by Sterling Crispin
Sterling Crispin is an artist and software engineer with a decade of experience in the spatial computing industry. His work has spanned between product design and the R&D of new technologies at companies like Apple, Snap Inc, and various other tech startups working on face computers.
Editor’s […]
Return of the Cat Mummy – A New Google Arts and Culture Game
Return of the Cat Mummy is a new game from Google Arts and Culture. The game is set in the animated backdrop of ancient Egypt. In the game you control a cat mummy to collect items for a pharaoh to take to the afterlife.
Our Top 5 VR Demos from Steam Next Fest This Week
Valve is back at it with Steam Next Fest, the indie showcase that features free demos for upcoming PC games. We picked out some of the most promising demos among the two dozen VR games showcased this week.
Steam has made it marginally less simple to find VR titles this year. In years prior, VR games had their own tab, however you’ll need to apply a ‘VR’ filter to the search box this time around.
Steam Next Fest is already live, taking place June 19th – 26th. Check out our top five favorite games in no particular order below to […]
The Solution to a Frustrating Google Slides Problem
When Google finally added a built-in audio option for Google Slides, we were all happy because we no longer needed to use unreliable third-party add-ons to use audio in our presentations. However, four years later there are still some quirks to adding audio into Google Slides presentations. One of those quirks was recently driving me batty. The solution turned out to be very simple.
To add audio to your Google Slides you first have to add the audio file into your Google Drive account. Then when you use the “insert” menu in Google Slides you can choose […]
Best YouTube Channels to Learn how to Code
Coding is a vast field, and diving into it can often feel overwhelming. But don’t fret, intrepid coder-in-the-making, as the path to mastering the art of programming has been walked by many before, and in today’s digital age, learning resources are at your fingertips.
Previously, we’ve explored the transformative potential of free coding bootcamps, places where you can immerse yourself in intensive learning experiences. But if you’re looking for a more flexible, on-demand approach to learning, look no further than YouTube, a goldmine of educational content where you can learn […]
7 of The Best Free Coding Bootcamps
In an era where technology pervades every aspect of our lives, coding has emerged as a universal language, a key that unlocks a vast world of opportunities. This transformative medium of communication and creation isn’t exclusive to computer wizards and tech prodigies; it’s a tool for the masses, a skill that can be learned, nurtured, and mastered.
The question then arises – how can an individual step into this intriguing world and decode the mysteries of programming languages? Enter the coding bootcamp – an innovative educational experience designed to demystify the world of coding […]
678 Free Art History Books
A couple of weeks ago I shared 60,000+ images of art and artifacts to download. Those images may be useful in art history lessons. What could also be helpful in creating art history lessons is The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s library of 678 art history books online. All of the books can be read online or downloaded as PDFs (warning, some of them are massive files). You can search through the catalog of books by thematic category, format, and publication type. And, of course, you can search through the books by […]
How To Help Students Build Collaboration Skills With Online Tools
Helping students build collaboration skills may seem obvious, but using online tools can provide more opportunities
How to Create Your First Quiz in Google Forms
Like I do at this time every year, in the last few weeks I’ve fielded a bunch of questions from readers who are moving into new jobs at schools that use Google Workspace for Education. And while I have a lot of Google Workspace tutorials available on my YouTube channel, I think it’s time that I update many of them. That’s why this week and over the next few weeks I’ll be publishing some new Google Workspace for Edu tutorials. This week will be all about Google Forms.
In a post I published yesterday I […]
160 Free Lesson Plans on Teaching With Historic Places
I’m going to Philadelphia next week. I’m going to attend the ISTE Conference, but while I’m there I’m also going to visit a few historic landmarks that I’ve not visited in a long time. One of those landmarks is The Liberty Bell.
While looking up the visiting hours for the Liberty Bell visitor center I came across the National Parks Service’s detailed lesson plan about the Liberty Bell. The lesson plan is called The Liberty Bell: From Obscurity to Icon (link opens a PDF). The detailed lesson plan […]
Apple Vision Pro Will Support WebXR for Fully Immersive Experiences in the Browser
Apple has confirmed that Safari on Vision Pro will support WebXR, a web-standard that allows immersive experiences to be delivered through the browser.
In a somewhat surprising move, Apple confirmed that Safari on Vision Pro will support WebXR. Prior to the reveal of the headset, it was an open question whether the company would entertain the idea of XR experiences through the browser, and even more so if the company would adopt the relatively new WebXR standard. But now Apple has confirmed that Safari on Vision Pro will indeed support WebXR.
The company confirmed as much in its WWDC […]
[Industry Direct] Snapdragon Spaces Expands Support for the Next Generation of MR Devices
Industry Direct by the Snapdragon Spaces Team
Industry Direct is our program for sponsors who want to speak directly to the Road to VR newsletter audience. Industry Direct posts are written by sponsors with no involvement from the Road to VR editorial team. Links to these posts appear only in our newsletter and do not intermix with our on-site editorial feed. Industry Direct sponsors help make Road to VR possible.
It’s clear that we’re undergoing another massive shift on how we connect, play, work and interact with the world around us. More specifically, a shift on the devices we use […]
40 Weird and Fun Facts (Verified)
Weird and fun facts is the collection I am sharing with you today. As an educator with a penchant for the peculiar, I’ve always found that fun facts—those weird, funny, and downright crazy snippets of knowledge—have a special way of captivating attention and sparking the imagination.
But as we venture down the rabbit hole of strange and intriguing trivia, it’s important to remember: not all that glitters on the internet is gold. Some so-called ‘facts’ are as fictional as the fables they’re found in.
That’s why I’ve put on my detective hat and gone above and beyond to curate […]
One of PC VR’s Best-looking Games is Coming to Quest & PSVR 2 This Week
Hubris (2022), the VR shooter from Cyborn, is arguably among the most visually intense VR games out there. Now the studio is slimming it down the game to fit on PSVR 2 and the Quest platform, and it’s coming this week.
First launched on PC VR headsets in late 2022, Cyborn announced that its sci-fi shooter Hubris is launching on PSVR 2 and Quest 2/Pro on June 22nd.
When the studio first announced for PSVR 2, it said the port would bring along with it “enhanced graphics and gameplay,” including foveated rendering for sharper resolution, haptics and adaptive triggers for swimming and […]
Microsoft Reaffirms No Plans to Compete Against PSVR 2 on Xbox
Amid mounting pressure from Sony with the recent launch of its PSVR 2 headset for PlayStation 5, Microsoft again affirmed that it’s still waiting for the technology to mature before offering any sort of dedicated VR software or hardware for Xbox.
Xbox’s lack of VR strategy has been a long ongoing story, reaching back to when the company first announced at E3 2016 that its Xbox One X console would “lead the industry into a future in which true 4K gaming and high-fidelity VR are the standard, not an exception.”
As a show of big brand cohesion […]
‘TOSS!’ to Bring Monkey-swinging Platforming to Quest, PSVR 2 & PC VR This September
Vertigo Games and VR indie Agera Games announced a new platformer that looks to test your agility, timing, and ability to grab bananas as you swing atop a maze of monkey bars high above the clouds.
Called TOSS!, you propel yourself through a cloudscape jungle-gym playground as you strive to repair your damaged spaceship and make your way back home.
In addition to searching out replacement parts for your ship, you’ll also be able to play with a number of modes, such as racing against the clock in Time Attack mode, collecting every last banana in sight, and honing your […]
How to Create Your First Google Form
Like I do at this time every year, in the last few weeks I’ve fielded a bunch of questions from readers who are moving into new jobs at schools that use Google Workspace for Education. And while I have a lot of Google Workspace tutorials available on my YouTube channel, I think it’s time that I update many of them. That’s why this week and over the next few weeks I’ll be publishing some new Google Workspace for Edu tutorials. This week will be all about Google Forms.
Google Forms is an excellent tool […]
Kindergarten and the Summer Solstice
Tomorrow is my oldest daughter’s last day of Kindergarten. We’re going to celebrate with ice cream! We might also stay up and play outside a little later tomorrow. We can do that because it won’t get dark until late in the evening as it will be the longest stretch of daylight of the year. That’s because tomorrow is the summer solstice!
SciShow Kids offers a nice video that can help K-3 students […]
Best Headphones For Teachers
The best headphones for teachers help create the ideal listening and speaking environment for learning.
I Tried Creating a Presentation with Free AI Slide Generators, Here’s 4 Problems I Had
Artificial intelligence (AI) slide generators are all over the place now but how much can they really help educators?
20 Inspirational End of School Year Quotes
End of school year quotes is the topic of our blog post today. Now that the summer is upon, the classrooms that echoed with laughter, debates, and ideas will take a brief, well-deserved pause.
Our journey today takes us through a labyrinth of words and emotions, captured beautifully in teacher saying goodbye to students quotes that inspire, tug at your heartstrings, and reflect upon the cherished teacher-student relationship.
But saying goodbye doesn’t mean the end. In fact, it paves the way for new beginnings. These last day of school quotes that we’ve gathered will remind us all of […]
The Reality of Summer Slide: A Review of Educational Research
As an educator and researcher deeply passionate about nurturing lifelong learners, I constantly strive to unearth the hidden factors that influence our children’s academic journeys. One such element, which often slips under the radar, is the so-called “summer slide.” I’ve found this topic fascinating and, over time, have gathered a wealth of research exploring its depths. Today, I’m excited to share some of these insights with you.
While summer vacations are a well-deserved break for our diligent students, research suggests these carefree months may have some unintended consequences on learning. But don’t fret – […]
How to Share Google Street View Imagery Including Building Interiors
It’s no secret to those of you who have followed my blog for long, I love exploring in Google Maps, Earth, and Street View. I can spend hours just lucky dipping around the world. When I was a kid I enjoyed looking at maps in school. I’m sure that if Google Street View existed when I was a kid I would have spent a lot of time looking at it in school.
When using an atlas a teacher can say to a classroom full of students, “turn to the map on page 10 and […]
ISTE 2023 Questions
I shared this in my newsletter about a week ago. This year I’m going back to the ISTE conference for the first time in six years. This year I’ll be attending on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.
My trip is being sponsored by the folks at Canva. I’ve known one of the founders since Canva was a small beta project. I’ll be at in Canva’s booth Tuesday morning and again later in the day. If you’re going to be at the ISTE conference, please come by and say hello.
If you’re not going to able to […]
VR Shooter ‘The Burst’ Shows off High-flying Parkour & Rapid Shooting Action
The Burst is an upcoming high-speed shooter that seems to pack in a ton of our favorite VR-native stuff: Spider-Man-style swinging, fast-paced movement, and weapon juggling galore.
Under development by GoRapid Studio, The Burst is a single-player shooter that looks to combine stuff like wall-running and rail-surfing as you swing around the game’s enemy-filled, interactive environments. Basically, a ton of opportunities for parkour.
As we see in the reveal trailer below, The Burst is set to include both a force grab and force pull ability so you can snag a new weapon right from the hands of your foe, not only […]