Latest education updates from around the world
Magic Leap Cuts Nearly 200 Jobs as AR Pioneer Pivots Into Waveguide Supplier
AR unicorn Magic Leap is again pivoting its core business, this time to serve as a waveguide supplier to other companies making AR glasses, something that we’ve learned comes amid a mass lay off nearly 200 of its core engineering and product development staff.
According to a formal WARN Act notification letter to US government officials last week, the company is set to lay off 193 employees at the company’s Plantation, Florida headquarters.
A wide range of product development and engineering roles are set to be affected come October […]
What is Aqua from Adobe and How Can I Use It To Teach?
Adobe is really known for professional creative software such as Photoshop and Illustrator, but its latest education-focused app goes in a new direction. Adobe Aqua is a free drawing and creativity app designed for children aged five to 12, to give younger learners a safe place to experiment with art, storytelling, and design.
Aqua focuses on building confidence through play. Students can draw, color, create comics, design fashion, explore simple 3D creations, and even digitize artwork they’ve produced on paper. The aim is to make creativity feel approachable while helping children develop artistic and visual communication skills.
For teachers, that […]
Getting Started with Vibe Coding Using Antigravity
Get started with Vibe Coding using Gemini Canvas and then upgrade with Google Antigravity.
The post Getting Started with Vibe Coding Using Antigravity appeared first on Teacher Tech with Alice Keeler.
Valve Drops Big SteamVR Update Ahead of Steam Frame Launch
Valve has dropped a sizeable update to SteamVR, paving the way for what appears to be imminent launch of its long-awaited standalone VR headset, Steam Frame.
Valve’s latest update brings a good slate of standard Steam features to SteamVR. And with it, the VR runtime is ostensibly shaping up to offer a more VR-native user experience, in part thanks to its new UI for SteamVR’s Dashboard.
According to the update’s patch notes, users who opt-in to the Steam Client Beta will essentially have a more useful Dashboard, as it […]
4 Steps School Leaders Can Take To Improve Process Management
In today’s digitally rich environments, the value of knowledge lies not simply in its availability but in how effectively it is created, refined, and applied over time. Knowledge management addresses the use of data for instructional and school improvement, and should ensure that administrative processes and procedures are clearly outlined in such a way that organizations do not lose knowledge or efficiency when personnel leave, rotate, or are otherwise unavailable.
The process facet of knowledge management should be a continuous cycle in which educators and institutions intentionally capture insights, reduce complex tasks to clearly defined processes, and systematically […]
Summer Prep To Protect Your School From AI-Enabled Explicit Content
While generative AI can automate administrative tasks, streamline lesson planning, and free up time for student interaction, it also introduces new safety risks. Addressing the Risks of AI-enabled CSAM and Explicit Content in Education, Qoria’s global report, shows that these tools are also being exploited to produce child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and explicit imagery with alarming ease.
The weeks before the school year begins offer a critical window for district leaders to move from a reactive posture to a proactive strategy, taking strong digital safety steps before students return for the first day of […]
EssilorLuxottica Acquires French XR Startup Lynx, Putting R2 Headset Release in Doubt
Lynx, the France-based XR hardware startup, has been acquired by global eyewear conglomerate EssilorLuxottica.
In a public email to backers, Lynx founder and CEO Stan Larroque confirmed the acquisition, which was rumored to have taken place two weeks ago.
This includes “[a]ll the IP, assets and most of the team is now transitioning from a startup to this big company,” Larroque says in the email, adding that “it might take a few months for the operations to be smooth again, pending all legal approvals.”
Larroque isn’t making the […]
Teaching With TeacherServer: AI Resources Created By Teachers
TeacherServer is a teacher-created and -run AI platform that offers thousands of free tools for educators. More significantly, the whole platform complies with Department of Education guidelines, offers the option of adjusting outputs to various grade levels depending on your students’ needs, and all information is private and deleted immediately after you use it.
After experimenting with TeacherServer, I found it to be a wonderful resource for various AI tools, from quiz and lesson plan generators to subject-specific resources, including data analysis, spelling and grammar checkers, and much more.
Because it is teacher-backed and education-aligned, I […]
EU Moves to Exempt Smart Glasses from Repairability Rules, Privacy Questions Remain
Although smart phones will soon require user-removable batteries in the EU, the European Commission is moving to exempt wearables, which includes smartwatches, fitness trackers, and smart glasses.
As reported by Politico, a so-called “legislative tweak” has cleared the way for US-based companies like Meta to keep the EU market in sight.
In a statement, a European Commission spokesperson maintained it “has not given in to anyone’s pressure,” as its proposals “follow a broad public consultation with consumer associations, industry stakeholders and the Member States.”
According to the […]
‘GOLF+’ Kicks Off Open Tournament This Week with VIP St. Andrews Trip Prize
Golf fans with a Quest headset will be able to compete for a pretty temping grand prize starting July 16th in GOLF+’s next big VR Open.
Golf+ announced it’s partnered with The Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (R&A) to bring an official VR Open experience, which is set to let players from around the world to compete on Royal Birkdale in a championship-themed setting inspired by The 154th Open.
And it won’t be just for the love of the game; one lucky participant will win “the ultimate […]
Don’t Panic — Yet: What the FCC’s E-Rate Review Means for Schools
Watch above or listen/download below.
For nearly 30 years, E-Rate has been what one might call the most boring of utility programs — a broadband subsidy that quietly connects America’s schools and libraries. Now the FCC is asking whether it should exist at all.
Reg Leichty, founding partner of Foresight Law + Policy and a longtime E-Rate advocate, joined the Tech & Learning podcast to break down the commission’s newly opened review of the program. His first message: don’t panic. His second: take this seriously.
“Sunsetting,” he notes, is the polite framing — the proceeding is an […]
Anduril Founder Quietly Teases Remarkably Compact AR Glasses
Palmer Luckey, the founder of military tech startup Anduril (also the founder of Oculus), quietly teased a pair of unannounced AR glasses that are presumably in development at Anduril. Despite their incredibly compact appearance, Luckey says they are not merely smart glasses, but are indeed built for full AR capability.
Just days after Snap Inc revealed its latest Specs standalone AR glasses, a photo shared on X showed Anduril founder Palmer Luckey wearing what appeared to be some kind of clip-on attachment to his sunglasses. The caption of […]
What is TeacherForge and How Can I Use It To Teach English?
Teachers have no shortage of AI tools that promise to save time, but most still rely on writing prompts and refining the results. TeacherForge offers a structured approach to help build classroom resources through dedicated lesson generators.
This is designed specifically for English language teachers and creates grammar worksheets, vocabulary exercises, reading comprehension tasks, writing prompts, listening activities, and complete exams. Teachers choose a CEFR level, select the type of activity they want, and let the AI generate ready-to-use materials.
Unlike general AI chatbots, TeacherForge keeps everything focused on ESL and EFL teaching. Resources can be regenerated to produce fresh […]
Copilot Study and Learn Gets High Marks
Copilot Study and Learn is a mode Copilot can operate in that employs Microsoft’s “study and learn agent,” which is built on learning science practices and designed to encourage active thinking rather than give away answers. I recently tried it and was impressed overall. It does a better job than Copilot in its normal mode at guiding students through the learning process.
Here’s a closer look at how to use Copilot Study and Learn, what I like about it, and where I felt it could still use some work.
What is Copilot Study and Learn
Copilot Study and Learn […]
‘Ghosts of Tabor’ Returns to Its Roots in 2024-era ‘Legacy’ Edition This Month
Combat Waffle announced it’s taking popular extraction shooter Ghosts of Tabor back to its 2024 roots with a separate version of the game, called Ghosts of Tabor: LEGACY.
Ghosts of Tabor: Legacy is essentially set to be the 2024 version of the game, before the studio pushed a number of major content updates, some of which drew community ire.
Combat Waffle says it’s reintroducing the game “preserved for the players who were there for it. The maps you mastered. The feel you remember. This is your raid, the […]
Lenovo Reportedly Shutters US-based XR Business Unit Amid Shift to AI Wearables
Lenovo has reportedly closed its XR business unit in the US, according to a report by Skarred Ghost.
Citing people familiar with the matter, the report maintains Lenovo has shuttered its business-oriented XR unit in the US. As per the report, most of the affected employees were let go, while a minority have been offered other positions within the company.
It’s uncertain how many have been affected. Lenovo has however confirmed, at least in partial, that the company is taking its XR efforts in a new direction:
“As the […]
Apple Publishes Detailed Technical Specifications for Third-party Vision Pro Motion Controllers
Following Apple’s announcement that VisionOS 27 will support third-party motion controllers for Vision Pro, the company has published a set of technical specifications and requirements for third-parties building such controllers.
Published in the latest version of Apple’s Accessory Design Guidelines for Apple Devices, a new section called Spatial Accessories offers an in-depth technical explanation of exactly how third-party motion controllers for Vision Pro should be built and how they should interface with the headset.
The 74-page section covers everything from what hardware a tracked accessory must […]
Valve is Getting Awfully Close to Steam Frame Release Following ‘Great on Frame’ Store Page
Valve hasn’t mentioned the price or release date for its long-awaited Steam Frame standalone headset, although we seem to be getting suspiciously close.
As spotted by hardware analyst Brady Lynch, Valve just published a new store landing page for Steam Frame content, which is rounding up all of the ‘best’ games and demos that are certified to work with the company’s soon-to-launch VR headset.
So far, there are only four titles on the ‘Great on Frame’ site:
- Into Black (VR game) – The Binary Mill
- Portal 2 (flatscreen […]
XREAL’s First Budget AR Glasses Go on Sale Internationally, Priced at $300
AR glasses maker XREAL today announced its ‘X by Xreal’ sub-brand (xbx) is officially bringing its first pair of budget XR glasses outside of China.
Xreal today released its xbx a01+ in the US for $300, available across xreal.com, Amazon, Best Buy, B&H, and Micro Center. You’ll also find it direct from Xreal and partner retailers across the EU, UK, Canada, Australia, Japan and South Korea.
First launched in China in May, Xbx a01+ packs in a fairly smart slate of specs for its price, offering 50° […]
Former Oculus CTO John Carmack Puts up $1M for Official VR Ports of Id Software Titles
John Carmack, former Oculus CTO and co-founder of id Software, announced he’s still willing to put up $1 million of his personal money to help make VR versions of Id’s most famous retro titles—especially now that Microsoft has laid off a bulk of the studio’s employees.
Having left id Software in 2013 to join Oculus as CTO and help kickstart the VR consumer revolution, Carmack is still one of the industry’s most vocal advocates. Even after stepping down as CTO in 2019 and leaving Meta in 2022, he’s […]
What A Geoinfluencer Can Teach Us About Geography–And Critical Thinking
Late one night, while scrolling through social media, a video from JoseMonkey appeared in my feed. JoseMonkey, who does not publicly use his real name and describes himself as a geoinfluencer, has built a substantial following by solving geolocation challenges submitted by viewers. In a typical video, someone records what appears to be an ordinary location and challenges him to find them. Often there are no famous landmarks, no readable street signs, and few obvious clues. Yet through a combination of observation, queries, research, and geographic reasoning, JoseMonkey is often able to identify the exact […]
‘Tomb Raider’ VR Reportedly Cancelled According to Leaked Images & Video
As reported by MP1st, a sizable leak from Vertigo Games reveals its now-defunct Amsterdam satellite studio was working on an official Tomb Raider VR title before the project was cancelled earlier this year.
Vertigo Games Amsterdam was working on the unannounced Tomb Raider VR game from at least November 2024 until its cancellation in January 2026, MP1st maintains.
At the time, the game (codenamed ‘Project U’) was reportedly being developed over 50 developers, and was slated to target Quest 3, PSVR 2, and PC VR headsets.
Now, it […]
Meta Closes Smart Glasses Privacy Loophole With New Camera-Killing Update
Meta is rolling out an update to its line of smart glasses that will disable the camera if the device’s capture LED has been tampered with or destroyed.
Since the rollout of Meta’s second-gen Ray-Ban Glasses in 2024, physically covering the white capture LED on any of the company’s current smart glasses shuts off the onboard camera, something the company did to curb casual misuse.
Before Meta’s mandatory v26 update—which is rolling out now to all Meta Ray-Ban, Meta Oakley and its new $300 Meta Glasses—some users […]
‘Pistol Whip’ Studio Reportedly Developing “impossible to ignore” Multiplayer VR Game
Veteran VR studio Cloudhead Games, developer behind hit rhythm shooter Pistol Whip (2019), is ostensibly deep in development of their next title, which according to a recent job listing could be a multiplayer VR game that may also have a flatscreen mode.
The studio’s listing for a new Social & Community Strategist is looking for someone who is “obsessed with multiplayer and co-op games (2D and VR),” and someone who can “spot great player moments, jump on trends, or define your own.”
“We’re looking for someone to help make our […]
Teaching The Odyssey
Even though it was composed more than 2,700 years ago, The Odyssey never gets old. This summer it will be brought to the big screen by Christopher Nolan in a much-anticipated film starring Matt Damon, Zendaya, Tom Holland, and Anne Hathaway.
Emily Wilson, a professor of Classical Studies at the University of Pennsylvania, says film adaptations of the epic poem always generate interest in the classic work and could provide a good excuse to introduce the epic into the classroom.
Wilson knows of what she speaks.
Nolan consulted her much-heralded 2018 translation for his film version. Wilson’s translation […]