Creating and Sharing VR Field Trips to Build Cultural Empathy

One of the most powerful impacts of AI is how it accelerates other technologies—and nowhere is that more evident than in AR, VR, and XR. In this hands-on workshop, participants will explore how immersive learning has evolved, from mobile phones and tablets to today’s advanced headsets from Apple and Meta. You’ll experience these tools up close, explore mind-bending classroom-ready applications, and examine how immersive environments can build cultural empathy and deepen student understanding of the world.

We’ll unpack why—and how—AR, VR, and XR can be realistically implemented in innovative schools, including budget-friendly strategies. Participants will learn why today’s immersive hardware costs less (adjusted for inflation) than the original VCR, and how viable options exist even without a full class set of headsets. Non-headset mixed reality tools will be demonstrated alongside student-created examples. Free software for building AR and VR worlds will be explored on your own device. Attendees leave with a Google Doc containing all links, tools, reviews, and the full presentation.