Instructional Designer & 3d Technology Specialist Ben Salzman presented on case studies in mixed reality technology innovation in higher education at the National Educause Conference on a panel with representatives from Yale, Syracuse, and Florida International Universities this month.
He and the other panelists addressed questions that included whether or not this kind of technology can help students learn, whether institutions with limited budgets can undertake ambitious projects, and whether skeptical faculty members can be convinced to experiment with unfamiliar technology. Virtual reality, augmented reality, and 3D scanning and printing technologies are what is collectively called mixed reality (XR) tools.
Salzman and his colleagues had just completed a first year of a joint research Campus of the Future project commissioned by Educause and sponsored by Hewlett-Packard to investigate the potential for immersive technology to supplement and even transform classroom experiences. Hamilton is the only four-year liberal arts college involved in this project.
Quoted in an Inside Higher Ed article about the panel’s presentation titled Giving Classroom Experiences (Like VR) More … Dimension, Salzman discussed how not all projects necessarily enhance learning and must be evaluated individually.
On campus Salzman managed the project and helped educate and design the virtual reality and augmented projects. He is also the co-chair of the New York Six Consortium Instructional Technology Apprenticeship Program and administrator for video streaming services.