Missouri Innovation Campus Offering New Augmented and Virtual Reality Courses for Educators

Educators and corporate trainers interested in enhancing their knowledge of emerging technologies are invited to enroll in the University of Central Missouri’s Using Augmented and Virtual Reality in Education course. The new course will be offered from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 28 and 29 at the Mixed Reality Studio, located at UCM’s Missouri Innovation Campus in Lee’s Summit. 

 

Individuals completing  the class will earn one continuing education unit (CEU) for professional development from UCM. Price for the class is $100. This hands-on course is designed for educators who have completed UCM’s Introduction to Augmented and Virtual Reality course, offered during spring 2021, as well as those with previous experience in AR and VR instruction. 

 

The course will be taught by Dr. Lauren Hays, assistant professor of Educational Technology at UCM. Hays earned a Ph.D. in educational leadership from Northwest Nazarene University and has focused her research on topics such as the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, digital literacy, information literacy and educational development. 

 

The state-of-the-art class is designed for pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade teachers, corporate trainers, instructional designers and post-secondary educators. In addition to the professional development credit, a UCM digital badge for the Using Augmented and Virtual Reality in Education course will be awarded to students through the university’s Center for Workforce and Professional Education. Digital badges are designed to display verified accomplishments with a professional network, current employers and future connections.

 

Within educational environments, AR and VR provide numerous opportunities for students to engage in content, learn concepts, explore faraway places and be creative. Course participants will receive numerous practical ideas for using this transformational technology in effective and impactful ways. Technology tools explored during the course include Merge tools, HTC Vive, Oculus, Magic Leap and Hololens. 

 

During November, UCM premiered its Mixed Reality Studio, located at the university’s Lee’s Summit campus. The studio’s goals are to advance state-of-the-art technology in VR and AR by developing new applications and educating the next generation of researchers, developers, entrepreneurs and technologists while collaborating with industry.  The facility is equipped with various software and design platforms, multiple headset configurations, workstations, filming and graphic resources. 

 

Enroll In the Using Augmented and Virtual Reality in Education Course