ISTE 2016 Preview

The annual ISTE conference is convening this year in Denver, Colorado. The ISTE conference is the largest ed-tech conference in the U.S, and will offer more than 1,000 educational sessions to more than 23,000+ teachers, professors, and administrators. Examining the ISTE 2016 conference landscape goes a long way in informing us about what is trending in education. Let’s zoom in on some of these developments from the perspective of 3D and virtual reality.

In the Conference Sessions

The upcoming ISTE conference will offer forty-six 3D-VR-AR-related events in their slate of sessions: five showcase 3D design in education; ten feature AR solutions; fourteen highlight 3D printing; and seventeen sessions specifically focus on VR in education. In the VR arena, the session titles convey particular meaning:

• Google Cardboard, Virtual Field Trips, and Visual Learning: The Power of Maps
• Google Cultural Institute and Google Cardboard (VR) for the Classroom K-12
• Gizmos and Gadgets for Use in (but mostly out of) the Classroom
• The Basics of the New 3"R's" in Education: AR, VR, QR
• Classrooms, Made of, Virtual Reality Field Trips
• Virtual Field Trips: Bringing the World to Your Classroom
• Virtual Reality Bridges the Gap for ESL Learners
• Virtual reality tour with Google Cardboard to amazing places!
• 3D and Virtual Reality in the Classroom
• Augmenting and Virtualizing Reality through Computer Science
• Breaking out of the Norm with Virtual Reality
• Tripping Out! Virtual Field Trips for All
• Student Led Virtual Field Trips around the World
• Discovering Immersive 3D and Virtual Reality in a STEAM classroom with zSpace
• Creating a Customized Street View Experience for Your Classroom
• Your First ISTE 3D VR Bootcamp
• See 2 Achieve: Virtual Reality, 3D, Vision, and Learning

In the Exhibit Hall

3D and virtual reality stalwarts like zSpace, Unity, Google, Samsung, AV Rover, Sterling Pixels, and Sensavis are returning to the expo floor. New to the ISTE exhibit hall finds Mursion and Omniglobe with their first-ever presence.

3D Network Events

ISTE’s personal learning network (PLN)—the 3D Network—will also continue its educational advocacy for all things 3D. This group is expected to raise the decibel level of 3D and VR in education by again hosting three special events: their popular membership open house; the annual meet-and-greet event; and a panel presentation (entitled Designing, Visualizing, and Making in 3D) at the conference. (Companies wishing to have a presence—in person or with literature—at the 3D Network meet-and-greet event, scheduled for Tuesday morning should contact this author sooner rather than later.)