East Allegheny becomes first public school district in the U.S to integrate 'immersive reality technology'
Step into a classroom at East Allegheny School District and it can immerse you in places all over the world. With the latest technology, it’s like experiencing virtual reality — without looking into a headset.
Instead of putting on large goggles, the room around you is filled so that you feel like you are literally in the space.
The floor and walls come alive with images, some that you can touch and transform.
On Tuesday, East Allegheny became the first K-12 public school to have the installation of what’s called immersive reality technology. (A private school, the Watson Institute in Bridgeville, also has it.)
Pittsburgh-based XYCOM is a company that incorporates technology to create a completely immersive learning environment via a multi-sensory experience.
“The East Allegheny School District is excited to enhance our students’ access to learning opportunities through new modalities,” said Joe DiLucente, superintendent of East Allegheny School District, at a media event. “Partnering with XYCOM to create an immersive classroom space reinforces our commitment to providing students with engaging and interactive learning experiences.
”We’re thrilled to bring this cutting-edge technology to our students and hope to inspire other districts to do the same.”
The technology includes access to a growing content library of more than 350,000 scenarios, games and learning tools.
Teachers also have the flexibility to curate their content as a way to supplement their curriculum. Virtual field trips can include everything from a trip down the street to across the globe — without leaving the classroom.
“This is an immersive reality tool that will give our students an equitable opportunity to transform their learning here at East Allegheny,” DiLucente said. “I thought about the interactive nature of immersive reality and how it could be a game-changer for our students.
”It could help with the equity of having students interact with spaces they may not get an opportunity to travel to.
”It could impact different content areas, such as social studies lessons: rather than learning about a topic such as King Tut’s tomb, how about taking an interactive walk through it and watching the room change as you travel to the different parts.”
The technology was paid for by federal funding.
The cost for an immersive reality space, an ActiveFloor, which is a projector with a floor component, two large digital displays, labor and other elements runs between $120,000 and $180,000 per installation.
East Allegheny has two installations — at the middle school-high school and another at Logan Elementary.
The goal is to inspire the next generation of innovators and thinkers by providing them with progressive tools to explore and discover the world around them in ways previously unimaginable, said Chad Hill, principal consultant of XYCOM.
Hill said that as a high school student, he would have learned a lot more if he could have visualized the concept.
He added that the technology encompasses the ability to help those with sensory issues by creating a calming space.
“We look for what will be most impactful for students,” Hill said.
Students were invited by XYCOM customer development manager Tina Clark into the room.
Juniors Madison Hill and Samantha Bryer said it’s a great opportunity to learn new things in new ways. The two rode on roller coasters and toured ancient pyramids. A group of students traveled on water slides.
The technology can introduce them to career paths from working on a horse farm to construction. They were able to go aboard the Titanic and traveled to Las Vegas and Miami.
The technology is controlled via an iPad, and there are several categories including art, history, science and music.
“It was so cool,” Hill said. “Some of the places we went to were so beautiful. It can take you anywhere.”
“It’s interactive, which I like,” Bryer said.
Sean Davis, director of educational technology for XYCOM, said he gets teary-eyed seeing students’ faces when they travel to a new place they’ve never been or learn something new. It’s so much better than a standard projector of an image on a wall, Davis said.
Students and teachers will be able to capture their own images via a 360-degree video that can be incorporated into the platform.
Clark noted that students can experience lesson together versus individually through a headset.
“This is going to be a game-changer,” Clark said. “The opportunities are limitless.”
JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a TribLive reporter covering the region's diverse culinary scene and unique homes. She writes features about interesting people. The Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist began her career as a sports reporter. She has been with the Trib for 26 years and is the author of "A Daughter's Promise." She can be reached at jharrop@triblive.com.
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