Collaborative Research: Resource Collaborative for Immersive Technologies (RECITE)

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Extended reality (XR) technologies are being rapidly integrated into industry and society, yet their integration into technician education lags. These technologies, which include 360° photography and videography (360), augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR), and virtual reality (VR), have tremendous potential to enhance student learning and are poised to revolutionize the educational experience. This project will create an innovative ecosystem supporting XR technology utilization in technician education, foster new collaborations, develop community standards, and enhance technician workforce pathways to ensure national industry competitiveness.The project will improve STEM technician education through the accelerated integration of XR technologies into technician education programs. The goals of the project are: 1) Assess XR technology adoption and attitudes in NSF ATE program domains and create implementation and dissemination resources for two-year colleges; 2) Develop and implement XR technology faculty professional development for direct instruction; 3) Develop an XR technology website and products repository for ATE projects and Open Educational Resources using XR technology; and 4) Grow and broaden XR implementation by connecting high schools, academia, and industry. It is expected that the project’s findings will contribute to the development of best practices and inform the design of effective XR experiences for technician students, provide evidence-based recommendations on the use of XR technologies in technician education programs, establish design principles for XR simulations, aiming to create inclusive and accessible experiences for all users, including those with disabilities, varied learning styles, and diverse cultural backgrounds, and offer designers best practices to ensure these technologies benefit and impact all learners effectively. The project will fill critical gaps in the current understanding of how to effectively integrate XR technologies into technical education. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.