Collaborative Research: Resource Collaborative for Immersive Technologies (RECITE)

扩展现实(XR)技术正在迅速融入行业和社会，但它们与技术人员教育的整合却滞后。这些技术包括360°摄影和视频(360)、增强现实(AR)、混合现实(MR)和虚拟现实(VR)，具有增强学生学习的巨大潜力，并有望彻底改变教育体验。该项目将创建一个创新的生态系统，支持XR技术在技师教育中的应用，促进新的合作，制定社区标准，并加强技师劳动力途径，以确保国家行业竞争力。该项目将通过加速将XR技术融入技师教育计划来改善STEM技师教育。该项目的目标是：1)评估XR技术在NSF ATE项目领域的采用和态度，并为两年制大学创建实施和传播资源；2)为直接教学开发和实施XR技术教师专业发展；3)为ATE项目和使用XR技术的开放教育资源开发XR技术网站和产品库；以及4)通过连接高中、学术界和行业来发展和扩大XR的实施。预计该项目的调查结果将有助于制定最佳实践并为技师学生设计有效的XR体验提供信息，就XR技术在技师教育计划中的使用提供循证建议，建立XR模拟的设计原则，旨在为所有用户，包括那些残疾人士、不同的学习风格和不同的文化背景的用户创造包容和无障碍的体验，并为设计师提供最佳实践，以确保这些技术有效地造福和影响所有学习者。该项目将填补目前对如何有效地将XR技术整合到技术教育中的理解方面的重大空白。该项目由高级技术教育(ATE)计划资助，该计划专注于为推动国家经济的先进技术领域培养技术人员。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

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.