According to a news release this week from Irvine International Academy, a $77,504 grant from the philanthropic Larry and Helen Hoag Foundation will allow the school to purchase AR/VR tools from the San Jose-based tech company zSpace, giving students the ability to interact with and manipulate virtual objects in a 360-degree projected environment for a variety of subjects.
The announcement added that the school plans to use the devices to teach “essential skills needed to thrive not just in the United States, but internationally,” as multinational corporations and global industries become increasingly digitized and interconnected. The grant also comes as STEAM charter schools, public K-12 schools and higher ed institutions elsewhere show an increased interest in using augmented reality for immersive, project-based learning.
"We think it's important to emphasize this vision of global citizenship, because one day these incredible children will be out in the world and it's our job to position them best for the future," the academy’s Director Stefan Bean said in a public statement. "This grant will help our students get excited about the real-world applications of what they're learning — whether it's virtually exploring the human body or virtually creating math solutions — and help them compete in a vast, global community."
According to the announcement, the academy will use zSpace curriculum and technology to create learning stations, featuring a laptop with reflector tracking points, a sensor module and a stylus with which students can move and manipulate immersive images in STEAM-related lessons.
In addition to the new AR/VR tech grant, the announcement said, the Larry and Helen Hoag Foundation has pledged an additional $25,000 to Irvine International Academy's Parent Teacher Organization to further enhance the school’s STEAM labs moving forward.
"We are very appreciative of the Larry and Helen Hoag Foundation's support of our mission to become the premier Mandarin-immersion and STEAM charter school in the region," Bean said in a statement.
The news release said officials expect the new devices to be ready for use by the end of September following installation.
