Spotlight
Is the Future of Education Immersive?
This session is about exploring the future of education in the age of immersive and AI-driven technologies. It highlights key insights from over two decades of research on digital transformation in education, combined with practical industry experience in developing tools for teachers and learners. The focus is on why many innovations fail to reach classrooms, and how more effective and safe pathways for adoption can be created within educational communities. Participants will gain an updated vision for the future of education and see examples such as virtual tours, a space skills trainer, and a Shakespeare tool that demonstrate the potential of immersive learning environments.
Sara de Freitas
BT Professor, Director of the Digital Futures Institute and DigiTech Centre, University of Suffolk, UK, Wey Education Plc, United Kingdom
Sara is an international expert in digital and immersive education. Over three decades, she has held executive education and research directorial roles in schools, colleges and universities, along the way helping to establish three research institutes and attract over 80 projects including 19 EU projects including scientific coordination of a network of excellence. Along the way she has set up three companies, in addition to consulting with national and international government agencies and departments. Her work is captured in 40 books, over 100 scientific peer-reviewed journal articles and conference papers, and in over 10 software applications and 3 platforms developed and tested. Selling her last AIM-listed PLC company for over £70M in 2022, she is currently a University Governor, CEO of EdTech start up Weypoint, and holds visiting Professorships at Open University and University of South Wales. She is also an Honorary Research Fellow at Birkbeck University of London, in the same Computer Science department she started her academic career at in central London. Having held 8 Professorships (UK/Australia), and executive roles up to Deputy Vice Chancellor, her awards include fellowships from the Royal Society of Arts and the Business Excellence Institute, and she is a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.