Presentation Panel
Immersive Learning in Action: Values, Safety, and Exploration
Date Thursday, Dec 4 Time – Room: Charlottenburg III
What happens when virtual reality becomes a truly meaningful tool for learning? This panel presents practical applications of VR and other immersive tools across teacher education, workplace training, ecological field trips, and interactive classrooms. Together, these examples show how immersive tools can bridge theory and practice, foster inclusion, and build critical skills, highlighting design principles and strategies for values-driven, human-centred immersive education.
Erik-Jan Smits
Professor , Ede Christian University of Applied Sciences
Dr. Erik-Jan Smits conducted research on the logical reasoning abilities of children as part of his PhD. Since then, the question of how people can understand each other has remained a central theme in his work. After completing his PhD, he worked for 15 years as a "connector" in the healthcare field, serving as a consultant, process facilitator, team leader, and innovator. This allowed him to gain an in-depth understanding of numerous healthcare organizations from within. He firmly believes in the opportunities that human-centered IT (Information and Communication Technology) offers and the necessity of conducting research on its practical implementation in complex contexts, such as healthcare, welfare, and education. With this motivation, he has been leading research activities at CHE in precisely these intersections since May 1, 2022.
Judith Josupeit
Research Associate, TU Dresden
I am a psychologist by training (Dr. rer. nat.), with a special interest in informatics and human-centered technology. My research focuses on virtual reality and the experiences and perceptions achievable with this technology. Since 2023, I have also been involved in teachers' training. My interests include topics such as media literacy acquisition and digitalization, which therefore interlink very well with my research.
Re-an Muller
Deputy-Director: School of Management Sciences, North-West University
Re-an Müller is an Associate Professor in Marketing Management and Deputy Director of the School of Management Sciences at North-West University (NWU), South Africa. With over 15 years in higher education, including seven in academic leadership, he has received both institutional and faculty-level Teaching Excellence Awards. Passionate about innovative learning, he leads Project ELEVATE, a Virtual Reality-based initiative enhancing safety training through immersive, scenario-driven experiences. His research focuses on strategic brand management, which he also applies in supporting entrepreneurs through customised training and consulting. He serves on the Executive Committee of the International Advertising Association South Africa.
Uri Ben Ari
President and Founder, Athena Fund
Uri Ben Ari – President and Founder of Athena Fund
Uri Ben Ari is an Israeli entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience in global tech and telecommunications, having held senior positions and led business development in multiple countries. In 2006, he founded the Athena Fund, a nonprofit empowering teachers with digital tools. The fund has provided tens of thousands of laptops and iPads to teachers in Israel. Today, his focus is the ImagineBox project, implementing immersive interactive classrooms in K-12 schools, with 120 already established. Ben Ari holds a Bachelor’s in Economics and an MBA from Tel Aviv University.
Value Co-Creation in VR-Based Teacher Education: Towards Responsible Innovation in the Intelligent Age, Erik-Jan Smits
In this presentation, I would love to share my thoughts and insights on a value-driven approach to developing and implementing VR in the practice of education. I look forward to an engaging discussion about the do's and don'ts, particularly regarding collaboration (e.g., in a consortium) on developing a VR-based curriculum while maintaining a focus on shared value.
Customizable Field Trips for Geography Education: How to Bring the Amazon Rainforest into the Classroom!?, Judith Josupeit
Virtual Reality (VR) was applied and evaluated by pupils in a 9th-grade geography class for an immersive, interactive field trip to the Amazon rainforest. Along YouTube 360°Videos, custom-developed apps were programmed using Unity to achieve a good fit with the overall learning objectives.
Introducing ELEVATE: A Project That Enhances Safety Training Through Real 360° Video and Virtual Reality, Re-an Muller
ELEVATE is an immersive learning initiative that uses Virtual Reality combined with 360° video to enhance safety management training through realistic, scenario-based experiences. This presentation shares lessons learned from production, showcases Phase 1, and highlights student feedback on student perceptions and engagement.
ImagineBox: Immersive Classrooms that Spark Curiosity, Critical Thinking and Human Connection, Uri Ben Ari
This session presents ImagineBox, an immersive classroom environment that transforms learning spaces into interactive, experiential worlds, sparking curiosity, critical thinking, and deep understanding. Participants will explore how students feel fully “inside” the material, enhancing engagement and collaborative learning while supporting real-world educational outcomes.