Welcome back to the 9th episode of The Eduverse Enigma Podcast. This week's special guest is Craig Frehlich, a VR consultant teaching at the Mulgrave School. This episode we’ll be diving into education in the 21st century, The latest VR and AI technologies, and how robot teachers are taking over. You won't want to miss it!

About Craig:

Craig Frehlich is an education expert with a passion for immersive technologies and a knack for designing engaging learning experiences. With over 25 years of experience in education, Craig brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the table. Armed with a Masters Degree in Education, specializing in curriculum design, he has dedicated his career to revolutionizing the way we learn.

As an educational consultant and sought-after speaker, Craig's focus areas include inquiry-based learning, design thinking, and the integration of technology in education. He believes in the power of contextual and conceptual thinking to create transformative learning journeys, particularly in the realm of virtual reality (VR). Craig is an advocate for leveraging VR's potential to offer awe-inspiring and magical experiences that captivate learners and facilitate deep introspection.

With a strong background as a VR Consultant, Instructional Design Expert for 3D Virtual Worlds, and Technology Integration Specialist, Craig is well-versed in the intricacies of this rapidly evolving field. Always on the lookout for consulting opportunities, he is open to working in the VR industry, helping organizations unlock the ultimate potential of VR as a powerful learning tool.

In addition to his extensive work in education and immersive technologies, Craig Frehlich is also a seasoned podcaster. As the host of the podcast "VR in Education," he shares valuable tips and delves into various topics related to utilizing immersive Virtual Reality in the classroom.

Craig goes beyond theory and conceptualization; he walks the talk by offering workshops for schools and educational institutions, enabling them to grasp the transformative power of VR. By designing and implementing cutting-edge learning experiences, he empowers learners to reflect, ruminate, and truly immerse themselves in a world of knowledge.

Passionate about making learning engaging and impactful, Craig firmly believes that the stage must be set with contextual and conceptual underpinnings. He champions the idea that true learning occurs when individuals can connect with the subject matter on a deeper level. Through his expertise, Craig guides educational institutions in harnessing the potential of VR to reshape the way knowledge is acquired and understood.

Links from the episode: 

Craig's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigfrehlich/?originalSubdomain=ca

Craig's Podcast: https://cfrehlich.podbean.com/

Welcome back to the 8th episode of The Eduverse Enigma podcast. This week we are chatting with XpertVR’s newest partner, Robb Hartlen, a retired officer and the founder of Overwatch Specialty Service. This episode we’ll be diving into law enforcement and police training, VR technology and how it's impacting learning, and a daily dose of Star Wars interesting facts. You won't want to miss it!

About Robb:

Robb Hartlen is an ex-police officer and the founder/CEO of Overwatch Specialty Service (OSS), an esteemed company specializing in security solutions and law enforcement training. Under his leadership, OSS has garnered a reputation for delivering top-notch services and equipping organizations with the necessary tools and services to mitigate risks effectively.

Throughout his career, Robb has displayed a deep passion for promoting safety and equipping security professionals with the skills they need to excel in their roles. He has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to staying at the forefront of industry advancements, constantly seeking innovative solutions to address the evolving challenges faced by security personnel.

In addition to his role as the founder and CEO of Overwatch Specialty Service (OSS), Robb Hartlen brings a wealth of firsthand experience in law enforcement to his current endeavours. Prior to his entrepreneurial journey, Robb served as a dedicated police officer, dedicating his career to maintaining public safety and upholding the law. Drawing on his extensive knowledge and practical expertise, Robb has transitioned into the role of a police foundations instructor at Eastern College, where he imparts his valuable insights to aspiring law enforcement students. 

Robb Hartlen's dedication to advancing the security industry extends beyond his role at OSS. He actively engages with industry professionals and participates in collaborative initiatives to share knowledge and drive positive change. Through his contributions and thought leadership, Robb continues to shape the future of security training and methodologies.

With his visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to excellence, Robb Hartlen has positioned himself as a respected figure in the security industry. His passion for empowering security professionals and enhancing safety measures has earned him a well-deserved reputation as a driving force behind innovative security solutions.

Links from the episode: 

Robb's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robb-hartlen-b8217020/?originalSubdomain=ca

Overwatch Specialty Service (OSS) Website: https://osscentre.com/

OSS on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OSScentre

Welcome back to the 7th episode Eduverse Enigma podcast. For the first time in-person, this week we are chatting with special guest Mohi Sanisel, The programs manager at The DMZ. This episode we’ll be diving into entrepreneurship, the startup journey, educational accessibility around the world, and how AI technology is changing the game. You wont want to miss it!

About Mohi:

Mohi was born in the early ’90s, during the emergence of the World Wide Web, Windows 3.0, and Photoshop. Growing up as the child of a computer programmer, he spent his formative years exploring the digital world through the black screen of MS-DOS, reading PCMag, and writing QBasic and FoxPro codes to satisfy his curiosity.

At the age of 12, Mohi designed a website for a travel agency, earning his first dollar and igniting a passion for entrepreneurship. Three years later, he received an award from M. Khatami, the former president of Iran, for creating a comprehensive tourism website. Mohi continued to work with various companies, saving funds for his own ventures.

Eventually, Mohi landed the position of CTO at one of Iran's top 10 web hosting companies. However, his desire to create a lasting impact by combining his passions and skills led him to resign and launch 2nate, a crowdfunding platform. Through 2nate, Mohi helped tens of thousands of people secure a better future and discovered his life's mission: to achieve prosperity by empowering others to lead better lives through the use of technology.

Mohi has since devoted his life to working in various capacities within the startup ecosystem. His dedication to supporting entrepreneurs ultimately led him to his current position as Programs Manager at The DMZ, the largest tech incubator in Canada. Here, Mohi continues to channel his passion for innovation and helps pave the way for future generations of tech-savvy leaders.

Links from the episode:

Mohi’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanisel/?originalSubdomain=ca

Personal Website: https://sanisel.com/

The DMZ: https://dmz.torontomu.ca/

Welcome back to the Eduverse Enigma podcast. This week we are chatting with XpertVR’s very own, David stark, head of sales and marketing manager Marvin Del Mundo. This episode we’ll be diving into a variety of AI tools used by the team, AI within the education system, and the overall impact of technology and where its headed in the future!

About Dave:

Dave is an outgoing and enthusiastic leader with a passion for sports and entrepreneurship. A competitive athlete himself, he is committed to sharing the business and life experiences of guests on The Athletes Podcast to educate and inspire the next generation of athletes. He also has a strong dedication to empowering female athletes and is currently collaborating with Cook Stark Management to help some of the world's best female athletes reach their full potential.

Born and raised in White Rock, British Columbia, Dave graduated with Honours from the prestigious Sport Management program at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario. His passion for sports led him to gain valuable experience through internships with the Corvallis Knights and as an intern at the Buffalo Canoe Club. After graduation, Dave began his professional career at the Buffalo Canoe Club, where he excelled as a manager and was quickly promoted due to his leadership, decision-making skills, and ability to foster strong relationships. He later joined Clearco (formerly Clearbanc) in 2021, where he acquired invaluable sales skills before embarking on a new journey in 2023 to redefine training and education as part of the XpertVR team, utilizing virtual reality eLearning to revolutionize the way firefighters, police officers, and students preparing for these roles are educated.

About Marvin:

Marvin Del Mundo is the Content Marketing Manager at XpertVR, a virtual reality eLearning company based in the Greater Toronto Area, Canada. He recently graduated from Toronto Metropolitan University with hounors, and majored in marketing management. He has gained experience as an intern and Product Marketer at XpertVR during the summer of 2022. In his current role, Marvin is responsible for generating leads, handling the company’s social media pressence, leading the marketing team in refining/posting content, and creating/editing content for a wide range of B2B channels.

Marvin is a strong advocate for celebrating the creative arts and expresses himself through his own poetry which he shares on his social media accounts. His role as Content Marketing Manager at XpertVR allows him to use his knowledge and experience to help share XpertVR’s mission to redefine training and education for firefighters, police officers, and students preparing for these roles through virtual reality eLearning curriculum. Marvin is dedicated to staying up-to-date with the latest marketing trends and technologies, and he continuously strives to deliver innovative marketing strategies to help XpertVR achieve its business goals.

XpertVR’s List of AI Tools:

https://openai.com/

https://agentgpt.reworkd.ai/

https://www.midjourney.com/

https://podcast.ai/

https://podcast.adobe.com/

https://vidyo.ai/

https://www.descript.com/

Dave’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-stark-7131b7103/

Marvin’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marvin-del-mundo-7a2663200/

Welcome back to the Eduverse Enigma podcast. This week we are chatting with special guests Angeline King and Michele O’Brien, the Indigenous studies coordinator at Georgian College. In this episode we’ll be diving into the Indigenous culture and language, VR tools for language preservation, and the importance of experiential learning, especially for indigenous learners.

Michele O'Brien is an esteemed educator and cultural leader with a deep commitment to Indigenous studies and education. As the Indigenous Studies Coordinator at Georgian College, Michele has been instrumental in connecting with students through innovative approaches, including virtual reality (VR) technology.

With a wealth of experience in Indigenous education and leadership, Michele has created meaningful and inclusive learning experiences for students. Her passion for Indigenous culture, history, and traditions shines through in her teaching as she seeks to preserve and promote Indigenous heritage while fostering understanding and respect among students of all backgrounds.

Michele's use of VR technology in Indigenous studies has been groundbreaking, allowing students to immerse themselves in Indigenous cultures, histories, and perspectives uniquely and engagingly. Her innovative approach has been well-received by students, providing them with a dynamic and interactive learning experience that goes beyond traditional classroom settings.

Beyond her work as an educator, Michele is deeply involved in advocating for Indigenous rights and promoting cultural preservation. She is dedicated to empowering Indigenous communities, promoting inclusivity, and fostering meaningful connections between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. Michele's leadership and expertise in Indigenous studies have significantly impacted the educational experiences of students and the broader community.

Michele's contributions as an Indigenous studies coordinator, educator, and cultural leader have been widely recognized, and her efforts in utilizing VR technology to enhance Indigenous education have been groundbreaking. Her commitment to promoting Indigenous culture, history, and inclusivity in education continues to make a positive impact. She is regarded as a respected and influential figure in the field of Indigenous studies.

Here's the bio for Angeline:

Angeline King is a highly esteemed faculty member at Georgian College, known for her expertise in Indigenous language education and her innovative use of virtual reality to enhance student learning experiences. With a deep passion for Indigenous language revitalization and cultural preservation, Angeline has been a driving force in bringing virtual reality technology into the classroom to facilitate language learning.

As a dedicated educator, Angeline has been instrumental in creating immersive and engaging learning environments for students by incorporating virtual reality technology into her curriculum. Her innovative approach has not only made language learning more accessible and enjoyable for students but has also been recognized for its effectiveness in revitalizing Indigenous languages.

Angeline's commitment to Indigenous language revitalization and cultural preservation goes beyond the classroom. She actively engages with Indigenous communities and collaborates with Elders, knowledge keepers, and language speakers to ensure that Indigenous languages are preserved, respected, and passed on to future generations.

Angeline King is a passionate and committed educator recognized for her exceptional contributions to Indigenous language revitalization and cultural preservation through her innovative use of virtual reality technology. Her work inspires students, colleagues, and Indigenous communities alike, and she is regarded as a respected leader in her field.

Michael's Bio:

Michael has been involved in the educational field for over twenty years and has taught at the primary, secondary, college, and university levels both domestically and internationally. He is an avid learner and is constantly looking to explore innovative teaching methodologies. Michael's passion for community, education, equity, and technology has led him to work towards creating authentic and meaningful connections between learners. 

It is with this vision that he started his own venture, Tapvigo Solutions. Tapvigo offers innovative communications solutions by connecting the digital and the physical. The company delivers sustainable marketing, on-demand training, and other creative solutions content directly to smartphones through contactless technology. It additionally offers industry-leading Extended Reality (VR/XR/AR) consulting with a humanistic lens to educational institutions and private corporations. 

Michael was also the co-creator of the Let's Talk About Race Virtual Reality simulation with Bodyswaps Immersive Soft Skills, and with it, seeks to provide impactful practice on how to talk about equity and race.

Links from the episode:

Michael's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-avis/

Tapvigo's Website - https://tapvigo.com/

Let's Talk About Race Simulation - https://bodyswaps.co/soft-skills-training-in-vr/lets-talk-about-race/

A few show notes/key points from our good friend Supernormal.ai:

The use of technology in the classroom can help engage students in different ways.

Universal design for learning can help students who don't necessarily want to write an essay or are not good at writing show what they have learned.

The importance of taking risks and failing in order to learn and innovate

The challenge of selling XR/VR to higher-ups who are not in the classroom every day

The market will start to push the education system forward in terms of XR adoption and implementation.

Industry leaders are beginning to see the value in XR for training and development purposes.

The potential for VR to have a major impact on education in the next 5-10 years

The need for VR to be accessible to everyone, not just a select few

The importance of including diverse voices in the development of VR technology and content.

The need for businesses to pay attention to the ways that avatars are presented and created, in order to ensure that everyone is represented accurately and fairly.

The importance of education in promoting and convincing people of the value of immersive technology.

The importance of having a diverse range of voices within an organization to challenge assumptions and help make better decisions.

Carrie Purcell is an experienced educator, technology enthusiast, and metaverse expert. She co-founded Adatpika, an award-winning VR gaming company that creates virtual worlds and experiences, and speaks and writes broadly about XR. Carrie is also the host of The Meta-Versed podcast and the founder of InsightResearch.tech, where her team stays current on emerging technologies R&D.  Currently, Carrie is the VP, Digital & Games at Relish Studios, where she leads teams in immersive games, apps, and interactive storytelling. She is a collaborative and forward-thinking leader who is passionate about helping educators leverage technology to create engaging and effective learning experiences for students.  In addition to her work in the technology industry, Carrie is the Global Leader's Organization Toronto Chapter Chair, connecting entrepreneurs and business leaders across the city. She has been awarded the Outstanding Leadership and Top Visionaries awards from the Education 2.0 Committee.  Carrie holds a Master's degree from the University of Toronto and is an EMBA Candidate with Quantic School of Business and Technology, where she specializes in Blockchain and Entrepreneurship. She loves to stay active in higher education by lecturing and applying research to the class, and testing innovative technologies through teaching classes in the metaverse, on clubhouse, in game environments, and on occasion, in person as well! Carrie's diverse experience and expertise make her a respected and sought-after leader in the education and technology industries.

https://startup.club/ https://www.clubhouse.com/club/startupclub https://reli.sh/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/carrie-purcell-/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/relish-studios/

The Lindenwood Virtual Reality database: https://lindenwood.libguides.com/c.php?g=1117609&p=8266165

Lindenwood's Introduction to Immersive Realities for Educators: https://www.lindenwood.edu/files/resources/ir-for-educators-6-18-21.pdf