Windows Mixed Reality: An Evolution for Education

Megalith

Megalith

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Aside from new Surface hardware and Windows 10 S, Microsoft also had a little bit to share today on Windows Mixed Reality and how this technology could be integrated into classrooms as a more immersive approach to teaching and learning. While this doesn’t seem like the worst idea, how many school districts can actually afford to get all of these headsets and other devices required to run them? Thanks to Kyle for this one.

Today, we announced a new strategic partnership with Pearson, one of the largest education companies in the world, who is working to integrate 3D and mixed reality into their secondary and university level curriculum. By the school year 2018, Pearson will offer curriculum in health, commerce, history, and STEM, on all Windows Mixed Reality devices. In addition, we announced a new feature coming to Windows 10 this fall, called View Mixed Reality. This feature allows you to see 3D content through your screen into the real world as mixed reality, using a simple RGB camera.
 
Some will spend the money even if they really can't afford it. There are various reasons why schools spend money on this kind of thing, not all for the reasons you would expect. Sometimes it is special grant money. There really is a digital tech craze in some schools.
Megalith said:
While this doesn’t seem like the worst idea, how many school districts can actually afford to get all of these headsets and other devices required to run them?
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" when communicating with students i always wished i had a 3D shalkboard "
if that doesn't sell it nothing will, even the 3000$ price tag.
 
hah.

I laugh not because that's not an awesome concept. But because schools wont' be able to afford a pair. Grant money is the only option.
 
AR is cool and all... and perhaps it will be the future in 10+ years from now, perhaps not. However considering they are having their lunch eaten right now, I would think they should pay more attention to the lower end of the hardware spectrum. I'm not convinced their windows store version of their OS is going to really make any new inroads or save them any current business in the education market. They really should have went after that market harder then this. Even if it meant they had to create their own $189 machine... instead of trotting out a $1050 ($999 till the end of the year) laptop with netbook specs and Apple pricing.
 
Wonder how many of these features require an Always On internet connection? And what are the LAN and Internet bandwidth requirements? For that matter what are the power requirements? Most K-12 classrooms aren't noted for a abundance of power plugs. Even things with batteries have to be plugged in somewhere at some point.

Things like these sound cool but many schools would have to spend a lot of money just to improve the building infrastructure to use this stuff.
 
hololens is $3000. At that price point it's a non-starter for most people. For the same price you can get 5-6 vives. For education, AR doesn't really make more sense than VR.
 
Dead Parrot said:
Wonder how many of these features require an Always On internet connection? And what are the LAN and Internet bandwidth requirements? For that matter what are the power requirements? Most K-12 classrooms aren't noted for a abundance of power plugs. Even things with batteries have to be plugged in somewhere at some point.

Things like these sound cool but many schools would have to spend a lot of money just to improve the building infrastructure to use this stuff.
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Agreed, although I think this is more university level, public or private. I look at our schools and see deteriorating classrooms, no technology classes and pbx systems running the phones. They ain't gettin' even ONE hololens let alone a full classroom worth. It's niche.
 
It depends on how grant money is listed out

If you actually get involved with the local schools on a board level you'll see them spend money on tons of things that you'll be like why, we still need X Y Z things. Most grants have requirements, and some have VERY specific requirements about how it's spent.

We had to start leaving every other bulb out of the lights in the hallways a few years ago but still managed to get like 3 dozen new PC's for the tech center. Politics and grant restrictions lol, too bad most people are too stupid to realize how they work and they just clog up public meetings with crying about things they don't understand to the people that can't change the rules
 
The more I see of AR (and having tested the hololens last month) the more I get excited for it. AR is inviting and fun, where VR is cold and for a 'select few'.
 
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