How can XR technology be used to serve the Lord? We don't know the answer but we know how to find it: ask the kids!
"XR" (extended reality) includes VR (virtual reality), AR (augmented reality) and MR (mixed reality). [google "XR VR AR MR what's the difference?"]
During the current school year, the Christ in Media Institute at Bethany Lutheran College has invited high schools, both Lutheran and public, as well as our fellowship colleges, to explore the potential in XR technology for education and outreach. For Christian schools, "outreach" means creating and delivering effective Gospel messages using XR. Participating involves two stages: the Project and the Festival.
The Project:
In this fall semester of 2019, schools are forming teams of interested students. Together, they are working to learn all they can about XR technology in general. Then they will select one narrower aspect of XR (VR, AR, MR) to explore in depth, and finally, they will create either a description or a demonstration of a way to use their chosen aspect of XR for either education or outreach.
While this at first seems like a Project for "geeks" or "techies," we are emphasizing that it is not. Students interested in any subjects should be interested in XR. Designing a virtual tour of the Tabernacle, or creating an immersive children's story, or conducting a virtual hymn-sing (to imagine a few ideas) requires imagination, research, and creativity. It's the ideas of those students we are looking forward to seeing at the Festival.
The Festival:
As an incentive to encourage participation, each school that registers is receiving a free Oculus-GO standalone Virtual Reality headset. Generous donors have also made funding available to assist school teams, especially those at a distance from Mankato, to travel to the Festival.
In addition to the school showcases, the Festival will feature other events, including XR demonstrations by ByteSpeed (our corporate partner), workshops, fellowship, worship, a demo by Bethany's varsity E-Sports Team, and two outstanding keynote speakers.
Christine Lion-Bailey
Expert in emergent XR technology and its impact on learners, Christine Lion-Bailey has promoted AR and VR in her own "Certified Future-Ready" New Jersey school district and in local, national, and international conferences. A Google-for-Education certified innovator, a BrainPop certified educator, and adjunct professor of educational technology at Ramapo College of New Jersey, she is Chief Strategy Officer for Ready Learner One LLC, providing educational solutions with emergent technology for educators in K-12 and higher ed. Her new book, Ready Learner One: Harnessing the Power of AR & VR in the Classroom, is due out in January 2020. Prof. Lion-Bailey says, "By leveraging VR, educators can expose students to the world far beyond the walls of their communities, make international connections that build empathy and awareness, and foster informed and motivated global citizens who will someday become global decision makers."
At various times during the Festival, individual consultations can be scheduled with Christine Lion-Bailey.
Brian Klebig
The cost of attending the Festival is low; a Festival registration fee of $30/person covers four meals and all materials. Festival registration will open early in 2020.
For more information, contact Dr. Tom Kuster.
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Discussion
This seems like a brilliant idea for Bethany to look into how modern technology can be used to further God’s work. I think there is a potential for many bright minds to come up with useful ways that we can utilize this newer technology.
With all the support from the professionals helping out and the young minds that will be brainstorming, some good ideas are bound to come out of this festival. How much do you think these ideas could be used in education and outreach. Do you think it will only be used in school classrooms? Could it possibly go further to bible studies or even church services?
Thank you for your information about this potentially new evangelism method.
A first step into a VR-like experience can be very inexpensive. These are the "360 degree videos." A 360 degree video is essentially a movie made by somebody that you can watch looking around front-side-back of you while it's playing. These require that you find the site on your cell phone and then slip the cell phone into the headset. Headsets to watch these are not expensive. I've found one at a thrift store for $2.50. There are cheap headsets like this advertised online at WalMart for under $5 and even a sample "silicone VR headset that you clip to your Smartphone and launch a virtual reality app to dive into a virtual world in just a few seconds" for $1.80.
These 360 degree video experiences are fun and valuable but not quite full true VR, which enables you to move around in the virtual space and interact with things there. Prices for those headsets are higher but coming down. The Oculus GO is a full stand-alone (no computer connection needed) immersive VR headset for only $200. This is the one offered free as an incentive for schools to get involved in the XT project and festival.
Here is the NYTimes "VR" site which shows 360 movies.
https://www.nytimes.com/video/360-video
Here is the YouTube site that you get when you search on YouTube for "christian vr":
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=christian+vr+videos
The next is closer to true immersive VR because it lets you move around in the virtual world:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/348250/Google_Earth_VR/
That's a start.
Thank you for sharing your ideas and plans for reaching more people with a popular trend of videos. I am excited to hear about the outcomes of your festival and see how it can be implemented in our parochial schools!
With you plans, what age groups are you hoping to reach? Will it be applicable to Elementary, Middle, and High school age students or just some of these?
God’s richest blessing as you continue to work on a new method of evangelism!
Dr Kuster,
I would've never thought that these new VR technologies would be available for a christian use. The project and festival you are offering sounds fascinating to me, and I would love to assist if possible. Nowadays where technology is taking over and these VR devices are being frequently used, it is important for christians to adapt and create new ways to share the message of the Gospel with the masses.
After reading your article, I had a couple questions. Is this the first time you have provided this festival at your current college? Do you agree that although anyone can participate, it would be better if the people that do have a profound background knowledge in order to provide a better product? And, do you plan to merchandise these concepts in the near future?
Thank you for your contribution to the conference.
Your presentation on the use of XR was informative and opened the door to a whole new area of evangelism. The event you have planned at Bethany was also very intriguing.
One question I had was if you see this technology catching on in congregations. I know that many churches, including my own, are very traditional and opposed to technology. Would XR be a way to open up their minds to the endless possibilities that technology provides for our ministry?
Thank you for writing this article for the conference. It sure is an enlightening discussion!