I’m joined by Laura Piza, COO and Co-Founder of Reboot Imagine, and Jonathan Chavez, Co-founder, to unpack what it really takes to support VR at scale. t. For many educators and leaders, the real challenge begins after the headsets are purchased. Ensuring that virtual reality tools actually function smoothly and meaningfully when students walk into the classroom requires thoughtful planning and systems. Also check out their website, https://www.rebootimagine.com/

Today I’m joined by Jay Schnoor, CEO of VEDX. Jay has worked closely with educators and immersive learning teams around the world, and in this episode we’re talking about what actually drives adoption—events, conversations, and the moments that move people from curiosity to action.

Today, we’re exploring the power of immersive storytelling and what it means to use VR not just to inform, but to help people truly care. I’m joined by two guests—Ryan D’Souza, a human rights advocate and immersive storytelling producer, and Thikran Mato, a Yazidi genocide survivor who has been deeply involved in bringing this work into schools. Together, we’ll unpack how experiences like Nobody’s Listening use VR to foster empathy, responsibility, and reflection around complex global issues—and what this means for educators thinking about VR for good.

To help us unpack this, I’m thrilled to be joined by Melinda Cuilty from New Mexico State University. Melinda brings firsthand experience moving VR beyond one-off pilots and into sustainable, campus-wide use, working closely with faculty, leadership, and students along the way.

Today I’m joined by Aaron Sorrels, founder and world creator of The Soapstone Comedy Club, to talk about the recent launch of Soapstone Comedy – Heckler’s Bay in Meta Horizon worlds. We’ll explore how this social VR space supports confidence, communication, and skill development for teens and young adults, and what educators can learn from its approach to safety, avatars, and learning transfer from virtual performance to real-world settings.  Check out https://www.soapstonecomedy.com/.

Joining me is Dwayne Melcher, CEO of Melcher Studios, the team behind the innovative VR Hub — a growing library of job-role simulations, safety modules, and career exploration experiences designed to help institutions deliver meaningful VR training at scale, including in remote or hard-to-reach communities.

In this episode, we’ll explore the story behind the VR Hub, why so many organizations struggle to expand their VR use, and how Melcher Studios is creating solutions that make immersive learning more accessible and sustainable.

In today’s episode, we’re joined by Tyler Heaton, Research & Industry Liaison at Lethbridge Polytechnic. We’ll be talking about how to avoid the “shiny toy syndrome” when it comes to immersive technologies—ensuring that schools and institutions don’t just chase novelty, but instead focus on meaningful and sustainable integration. You can reach out to Tyler at Tyler.heaton@lethpolytech.ca or check out https://lethpolytech.ca/.

Europa Prime is a VR game set on one of Jupiter’s moons, where players uncover mysteries, restore systems, and engage in problem solving across a wide range of environments—from microbial labs to hydrothermal vents. It’s a project that blends science, storytelling, and immersive gameplay, offering learners a chance to engage with complex content in a way no textbook ever could.

In our conversation today, we’ll explore what it takes to build a game like Europa Prime, the challenges of balancing learning and fun.

Today we’re reconnecting with someone I first spoke to five years ago — back when his company was just getting started. In 2020, I had the pleasure of interviewing Christophe Mallet, co-founder of Bodyswaps, a pioneering platform using VR to help people practice and improve their soft skills.

At the time, Bodyswaps was at the beginning of its journey, experimenting with modules on active listening, clear communication, and inclusivity — and already pushing us to think differently about how immersive technology could transform learning.

Now, five years later, Bodyswaps has grown, the technology has evolved, and the field of immersive learning has shifted dramatically. In this episode, we’re going to dive into the lessons learnt along the way — the big decisions, the surprises, the challenges, and the future of soft-skills training in an age of AI-driven avatars and adaptive coaching.

Our guest is Beck Stewart, a PhD researcher at the University of South Australia and an affiliate member of the Australian Research Centre for Interactive and Virtual Environments. Beck has an interdisciplinary background in digital immersive media and education, and she recently co-authored a scoping review that looked at how immersive environments can support intergenerational engagement.

Today, we’ll unpack what her research found. 

Today we’re excited to have Professor Gary Burnett from Loughborough University back to the show. Gary was on the podcast in 2023. Gary’s research spans some of the most exciting—and challenging—frontiers in immersive education. We’ll dive into his work on using VR mazes to transform teamwork and leadership skills, explore his groundbreaking experiments with holographic lectures, and discuss the heavy lifting that’s still needed for widespread adoption of immersive tools in higher education.

In today’s episode, we’re honoured to welcome Dr. Kim Abel, Head of School at Optima Academy Online—one of the leading institutions pioneering fully immersive education.

We’ll be diving into what it takes to teach effectively in a virtual world, exploring how teacher competencies shift when the classroom is no longer bound by four walls. From managing student engagement and designing immersive lessons to training educators, Kim brings a wealth of insight into the evolving role of the virtual educator.

In today’s episode, we’re honored to welcome Michael Stauffer, CEO of Vizmoo, an innovative company using VR movement therapy to help neurodiverse individuals grow, heal, and thrive. Michael and his team are behind Groove Catcher Tx, a rhythm-based VR experience that blends music, dance, and visual engagement to support clients with Autism, ADHD, and more. To learn more check out https://www.vizmoo.com/.

In today’s episode, we’re honored to welcome Diana Njeri, Associate Director of the Africa VR Campus and Center, and Paul Waiyaki, CEO of the Africa VR Campus. Their work is a shining example of how purposeful technology can empower youth, especially young women in rural Kenya, to imagine—and build—a future beyond the limitations they’ve inherited.  

From helping students create digital twins of mushroom farms to designing and hosting events in virtual worlds, Diana and Paul are not only teaching tech—they are unlocking potential. But as we’ll hear, their journey hasn’t been easy. 

Today, we dive into what it takes to build an immersive learning ecosystem where none existed before, and how VR Africa is reimagining education—one VR headset, one learner, at a time.

Today’s episode is a little different—in the best way. We're diving into a timely and important conversation about the role of 3DOF versus 6DOF headsets in education. It’s a topic that often sparks strong opinions, and we’re thrilled to have someone who brings a fresh, thoughtful, and even contrarian perspective to the table.

Joining me is Dave Dolan, CEO of Sensible VR and a lifelong educator who has been deeply focused on issues of attention, accessibility, and equity in immersive learning. While I’ve long championed the potential of 6DOF for deep engagement and interaction, Dave challenges us to consider whether simplicity, scalability, and practicality,hallmarks of 3DOF,might in fact be better suited for real-world classrooms.

We’re thrilled to welcome back Adrian Moise, CEO of Aequilibrium. Adrian and his team continue to push the boundaries of immersive learning, and today we’re diving into one of their most promising projects yet—a collaboration with the University of Ottawa to design and deploy a VR classroom simulator that’s changing how we train teachers. Check out Adrian's company at https://aequilibrium.com/.

Our guest is Michael Avis, a passionate educator, thought leader, and ambassador for Bodyswaps, who’s making waves in the world of immersive learning. Michael’s work focuses on bringing high-impact virtual reality experiences to schools and marginalized communities—ensuring that students who are often left out of the tech revolution are instead leading it.  Check out Michaels company at https://home.tapvigo.com/

Today’s guests are Dr. Jason Rogers, Head of School for Rundle College Society, and John Wolf, Principal of Rundle Studio. These visionary leaders are reimagining education through the lens of immersive technology, pioneering the use of virtual reality to support students with diverse and complex learning needs.

At Rundle Studio—an innovative online school for grades 7–12 students with diagnosed learning disabilities, ADHD, ASD, anxiety, or gifted learning profiles—Jason and John are championing a bold new model. By integrating VR and immersive environments into their pedagogy, they’re not only boosting engagement but helping students grasp abstract concepts in ways that traditional classrooms often can’t.

Their work is reshaping what inclusive, personalized education can look like in a digital age—and setting a powerful example for schools everywhere.

Today’s guest is Andrew Sedillo, Executive Director of Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships at NMSU Global Campus. Andrew is a forward-thinking instructional design leader who’s redefining how we teach and learn using VR, AI, and microlearning. From crafting immersive, learner-centered courses to empowering educators with practical, hands-on VR design strategies, his work is shaping the future of education in the metaverse.

Want to go deeper? Listeners can access Andrew’s course on designing instructional experiences in the metaverse and get $50 off with this code: VREDU2025 🔗 Course Link

Chris shares EngageXR’s journey from its roots in education to its current role as a Swiss army knife for virtual collaboration. We discuss intuitive design tools, AI-driven avatars, cultural storytelling in VR, and new features like the Logitech MX Ink pen and the Drawpad system—game-changers for educators looking to enhance student interaction.

Whether you’re new to VR or already building virtual worlds, this episode offers insight, inspiration, and practical tips from one of the field’s most respected voices.

First, we explore the capabilities of non-avatar AI platforms like School AI and AI Tutor Pro, highlighting their strengths and limitations. These platforms offer various options for creating engaging learning experiences and supporting students, but they lack the immersive quality of AI avatars.

Next, we dive deep into the Victory XR platform, which allows educators to create 3D human representations within a virtual world. The discussion covers the setup process, the current limitations, and the exciting future possibilities of contextually relevant 3D environments.

The episode also examines another platform, EngageVR, which offers famous historical figures as AI avatars in contextually relevant VR spaces. The benefits and drawbacks of AI avatars are discussed, emphasizing the importance of human teachers in the learning process.

Finally, we reflect on the potential of AI avatars to personalize learning and provide varied practice opportunities. The episode concludes with recommendations for further exploration of AI avatars in education through insightful podcasts and resources.

Don't miss this deep dive into the future of AI in teaching and learning!

In this episode, Shawnee discusses fascinating research studies on VR's impact on pro-social and environmental behavior, including a unique experiment involving avatars and coal-eating. She also sheds light on her current work at SkillsVR, explaining the immersive learning journey they offer, from initial implementation to full-scale adoption across large organizations.

Shawnee talks about the challenges and strategies in content creation for VR, including the innovative Content Creation Kit (CCK) that SkillsVR provides to help organizations build their own VR training content. She also touches upon her TEDx talk on using VR to cultivate empathy and the importance of carefully designing VR experiences to achieve positive outcomes.

Tune in to learn more about the potential of VR in education, the importance of empathy in training, and practical tips for educators and organizations looking to explore VR for learning.

Anita discusses the importance of using 3D models in teaching and learning, emphasizing how mediums like Play-Doh and Lego bricks can enhance students' understanding of spatial relationships and engage multiple senses. She also highlights the advantages of VR tools like Gravity Sketch, which allow educators and students to create immersive, hands-on learning experiences.

Throughout the episode, Anita provides valuable insights on how teachers can incorporate 3D modeling and virtual worlds into their curriculum, offering practical tips and creative ideas. She also touches on the potential of AI tools in simplifying the creation of 3D models and the importance of fostering emotional connections in the learning process.

Join us for this fascinating conversation and discover how VR and 3D modeling can transform education, making learning more interactive, engaging, and impactful.

• Email: info@vfc-vr.org
• Website: https://vfc-vr.org
• LinkedIn: Vehicles for Change VR https://www.linkedin.com/company/vfc-vr/
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• Facebook: Vehicles for Change VR https://www.facebook.com/vehiclesforchangevr/
• Geoff’s Calendly Link: https://calendly.com/gcrawford-xze/30min

You can get ahold of Freedom through email at freedom@inventxr.com.