CEO William Jackson, M.Ed. – My Quest To Teach & MetaverseWP
World Metaverse Council Education
Nelson Mandela
“No country can really develop unless its citizens are educated.”
African students have an opportunity to learn African history as never before.
Education is in danger of being left behind and students denied access to
Web 3/4/5 tools, platforms, and apps. The current educational formats becoming
extinct with “chalk and talk” mentalities. Millions of teachers across Africa alone still
do not have access to Smartboards, digital integrated tools to interact with students
and lack professional develop to integrate dynamic tools. Access to instructional
programs that focus on Africa are available.
Resources like
Meta Meta Club
https://www.linkedin.com/company/metametaclub/ and Kenya NFT Club
https://www.linkedin.com/company/kenyan-nft-club/ and other resources are growing.
African education must evolve or run the risk of irrelevancy, Immersive Environments
can be key to grabbing the attention of students across all grade levels. When the
learner can see and experience 360 degrees of learning, engagement, involvement
where everyone is engaged in the diverse environments and immersed in the learning,
allowing the learner to take ownership of their learning is a powerful thing.
Students engaged in STEAM+M, AI, VR, AR, and other immersive education can be asynchronous and synchronous learning that meets the needs of the students and
increases the opportunity to make learning connections even when instruction is
over in the school, student knowledge follows them to real world experiences.
Video resources of the past are still needed like African created Bino and Fino https://www.youtube.com/@BinoandFino
that covers a major content area of learning for youth and children.
Learning continues outside of the classroom when students can apply what they learned
in the digital and immersive classrooms and schools. Unfortunately, students openly
question why they have to learn curriculums that are repetition, confusing and frustrating because they see no reason to learn what they are being taught. ICT instruction is falling
behind global reach and does not even address the Sustainable Development Goals of
the United Nations.
Gender, accessibility issues, learning levels, can be addressed with the correct strategy
implementation of action items to have students to learn, to be creative and involved in discovery and exploration.
STEAM and CTE teachers have flexibility to work in multiple learning solutions to grow and
gain knowledge that “regular” classrooms are not doing. As Certified VR and STEAM+M Educators, we see the value of what can promote learning, retention of content and growth
in creativity and innovation. The use of immersive learning can promote imagination, that normally is not encouraged in schools.
CTE (Career Technology Education), STEM (Science Technology Engineering Math),
STEAM (Science Technology Engineering Arts Math), and STEAM+M (Science Technology Engineering Arts Math Metaverse). These are the now of educational pivots along with ICT programs.
History can be alive and vibrant on VR platforms on the Metaverse, the current climate of
African History and denial of accurate and factual information is being hid behind the scope
of colonialism and a alternate visions of African truth. Using the Metaverse to promote books
to encourage reading is a plus. Metaverse sites can be a conduit for positive learning and culture pride, using experiences to share the achievements of Africans in literature, science, exploration, and engagement. African universities should be building “Digital Twins.”
Digital Twins are metaverse environments and IRL (In Real Life) are being created now.
The age of blended learning, cross-curricular education, immersive education, and virtual learning are now happening. Using immersive platforms that are designed to be engaging,
they are designed to promote a change in thinking for African students.
Schools that open up and make available immersive classrooms are seeing learning in
virtual reality changing the mindset of students. It enables students and teachers to be
together on a simulated campus that is planned, coordinated, and maintained in a group
and collaborative setting so students can learn-by-doing.
Nelson Mandela
“Education is the great engine of personal development. It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor, that the son of a mine worker can become the head of the mine, that a child of farm workers can become the president of a great nation.
It is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person
from another.”
Using the Science Technology Engineering Arts Math Metaverse model students are
involved in projects, not just watching old videos, or watching someone else having fun
or building things. They are the creatives, the innovators, the engineers, and scientists.
The term “representation matters,” is a powerful term that allows students to see themselves
in learning, cross curriculum engagement and future careers where learning can take them.
The growing term of “Metaversities” means that utilizing VR labs and classrooms on digital
twin replica campuses, better known as “Metaversities.”
The statement that “Students should have the opportunity to learn in both worlds: real and virtual. Utilizing Web conference tools like Zoom has very limited possibilities, while going to school in a brick-and-mortar classroom is not possible for all students. The immersive VR classroom solves these problems,” said Steve Grubbs.
The implementing of VR in schools in Africa is flexible because of the use of desktops,
laptops, tablets and even cell phones can be used. Many schools are exploring when
monies will be allocated to update the student access to tech, the next level is VR headsets
like the Oculus by META.
Equipping Students for Global Success to succeed in today’s competitive and digital job markets, where African students need essential skills like critical thinking, problem-solving,
and adaptability from in-person to virtual learning. Immersive learning experiences help these skills by promoting engaging, hands-on learning. African students can pursue diverse career paths, driving economic growth and prosperity across the continent if their skills are relevant to
industry and business needs of today. Immersive learning is happening globally and African
governments need to be willing to spend monies to help education across the continent. If
African children do not receive the necessary education, foreign governments will not hire
African workers and will continue to bring in foreign workers to take African technical jobs.
African governments should be teaching:
– Tech languages by creating immersive environments that expose students to authentic
speech and culture and allow them to practice their speaking and listening skills in realistic situations.
– Teach life skills by creating immersive games and simulations that teach students about
topics such as health, safety, finance, entrepreneurship, or citizenship.
– Teach STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) by creating simulations and experiments that allow students to explore concepts and phenomena
hands-on.
– Teach AI, VR, MR, Metaverse to allow students to see what others are learning and how
to apply these platforms in business and entrepreneurialism.
– Teach the blending of platforms on social media to social engagement and social pivots
of where tech is going for girls and boys.
– Teach diversity in education that empowers girls and allows for creativity and innovation.
– Teach leadership and collaboration skills.
Tech is here to stay and adapting to new areas of continental growth and achievements.
Nelson Mandela
“Young people must take it upon themselves to ensure that they receive the highest
education possible so that they can represent us well in future as future leaders.”