AI and immersive learning showcased to international education delegation

Sunderland College recently welcomed a delegation of academics from China and Newcastle University to its Bede Campus to explore how artificial intelligence and immersive technologies are transforming education.

The visit formed part of a day focused on innovation in teaching and learning, with delegates first touring British Esports’ The Place campus – home to the college’s esports courses – before travelling to the British Arena and then on to Bede Campus for a programme of presentations, demonstrations and practical workshops.

The group was welcomed by Campus Principal Mike Chapman and introduced to the college’s Innovation Space, where they saw first-hand how virtual reality, AI and digital tools are being embedded into teaching and learning across the college.

Gerard Elder, Immersive Learning Lead said: “It was great to have our guests visit our college and for us to share the way we use immersive technologies in our teaching and learning.

“The most important thing that technology does, is make students want to learn and love learning, so that they look forward to it. It’s tremendous to share ideas and to build networks between ourselves and other institutions – anything we can do to harness the power of networking that shares our ways of teaching and that equally provides many opportunities for our students.”

Delegates took part in a series of practical sessions exploring topics such as how to develop independent thinkers in a digital age, a session in the Immersive Space, and demonstrations on how VR and AI can be used to support teaching, learning and skills development.

At the heart of the college’s Innovation Space is a a seven-metre, 360-degree immersive ‘Igloo’ featuring full wraparound wall and floor projection. The facility creates shared virtual learning environments for students studying subjects such as health and social care, engineering, construction, game design, and A-Levels, while supporting the delivery of digitally informed therapies for young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

The space also enables students to experience realistic workplace environments allowing them to virtually visit locations such as construction sites, factories, hospitals, sports stadiums and offshore wind farms, and strengthens local employer partnerships.

Keith Lawler, Digital Learning and Immersive Technologist at the college added:

“I think the event was highly successful and provided a valuable opportunity to showcase our expertise in the use of AI and immersive technologies within further education.

“It showed the innovative work taking place at our college with immersive classrooms and we were able to showcase the innovative approaches being developed and deployed across our institution.”

Guests included professors, lecturers across subjects such as Sociology, Language and Literature, Economics and Business Administration and Mathematics and Statistics.

Connie Zou, who attended the event on behalf of Newcastle University, said: “I’ve heard about the college from colleagues at the university, but it was my first time visiting today.

“During lectures, we learned about the applications, boundaries and risks of using AI in education and teaching. We also discussed different features that AI uses and, in our teaching, it’s insightful for us to see how we can train our students by using this technology.

“I feel positive about the approach of the use of AI in teaching – we train schoolteachers and I think AI will be useful in the process of their training and helping them to fill the gap in the pedagogy theories to the real practices.”

Dr Andy Ross, Curriculum Director for Digital and Future Technologies at Sunderland College also said: “I was pleased to welcome the Chinese delegation from Newcastle University to our campus. My session, ‘Higher Education in an AI-Enabled World’, looked at how AI is changing curriculum, teaching, assessment and the skills graduates will need, as well as how we are responding at EPNE to the challenges of this emerging technology.

“I believe there is so much value of exchanges like this and I look forward to continuing the conversation with Newcastle University and our colleagues in China.”