About the Event
Known as the Olympics of tech, Collision is the world’s largest and most influential tech conferences. From June 17 to June 20, more than 800 speakers, 1,400 journalists, 1,000 investors, 2,000 startups, and 300 partners from more than 140 countries gathered in Toronto, Canada to connect in person. This premier event gathered top industry leaders, innovative startups, tech enthusiasts, and media professionals to discuss the latest tech trends, share groundbreaking ideas, and foster valuable collaborations.
Participating in Collision's Startup Beta program, ibentos, with a significant presence in North America through their operations based in Canada and India, showcased the transformative power of immersive technologies to empower businesses in navigating today's rapidly evolving landscape. ibentos presence underscored pivotal discussions on industry shifts, digital strategies, and the transformative impact of immersive experiences across diverse sectors, setting new standards for technological innovation.
Insightful Session with Jaspinder Bhatia (Co-founder & CMO, ibentos)
In the ever-evolving landscape of educational technology, major institutions worldwide harnessed the potential of immersive experiences to revolutionize student experiences. This shift was crucial as today’s generation is growing up in an environment surrounded by digital technologies, where computers and the Internet are natural components of their lives. The advanced technology that made you feel like you were inside a different world or added digital elements to the real world around you reshaped how education worked.
During Collision on Thursday, June 20th, 2024, Jaspinder Bhatia, Co-founder & CMO of ibentos, led an insightful session titled "Engaging Digital Natives: The Power of Immersive Technology in Education," discussing how immersive technology can reshape education for the digital generation.
Engaging Digital Natives: The Power of Immersive Technology in Education
Unlocking the potential of immersive technology in education is not just a vision but a reality that is shaping the future of education. Jaspinder Bhatia, co-founder of ibentos, talked about how immersive experiences are revolutionizing the educational landscape, making it more interactive, accessible, and impactful for the next generation. Here's a breakdown of the essential topics covered in Jaspinder's thought-provoking session on immersive technology in the education industry.
Why Should Educational Institutions Explore New Ways for Learning and Engagement?
Exploring new avenues for learning and engagement is paramount in today's dynamic educational landscape, especially with the rise of Gen Z students who bring unique perspectives and preferences to the table. Traditional learning methods often fall short in capturing the attention and interest of this digitally savvy generation. Here are important statistics highlighting why educational institutions must adopt immersive tech to stay ahead:
- 85% of teenagers in the US engage in video gaming multiple times daily.
- Among them, 72% play games primarily to socialize and spend time with others.
Innovating and adopting new learning methods that align with Gen Z's tech-savviness and preference for interactive, personalized experiences is now more crucial than ever. By adopting metaverse learning, educational institutions can create more meaningful learning experiences, foster deeper engagement, attract more students and better prepare them for the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow's world.
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What are the Proven Results of Utilizing Immersive Technologies?
While discussing the proven results of using immersive technologies, Jaspinder divided their benefits into two key categories: how they benefit students directly and the advantages they bring to schools, encompassing both K-12 and Higher Ed institutions, including innovative approaches to Metaverse education and overall educational advancement.
For Students:
- Enhanced Engagement and Participation: Immersive technologies like, Metaverse in education cultivate higher levels of student engagement by fostering active participation in interactive experiences, sparking curiosity, and nurturing a culture of exploration within immersive environments.
- Improved Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking: Immersive scenarios in education foster the development of strong problem-solving skills and critical thinking abilities as students navigate complex challenges, encouraging them to experiment and develop innovative solutions.
- Deep Understanding and Retention: Students get hooked with immersive tech. It's like diving into a fun game, but with valuable lessons. This keeps them focused and helps them remember what they learn better.
- Personalized Experiences: Imagine learning at your own pace, focusing on what you need. Immersive tech does just that! It tailors the experience to each student's needs, making it more effective.
Below are some statistics highlighting the positive impact of immersive technologies on student engagement, retention, motivation, participation, and attendance.
- 85% of teachers say immersive tech helps students learn better.
- Students using immersive tech remember 30% more than those using traditional methods.
- 72% of students feel more excited to learn with immersive tech.
- Teachers notice 90% more student participation when using immersive tech.
- Schools using immersive tech see 25% fewer students missing classes.
For Schools (K-12 & Higher Education):
Immersive technologies have demonstrated tangible benefits across schools around the world.
- Reach: Virtual reality and augmented reality tools allow schools to reach a wider audience, including remote learners, international students, and those with physical disabilities, thereby expanding their reach and impact.
- Diversity and Inclusivity: Immersive technologies promote diversity and inclusivity by providing equal access to educational resources and experiences, regardless of geographical location, socioeconomic status, or physical abilities.
- Higher Engagement with Institutions: Students and parents perceive institutions utilizing immersive technologies as innovative and forward-thinking, leading to higher engagement, brand loyalty, and positive word-of-mouth recommendations.
- Low Bounce Rate in Websites: Immersive content on educational websites reduces bounce rates by offering interactive and engaging experiences that keep visitors on the site longer, leading to higher conversions and user satisfaction.
- Increase Revenue: Immersive technologies can contribute to increased revenue streams for schools through sponsored virtual events, partnerships with technology companies, licensing of educational content, and enhanced fundraising efforts.
Embracing immersive technologies not only transforms educational experiences but also opens doors to a world of possibilities, as evidenced by the following statistics:
- Upto 30% better results in standardized assessments.
- 20%- 80% reduction in cost
- Much Higher Engagement on Websites
- 15% increase in revenue
The journey into the realm of immersive technology in education is more than just a glimpse into the future; it's a tangible reality reshaping the very foundation of learning.
Jaspinder Bhatia's insights shed light on this transformative path, illustrating how immersive experiences are not only revolutionizing but also enriching the educational landscape. By fostering interactivity, accessibility, and profound impact, these advancements are paving the way for a generation empowered with knowledge and creativity.
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World's Biggest Metaverse World’s Biggest Convocation on Metaverse
What happens when a leading educational institute in the field of technology wants to host their convocation in the most out-of-the-box manner possible? The metaverse is the answer! Innovative to the core and heavily AI-driven, BITS WILP’s convocation was successfully held on the ibentos metaverse platform called MegaSpace. It was a first-of-its-kind metaverse event and also the biggest ever seen in terms of magnitude, grandeur, and innovation, proving that a technology like metaverse can not only do wonders in gaming but has the potential to solve real-world problems.- Client: BITS Pilani (WILP division)
- Team Size: 14
- Services: Convocation Ceremony
- Category: EdTech
Overview
BITS is known to be one of the leading educational institutions in the field of technology and owing to this reputation, the need arose for their convocation to be one that India had never seen before. It needed to be technologically advanced, out-of-the-box, and still have the flexibility to incorporate convocation traditions. The answer was only one – to hold it on the metaverse.
‘Metaverse’ is a common term associated with games and contrary to the knowledge of many, it can also be used to solve business problems and even provide business opportunities. If created on the right platform, the metaverse can be made accessible to everyone via their desktops and laptops; it is no longer a virtual world that one can only access using VR headsets.
The convocation had to be arranged for 7000+ students, all of whom were working professionals from not just India but from various parts of the world. The solution needed to be virtual, innovative, and path-breaking. At the same time, it had to be foolproof since a convocation is a ceremony that is close to every student’s heart; there was no room for errors.
Highlights
6600+ attendees
3D personalisation-humanised avatars
Heavy use of AI
12000+ selfies
Experience with Batchmates High interactions
Social Sharing making it Viral
Challenges
Solution
However, with consistent R&D and the use of AI, the ibentos metaverse team was able to address all the above challenges and create a platform that was capable of hosting the world’s biggest and most innovative convocation ceremony.
- Handling Concurrency: The greatest achievement was to resolve the problem of handling high user concurrency on the metaverse. Our team was able to find apt solutions; thanks to our professional expertise in handling large-scale virtual events.
- Humanized 3D Avatars: Students’ experience was personalized by using a selfie to create an avatar that had the same face as their own, fully dressed in a convocation gown and cap. These avatars could walk down the stage when their names were called, receive their diploma certificate, and bow, along with being able to clap and wave as well. These were essential in humanizing the metaverse convocation ceremony and making sure traditions were followed. This innovation would not have been possible without unwavering support from Avatar SDK before and during the event.
- Extensive use of AI: The virtual convocation metaverse platform was heavily AI-driven, right from testing on the platform to making announcements, arranging voiceovers, matchmaking students with their respective names and certificates, and even avatar creation.
- Enriched Interactions & Experience: The metaverse experience was further elevated by dividing students into batches as per their programs so that they could experience the ceremony with their batchmates. In addition, selfie areas were incorporated into the metaverse for the students to click selfies together and save these precious moments.
- Social Sharing: Social Media Integration with the Metaverse platform enabled students to express their sense of achievement with their community by sharing their selfies on LinkedIn and Facebook directly from the platform, instantly making the metaverse convocation ceremony a hit.
- Hybrid Metaverse Experience: A hybrid experience was created by incorporating the Live feed from the in-person event into the metaverse platform. A hybrid experience was created by incorporating the Live feed from the in-person event into the metaverse platform.
Photos taken by Students
Social Media Buzz
Partners
Results
Days of hard work yielded a closest-to-reality metaverse convocation that enabled students from across the globe to attend the event from the comfort of their homes and offices, with family and friends, delivering a precious experience that will remain in the hearts of countless students for years to come.
