edWebinars
«Back to all edWebinarsImmersive Reality’s Role in the Future-Ready Classroom: Presence, Not Just Content
Monday, August 24, 2026 @ 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm EDT
Presented by Joseph DiLucente, Superintendent, East Allegheny School District (PA); Dr. Freedom Cheteni, Editor in Chief, The Superintendent’s Journal, and Superintendent and Board Member, The VR School, Stanford University; and Tom Davis, Advisory Board Member and Consultant, Center for Educational Innovation and Classroom of the Future Foundation
Sponsored by Immersive Reality USA, GBCStories, and The VR School
Learn more about earning a CE certificate and our accessibility features.
As immersive reality and interactive 3D learning experiences become more common in K-12 instruction, educators and school leaders are exploring where these technologies may have the greatest impact on student engagement, access, retention, and curiosity across diverse learning environments. This edLeader Panel explores how interactive 3D curricula and immersive learning environments work together to create engaging learning experiences by examining the instructional differences between traditional digital content and immersive experiences that foster a greater sense of presence.
Attendees will hear from a superintendent who led an early district implementation of immersive, headset-free learning environments in both general and special education classrooms, alongside an expert in immersive learning and an education strategist who works with school districts on educational technology implementation. Together, they will explore how interactive 3D curricula and immersive learning environments complement one another, what these approaches look like in practice across grade levels, and how district leaders can evaluate whether they are the right fit for their schools.
Attendees will leave the session able to:
- Explain how immersive reality and 3D curricula differ from traditional video, VR headsets, and other educational technology tools, and how presence impacts learning outcomes
- Identify practical examples of immersive reality supporting general education, special education, and sensory-diverse learners
- Evaluate readiness factors, including budget, infrastructure, staff buy-in, and instructional design, before piloting immersive reality in a district or school
- Apply lessons learned from an early-adopter district to their own planning and stakeholder conversations
Attendees will leave with a practical framework for evaluating the instructional impact of immersive learning initiatives, key implementation considerations for their own schools or districts, and lessons learned from an early-adopter district. This edLeader Panel will be of interest to elementary through high school teachers, school leaders, district leaders, special education teachers, education technology leaders, and community college professors.
About the Presenters
Joseph DiLucente is Superintendent of East Allegheny School District in Pennsylvania, where he led the district to become the first K-12 public school system in the United States to bring fully immersive, headset-free reality technology into its classrooms. Under his leadership, East Allegheny opened immersive learning spaces at Logan Elementary School and East Allegheny Junior/Senior High School, extending the classroom to everything from the pyramids of Egypt to the beaches of South Florida—while also creating a multi-sensory environment designed to support students with sensory and learning differences. Joseph champions technology as a tool for equity, giving every student access to enriching, real-world experiences regardless of their ability to travel.
Dr. Freedom Cheteni is Editor in Chief of The Superintendent’s Journal and a Senior Consultant for Moonshot Junior, Inc. and serves on the Board of Directors of The VR School at Stanford University. A Professor at the National University of Science and Technology, Dr. Cheteni is a recognized voice on the future of immersive 3D curricula and technology-driven K-12 education, working at the intersection of school leadership, innovation, and student opportunity.
Tom Davis is an Advisory Board Member, Founder, and Principal Consultant of Network for Educational Access, LLC (Net4EdAccess), where he works with K-12 districts, EdTech companies, and nonprofits on strategy, enterprise partnerships, and market entry across California. He also serves in an advisory capacity to the Center for Educational Innovation, the Classroom of the Future Foundation, Computers2Kids, Benchmark Education, Boz Institute for Biotech, and Jacobs Institute for Innovation in Education at the University of San Diego. A former science teacher and coach with a B.S. in biology from the University of San Diego, Tom brings both classroom experience and business strategy to his work helping innovative education technologies find traction in real schools. He is also the author of the bilingual children’s memoir A Boy from National City / One Taco No Cheese.
Join the Emerging Tech for K12 Learning community to network with educators, participate in online discussions, receive invitations to upcoming edWebinars, and view recordings of previous programs to earn CE certificates.
Learn more about earning a CE certificate and our accessibility features.
Immersive classrooms and 3D courses are moving out of pilot programs and into everyday K-12 instruction—and the classrooms already using it are seeing real shifts in engagement, access, and retention. GBCStories works with The VR School and Immersive Reality to create the learning spaces of the future and bring them to schools throughout the U.S. and around the world.
