On Friday 23rd May, we were thrilled to welcome Matthew Sanders, Education & VR Director at Meta, to Sandwell College and Central Saint Michael’s Sixth Form for a day packed with immersive demonstrations, insightful discussions, and exciting opportunities for collaboration.
The day began at the Fab Lab, where Matthew received a guided tour and explored the cutting-edge facilities that are helping shape the future of digital learning for our students.
Following the tour, Ben Haddock, our Emerging Technologies Demonstrator, hosted ‘Sandwell’s Immersive Learning Journey to Date’. This roundtable discussion brought together Fab Lab staff, students, and Matthew Sanders to reflect on how virtual reality is already transforming teaching and learning across the college. Both students and staff shared their experiences of using VR in the classroom, highlighting how the technology has improved engagement, understanding, and overall learning outcomes.
Next, Debbie Grace presented her pioneering work on wearable technology in education. As part of her Smart Glasses project, Debbie trialled a range of wearable devices with her Teaching & Education students, focusing on the use of smart glasses to enhance assessment and feedback. Her research demonstrated how real-time marking and on-the-go feedback can become a reality, making the assessment process more dynamic and efficient.
A standout moment of the day was a lively Q&A session between Matthew and our T Level Computing students. The conversation gave students a rare opportunity to ask in-depth questions about the tech industry, gain valuable insights into the evolving world of virtual reality, and better understand the skills and pathways needed to build successful careers in this space.
The day was a brilliant opportunity to showcase how we’re leading the way in FE by embracing cutting-edge tools that enhance teaching, learning, and the overall student experience.
