Over Coffee® is on one-week hiatus as we troubleshoot a tech issue. Please enjoy this reposting of one of our top episodes of 2022.

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Before “AI” became a buzzword, EDUmetaverse creator Andrew Wright was putting it to use.

Andrew has created more than 100 virtual worlds for educator use. Sixty of these, he emails, currently have curricula. Educational institutions can either rent the worlds for virtual field trips, or hire Andrew to teach virtual lessons in one or more of his worlds.

Where might students get to go in EDUmetaverse? Try Mars…ancient Rome…a treehouse…under the sea…a working farm…a butterfly sanctuary…

While these activities engage the young participants, they’re also learning several different subjects at once. Even though they may not realize that they’re learning!

“I try to blend in lots and lots of different lessons, all into one world,” Andrew explains.

An exciting aspect of EDUmetaverse, is the ways in which it allows students from all over the world to collaborate on creative projects. One project, the butterfly sanctuary, includes images contributed by students on four different continents!

Plus, Andrew adds, his own students are always asking, “Can you build a…?”, and he rises to the challenge.

During our earlier conversation, in November, 2022, Andrew explained some of the ways he and his students are using artificial intelligence as a starting point for exploring creativity.

Specifically, we talked about the three rotating art galleries which Andrew has included in EDUmetaverse. Students work with AI to come up with new ideas and images. Some of the insights that result can be surprising. (We may never think the same way about the “Red Riding Hood” story!)

Andrew has also sent a link to the “AI Yeti Adventure” gallery, to which you can connect here.

Building worlds in VR is addictive, Andrew says. But he’s quick to add that he didn’t start as a worldbuilding expert.

“If I can do this, anyone can,” he comments, before sharing some of the resources that helped him on his journey.

During our conversation, we talked about Andrew’s creative journey with EDUmetaverse, the ways students are learning in these virtual worlds, and how AI is augmenting the learning process.

On this edition of Over Coffee® we cover:

• How Andrew first became inspired to become an innovator in the field of education;

• The story of EDUmetaverse;

• Andrew’s experiences as a first-time learner with a popular world building software;

• What you’ll experience when you come into EDUmetaverse;

• A preview of one of the virtual worlds;

• How historical figures are represented through AI art;

• Some projects in which students collaborated and learned through AI art;

• A look at headsets versus desktops (EDUmetaverse is set up to be accessible through desktops in order to be more widely available);

• One of Andrew’s most rewarding experiences as a creator;

• How schools can implement EDUmetaverse;

• Roughly what the cost might be, for a U.S. school;

• A closer look at EDUmetaverse’s collaborative butterfly conservation project;

• Andrew’s vision for the future;

• Where to connect with him. for more information on EDUmetaverse;

• How Andrew has incorporated his students’ interests and suggestions nto the latest worlds he’s been building;

• Workarounds to some of the common obstacles to implementing innovation into a more “traditional” education system;

• Why EDUmetaverse empowers students, beyond learning subject matter;

• The story of one student whose future vision changed radically, through interaction with EDUmetaverse.