ISTE 2016: Virtual Reality, Big Ideas, and a Freak Hailstorm

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Here’s what caught my eye during a typically busy ed-tech show.

DENVER—The beauty of going to a conference like ISTE is that actual experiences can replace preconceived notions. More than once, I found myself changing my mind as I came face-to-face with products I’d only heard about. While I certainly wasn’t able to cover the whole floor, never mind hit the sessions, here’s my short list of interesting developments at the three-day show.

Virtual Reality
The star category of last year was back, and despite my big dose of skepticism, I was impressed with the variety of experiences that falls under this heading. The category ranges from Samsung’s Gear VR headsets to Google’s inexpensive Cardboard experience. I visited two companies new to me, Lifeliqeand zSpace. Lifeliqe puts out a large headset that was so realistic it caused me to stumble a bit; I was impressed by the depth of STEM-related topics, from engines to a human heart, available with the set. zSpace uses a special computer monitor and a much lighter pair of glasses. It even allows for the experience to be shared with classmates who don a pair of glasses that look like they came straight from the local multiplex. zSpace also targets STEM topics, and school officials who already use the product raved about how much their students loved the experience.

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