I am a maker of computer games for literacy, an education technology ethicist, and an immersive learning researcher. As an Associate Professor of Emerging Technology for Education, I believe that everyone has the potential to succeed, and that digital technology can be used to level the playing field of privilege to foster creative and critical thinking in students of all ages.

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Currently I am using immersive virtual reality (VR) to create solutions to enduring educational and social problems. Playing and experimenting with technology can build a strong skill and mind set and every student, regardless of their economic situation, should have access to amazing technology for learning.

VR IS HERE FOR GOOD

I am interested in how curriculum and pedagogy can be tailored to immersive virtual reality (VR with a headset) and seek to explore the opportunities and challenges of deploying this technology in a range of school communities. I am lead researcher on the VR School Study, the longest running research on embedding immersive VR in primary (elementary) and secondary school classrooms across a variety of subject areas. This ongoing participatory research involves teachers as co-researchers who investigate how best to design curriculum to leverage the power of VR in their schools. I am particularly interested in students as VR content creators – where students can master the wonders of the technology for active learning. I have produced ethical guidelines and health and safety resources for teachers so that VR can be used for good in schools. I have also authored the first book on evidence for learning with VR in secondary schools.

ETHICAL AI ADVOCATE

Technology should uphold high standards of human rights. I see my role as a translational researcher, investigating key ethical issue in the design, implementation and governance of technology and providing accessible information on this topic to the teaching profession and policy makers. I have been commissioned by state and federal governments to produce ethical guidelines on emerging technology for schools. This includes leading an interdisciplinary team that authored the Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies in Schools Report for the Australian Government. As part of this report, I developed the first ethical framework specific to artificial intelligence (AI) in education and infographics on AI and VR for students and teachers. I have also authored the first discussion paper on the ethical and equitable use of AI in higher education.

IMMERSED IN THE FUTURE

My enduring commitment to equity in education was acknowledged when I was appointed to the position of 2016 Equity Fellow by the National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education. During this national Fellowship I undertook two major pieces of research. The first was a report on Fair Connection to Professional Careers for young people from lower socioeconomic, rural, and Indigenous backgrounds. I also produced Immersed in the Future: A Roadmap of Existing and Emerging Technologies for Career Exploration, a go-to primer for teachers to understand the potential of new technologies such as virtual and augmented reality for authentic learning and careers counselling.

COMPUTER GAMES FOR LITERACY

I am an award-winning maker of computer games for literacy learning. These games are designed to improve the literacy of students of all ages. Available for free download from the App and GooglePlay stores, the games are called Sentence Hero, Apostrophe Power and Robo WordQuest. I also led the development of the Uni Tune In app, a great resource for students starting university. For my work in making serious games for literacy learning I was awarded the prestigious 2017 Innovation Award by the Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education (ASCILITE).

CURIOUSER AND CURIOUSER

I genuinely enjoy collaborating with people from different disciplines, professional and community backgrounds, and walks of life. It is only through creatively combining our perspectives with existing evidence that we can develop powerful solutions to using technology to address enduring social and educational problems.

If you want true ethical innovation, then you need to cultivate a constant curiosity and seek out others who are committed to working at the bleeding-edge with you. Like to know more? Visit my popular blog on EdTech Research and Human Virtuality.

Dr Erica Southgate

Dr Erica Southgate explores the factors that create disadvantage in higher education and creates real world solutions to address them.