Lunch and Learn: Enhancing Education and Communication through Virtual Reality

Join the Communicators Team to see how virtual reality (VR) is being integrated into communication programs as a new way to reach target audiences during an online “Lunch and Learn” session on Friday, July 28 at noon.

While the debate continues about whether artificial intelligence is either a boost or a bane to communication scholars and practitioners, the Communications, Journalism, and Speech program at the University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) has been quietly experimenting with VR in the classroom this past year.

Dr. Mitch Marovitz, an NPC Communicator member who leads the program, will take you behind the scenes to explain this promising and exciting new platform, including the nature of the experiments the university is conducting and what he’s learned so far. He’ll also discuss future experiments, including one involving a strategic communications graduate course.

UMGC is one of an original group of ten universities selected to participate in a two-year experiment, which his partially funded by Meta, the parent company of Facebook, to determine if this new medium has value as an educational tool for adult learners among the student body and, if so, how best to incorporate it into curricula.

Note: Members must be logged into their NPC membership account to access tickets for this event.

Dr. Mitchell E. Marovitz, a retired Army colonel with 30 years of experience in public affairs, is the director of the Communications, Journalism, and Speech program at the University of Maryland Global Campus. He has served as the chair of the Universal Accreditation Board and is a member of the Communicators Committee at the National Press Club. Dr. Marovitz's impressive career also includes leading strategic communication teams at Booz Allen Hamilton and serving as the Director of Entertainment for the USO. He has been recognized for his contributions to the field, being elected to the Public Relations Society of America's College of Fellows and the National Capital Public Relations Hall of Fame in 2016.