“Immersive learning” is a term we hear often in EdTech circles, usually followed by a demonstration of a sleek VR headset. But according to Phil Birchinhall, Lead of Immersive Content at Discovery Education, we might be looking at it all wrong.
View the full keynote: Phil Birchinhall on looking past the hardware in EdTech.
Speaking at the East of England EdTech Hubs CPD event supported by LGfL, Phil, a former teacher and ICT advisor with over 30 years in the field, challenged educators to look past the hardware and focus on the "green screen in our brains."
Phil argues that the first real VR headset wasn't a piece of technology; it was a book. When a child reads a gripping story, they aren't just looking at text; they are building a cinematic world in their mind.
"We have a green screen studio in our brains," Phil explains. "As teachers, you know how to spark that performance in yourself to ignite it in your pupils." Immersive technology, then, shouldn't replace the imagination; it should amplify it.
One of the most striking parts of Phil’s talk was his "Bob Usher Principle," born from a collaboration with LGfL’s Bob Usher. Phil recalled showing Bob an early AR (Augmented Reality) prototype of a prehistoric campfire.
Bob’s response?
"I don't see the point. I can show them a photo of that on a screen and achieve the same learning outcome."
This led to a pivot in philosophy: Pedagogy first, technology second. For content to be truly immersive, it must move the needle on learning. It isn't enough to show a 3D model of a heart or a molecule if a 2D diagram does the job just as well. Immersive tools should be used for things that can't be done otherwise, like bringing a full-scale Roman forum into the school playground to explore architectural scale.
A common trap for EdTech is focusing solely on "engagement." Phil is clear: engagement is only the beginning.
The 30-Second Spark: High-energy tech creates a "wow" moment that lasts about 20 to 30 seconds.
Watch how Highfields Primary School in Manningtree have harnessed the power of Sandbox AR to turn their playing field into the Pyramids of Giz, giving their pupils a chance to express their understanding of the topic in new and powerful ways.
Phil highlighted Sandbox AR, a free tool (available on iPad and Chromebook) that allows pupils to build their own 3D worlds. Instead of just looking at a digital model, students at schools like Lawford and Highfields are using it to:
The result?
Simon Pile, Headteacher of Anson Primary School in Brent, says that the quality of students' subsequent writing is significantly higher.
“They aren't writing about something they saw on a screen; they are writing about a place they feel they’ve actually been.”
As Phil reminds us, the goal isn't to increase screen time, but to use technology as a learning amplifier.
Find out more at sandbox.lgfl.net
Get involved in the EdTech hubs programme at https://edtechhubs.lgfl.net/