Stephen Downes

Knowledge, Learning, Community
The Chronicle discovers virtual reality. Oh ok, maybe not that bad, but that's how this interview comes off. And it sounds like Jaron Lanier - the scientist who (the article says) coined the term 'virtual reality' - sees VR as a tool for emulating the classroom over the internet, an astonishing lack of vision that can't really be what he meant. But he does say, "If I'm in a university environment, and I see a slacker kid falling asleep in the back row, I'll challenge them. And I think that that's absolutely essential. I'm really not comfortable losing that connection." But that's not the future of VR in education, is it? Tell me not.

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Stephen Downes Stephen Downes, Casselman, Canada
stephen@downes.ca

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Last Updated: Aug 28, 2025 7:48 p.m.

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