AACTE and Mursion collaborate to support teacher preparation through coronavirus

New partnership offers virtual reality classrooms to advance learning for future teachers

(May 7, 2020, Washington, D.C.) – The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE), the leading voice on educator preparation, and Mursion, the global leader in virtual reality (VR) training, are partnering to offer educators and students world-class experiential learning through simulations. The collaboration provides teacher candidates an opportunity to complete clinical field experiences remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic. The special offering is available to educator preparation programs (EPPs) across the nation.

During the coronavirus outbreak, EPPs can launch the VR classrooms in just a few days. Through virtual simulations, candidates can practice instructional techniques and access a platform of over 100 videos of classroom instruction. AACTE and Mursion will offer the VR classroom with simulated students at a special discount to support teacher candidates in these unprecedented times.

“Our collective vision is to provide rigorous practice opportunities in live and virtual settings for teacher candidates who will soon lead their own classrooms,” said Lynn M. Gangone, AACTE president and CEO. “Our members are focused on solution-based initiatives during this global crisis and are leading the way forward in education with innovative technology. We are delighted to collaborate with Mursion to provide colleges of education vital resources that can enhance their work in the short- and long-term future.”

Mark Atkinson, co-founder and CEO of Mursion, said: “Our collaboration with AACTE is an answer to a clarion call. We are supporting teacher candidates by providing an effective, experiential way to prepare for the classroom without compromising anyone’s health and safety. Mursion has its roots in education, and we are moved by the immense challenge that teacher candidates face today.”

Mursion is a human-in-the-loop VR and simulation provider that delivers immersive practice for essential classroom skills. The technology is used to prepare new teachers for the challenges in today’s classrooms, to empower principals with administrative competencies, and to help improve students’ social skills and confidence. Mursion has conducted over 50,000 simulations.

The AACTE and Mursion collaboration offers access to field-tested classroom simulations, which provide evidence-based results for improving skills essential to working with human development.

AACTE members are committed to preparing high-quality teacher candidates through practical experiences in school-based classrooms, interwoven with academic coursework, to make future teachers profession ready for the 21^st century learner. AACTE published a 2018 report that highlights research-based recommendations, including a shared professional lexicon, as a foundation for effectively implementing evidence-based clinical practice. Its 2019 follow-up report identifies and defines key areas of consideration in special education clinical preparation. The AACTE and Mursion collaboration exponentially increases opportunities for teacher candidates to gain experiential learning in any setting. Learn more about this new collaboration www.aacte.org/vrclassrooms.

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About AACTE

The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education is a national alliance of educator preparation programs dedicated to high-quality, evidence-based preparation that assures educators are profession-ready as they enter the classroom. Nearly 800 member institutions include public and private colleges and universities in every state, the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, and Guam. Through advocacy and capacity building, AACTE promotes innovation and effective practices that strengthen educator preparation. Learn more at www.aacte.org.

For more information, please contact Jerrica Thurman, AACTE Director of Marketing and Communications, jthurman@aacte.org.

About Mursion

d by a blend of artificial intelligence and live human interaction, Mursion provides immersive VR training for essential skills in the workplace. By using trained professionals who orchestrate the interactions between learners and avatar-based characters, Mursion simulations achieve the realism needed to deliver measurable, high-impact results. Applicable to any situation requiring high stakes interpersonal skills, the approach has demonstrated impact in areas such as leadership development, sales enablement, customer service, and diversity and inclusion, across industries. Authentic interactions simultaneously engage the emotional and cognitive faculties for learning that truly transforms the learner. Learn more at www.mursion.com.

For more information, please contact Monika Jo, Mursion Learning Partner, monika.jo@mursion.com.