The XR Lab at Navarro College is pleased to announce the creation of state-of-the-art software for fire science teaching and patient evaluation, in collaboration with XR Technology programme partner From The Future.
From the Future is introducing this revolutionary programme to a multitude of consumers, and it is now being used by many first responder courses at Navarro College.
The term XR has to do with a combination of three main technology streams, i.e., virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality. It has the potential to create an interactive digital twin world by seamlessly fusing the real and digital worlds. Students at Navarro College will have a whole new educational experience thanks to this revolutionary technology.
The directors of the Emergency Medical Services Programme, Ms. Dyann Tobar, and the Fire Programme, Mr. Stephen Buchanan, provided inspiration for the programme. They found a gap in pertinent applications for their different programmes after carefully examining new XR technology; all of the applications were focused on military and clinical contexts. They realised that in order to improve their training in the classroom, they needed specialised software solutions for basic instruction. They teamed together with Dr. Mary Ledbetter, the department chair for cybersecurity, and Dr. Anila Das, who oversaw the establishment of the XR Lab, to solve this difficulty. They created the Fire Science Hazardous Materials Identification and Patient Assessment programmes in collaboration with their business partner, From the Future.
Ms. Tobar remarked that her team has built up an XR Lab where various programmes may enhance learning via genuine patient experiences and situations that mirror challenges encountered in everyday life. In this context, they have designed a realistic presentation to help students learn through hands-on experiences more effectively. Tobar remarked that they are overjoyed with the memories and content that the group has created. Courtesy of From the Future, additional entities are able to use this initiative.
Ellis County native Dyann Tobar attended Southwestern University to further her studies. She majored in biology and pre-medicine, with a concentration on sociology and psychology. After returning to Waxahachie in 2011, she enrolled in Navarro College’s Emergency Medical Services programme, where she eventually earned certifications as a paramedic and EMT. She discovered her love for emergency medicine and education when she was a student at Navarro, where she eventually rose to the position of Director of the Emergency Medical Services department.
After earning an AAS in fire science from Navarro College and a BAAS in the same field from Texas A&M Commerce, Stephen Buchanan is a licenced fire scientist. He is now a Master’s student at UNT Dallas. In addition to his academic endeavours, Stephen is the Director of the Fire Programme at Navarro College and a devoted driver and operator for the Arlington Fire Department.
The Texas Reskilling and Upskilling through Education (TRUE) grant award of $530,000 made the creation of the XR Lab feasible. The goal of the TRUE grant programme is to establish a sustainable education infrastructure that will support a vibrant Texas economy throughout the state’s different regions while simultaneously preparing students for in-demand occupations and expediting their transition to the workforce.
The XR Lab is an essential link that gives students access to realistic models to enhance their learning experience, even if it doesn’t completely replace conventional teaching techniques. Many programmes, including EMT, paramedic, fire science, nursing, CNA, and phlebotomy, presently use this cutting-edge technology. In addition to being a step forward for education, the XR Lab demonstrates the college’s commitment to putting students on the path to success in their chosen industries.
