Meta Launches Quest Classroom Program as it Exits Beta

Meta has officially launched its ‘Meta for Education’ program, moving past its beta phase to make Quest headsets and an assortment of XR apps and software readily available to schools and educational settings worldwide.

First revealed last April, Meta for Education provides a thorough package for educators keen on integrating XR technology into their teaching spaces. This package comes complete with Quest headsets, XR management subscriptions specifically designed for educational use, and a collection of tools and apps tailored for administrators, teachers, and students.

Throughout its beta phase, Meta worked closely with universities in both the US and UK to fine-tune the platform. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with educators noting that students engaged more and grasped complex subjects better through virtual and mixed reality experiences.

Nick Clegg, Meta’s President of Global Affairs and a former UK Deputy Prime Minister, emphasizes how immersive technology can be a game-changer in education by offering students experiences they wouldn’t typically have access to.

Clegg shares, “Improving educational outcomes for kids has always been a priority for me in both politics and tech. The strides we’ve made at Meta, especially with virtual and augmented reality, have truly inspired me with their potential to revolutionize learning. With Meta for Education, my aim is to simplify the process for students to acquire and apply new skills, foster a sense of connection with their peers and teachers, and explore far-off places or concepts as if they were right there. Above all, I hope it empowers teachers to excel in their profession.”

Data compiled from 43 schools under the Inspired Education Group, who’ve already embraced immersive tech, shows promising results—87% of students felt more engaged and interested in their studies, while 85% of teachers saw virtual and mixed reality as instrumental in enhancing their teaching methodologies. Additionally, students displayed a 15% improvement in their scores on multiple-choice tests.

The end of the beta phase accompanies collaborations with educational institutions such as Arizona State University, Imperial College London, and the University of Miami, each integrating VR into their academic programs.

Moreover, Meta and VictoryXR have pioneered more than 30 ‘metaversities’ using the Engage XR platform, crafting virtual twin campuses that facilitate student interactions from afar. These digital campuses are now accessible to students at places like The University of Leeds in the UK, the University of the Basque Country in Spain, and the University of Hannover in Germany.

Educators eager to delve deeper into Meta for Education can visit the program’s dedicated website, which offers resources and contact details for potential participants from Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK, and the US.