Scholars, Policy Specialists and Entrepreneurs Convene to Research How Virtual Reality and Mobile Gaming Concepts Will Transform Learning Globally

Professor Chris Dede from Harvard Graduate School of Education said, "Past generations of learning technologies have seldom fulfilled the promise they offered because of various shortfalls in research, policy, planning and practice. Today, we have an opportunity to work with a variety of scholars, policy experts and entrepreneurs to develop a road map that will use virtual reality to improve immersive learning techniques for students globally."

A select group of internationally recognized experts gathered to discuss policy and worked toward new initiatives that will be designed to transcend barriers and establish the next generation of immersive learning via virtual reality. Some of the luminaries attending the workshop include:

• Professor Chris Dede, Harvard University Graduate School of Education, Timothy E. Wirth Professor in Learning Technologies;
• Professor Ronghuai Huang, Beijing Normal University, Dean of the Smart Learning Institute and director of the R&F Center for Knowledge Engineering; and
• Dr. Leung Lim Kin, Simon, Vice Chairman and Executive Director of NetDragon.

During the workshop, the Harvard Graduate School of Education, the Smart Learning Institute of Beijing Normal University and NetDragon signed an agreement on research collaboration. The Harvard Graduate School of Education will provide NetDragon and the Smart Learning Institute of Beijing Normal University with the copyright to the EcoMUVE software. EcoMUVE is a curriculum that was developed at the Harvard Graduate School of Education that uses immersive virtual environments to teach middle school students about ecosystems and causal patterns. NetDragon and BNUSLI will jointly develop an updated virtual reality version of the software in both English and Chinese within three months.

The Fujian Virtual Industrial Reality Base, a co-organizer of the workshop, is the world's first incubation base for the virtual reality industry dedicated to supporting favorable policy, technology, training and human resources. The base houses a 20,000 square meter experience center that provides firsthand experiences of virtual reality enabled classrooms. The Smart Learning Institute of Beijing Normal University, also a co-organizer of the workshop, is a joint venture between Beijing Normal University and the Huaya Education Science Technology Company and its parent company NetDragon.

NetDragon also hosted a virtual reality booth that provides attendees with the experience of a virtual reality enabled classroom. Participants utilized all of the equipment for a complete immersive learning experience.

Dr. Simon Leung, Vice Chairman and Executive Director of NetDragon, said, "Immersive learning is a proven and an important teaching method that technology can enhance. We look forward to learning more about the policy initiatives that come out of the workshop and how NetDragon can apply its innovative technology to make them a reality."

This workshop invited a select group of international experts in this field to collaborate on a book titled "Virtual, Augmented, and Mixed Realities in Education," which will be published in late 2017.

About NetDragon Websoft Holdings Limited

NetDragon Websoft Holdings Limited (HKSE: 0777) is a global leader in building internet communities. Established in 1999, NetDragon is a vertically integrated, cutting-edge R&D powerhouse with a highly successful track record which includes the development of flagship MMORPGs such as Eudemons Online and Conquer Online, China's number one online gaming portal, 17173.com, and China's most influential smartphone app store platform, 91 Wireless, which was sold to Baidu in 2013 in what was at the time the largest Internet M&A transaction in China. Being China's pioneer in overseas expansion, NetDragon also directly operates a number of game titles in over 10 languages internationally since 2003. In recent years, NetDragon has emerged as a major player in the global online and mobile education space as it works to leverage its mobile Internet technologies and operational know-how to develop a game-changing education ecosystem. For more information, please visit www.netdragon.com .

SOURCE NetDragon Websoft Holdings Limited