Swimming with Sharks and Walking on Mars: Synthesis of a Cross-Sector Forum on Immersive Technology in Secondary Education. Future of Childhood

Virtual, mixed, and augmented reality, termed "extended reality," or XR, have great potential for classroom-based learning. Yet many questions about the use and widespread adoption of these emerging technologies remain. To share insights, opportunities, and challenges, the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop and the XR Association (XRA) hosted Immersive Media and Learning, a one-day forum in 2022, to explore the use of XR technologies in high school settings. This report documents and synthesizes key takeaways from the forum. The report is meant for educators considering how to incorporate XR-enhanced learning at their schools; industry professionals seeking to understand possible uses in high school classrooms and develop products that enhance teaching and learning; and researchers investigating what XR best enables and how it may improve a host of learning outcomes.