For me, the most of exciting part of the challenge was the ability to work as a mentor with the student teams. Students wanted guidance on a number of different activities. Technical guidance included helping them understand the different uses of AR and VR technology and how to determine which might be the best fit for their solution and what development platforms are being used today for content creation. As they presented their plans, the Dell team provided feedback on presenting their solution, including Powerpoint and presentation best practices. It was exciting to see how much the students progressed as a team over the course of 48 hours from their initial concepts to the presentations to the judges.
Each member of the winning team, which created a VR solution to address the fear of speaking in public, received a Dell 5530 Mobile Precision Workstation. The second place team developed an AR solution for improving the experience of purchasing clothes online and the third place team developed a VR application to teach students materials science. The placing teams all received monetary prizes as well.
Today, higher education is at a pivotal moment. College and universities are looking for new ways to provide learning experiences and prepare their students for the future. I am proud to work for an organization that helps higher education with digital transformation through innovative and affordable solutions delivering enhanced learning experiences, improving student outcomes and exploring important research initiatives. Dell is helping universities prepare for students for their digital future.
[Editor’s note: This article originally appeared on the Dell EMC blog on December 6, 2018.]
Jennifer Sigmund is a senior higher education strategist for Dell EMC with 20 years’ experience working with education institutions. She is committed to driving Dell Technology partnerships and initiatives with higher education institutions to support better leaning outcomes, improve administrative processes, campus efficiency, and safety. She builds strategic partnerships with universities and education tech companies for student success initiatives and research.
Prior to joining Dell EMC, she was the director of product marketing at both Trillion and Polycom where she managed integrated solutions portfolios that helped educational institutions implement network connectivity, distance learning, and collaborative solutions.
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