SIDLIT 2026

This workshop provides an overview of Extended Reality (XR) and teaches the audience how to create a VR learning environment for educational purposes. The presentation includes two parts: 


Part 1: The Concept of XR (10 mins)
Dr. He will clarify the technical distinctions between XR, Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR), and these modalities' relationship to the physical world and the typical scenarios to apply these different "R"s. 


Part 2: The Skills of Creating VR (80 mins)
Dr. He will demonstrate and guide the audience through a hands-on process to learn how to create a VR learning environment using a free, web-based platform called FrameVR. A laptop is required for this workshop. The audience will learn how to register a FrameVR account, how to customize their avatars, how to navigate FrameVR, how to create and edit objects, and how to make the objects interactive. The audience will create a VR learning environment during the remaining time. 

Each of us has perhaps thousands of images in our cell phones, but what are we doing with them once they have been taken?  Do they just remain dormant in our cloud platforms? Let's use those intriguing images to be the driving force to create a very short story of six words or less.


A legendary tale has it that famed 20th century author, Ernest Hemingway (1970), is credited with creating this story writing technique. Yet, this poster presentation will elevate this writing technique by adding impactful images to each short story.


This workshop will have participants use their critical thinking skills to choose an image and craft six words or less to tell a complete story.


Be inspired to use this story writing technique as a team building activity for your next upcoming team project!


Last, preview a vetted set of images and very short stories from Emporia State University students, faculty, homeschool students, the Midwest, and other regions. Ultimately, these images and very short stories that were showcased at the Emporia Art Center this past April and May.
 
Participants will be charged with the following tasks:
--Be concise; remember you have up to six words maximum.
--Only select words that are meaningful; critical thinking skills are required.  ;-)
--You must share a complete story.
--Consider adding conflict, action, or a resolution.
--Again, carefully, choose your words.
--Evoke an emotion, surprise, smile, curiosity, or challenge the reader’s imagination to fill in the gaps of a larger narrative not told, but implied.
--Let the readers create a bigger ending in their minds.  There is power in what is NOT being said.