Presentria GO: A Revolutionary Approach to Experiential Learning in the Post-COVID Era

For years, educators have enhanced classroom learning through various experiential methods, including role-playing, games, experiments, case studies, polling, and debates. While traditional teaching, combined with virtual webinars, has long been the norm, educators are now increasingly exploring ways to engage students beyond the physical classroom. Traditionally, field trips have been a popular method to provide hands-on learning experiences, allowing students to visit specific locations, observe, take notes, and participate in group discussions. However, assessing students’ understanding in real-time during these trips is often challenging due to the large group sizes and varying paces. Additionally, unforeseen events such as student illness or last-minute faculty meetings can hinder participation.

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these challenges. Beyond the immediate health crisis, it revealed a significant issue that many schools and universities continue to face: declining class attendance. This phenomenon, termed Didaskaleinophobia (school refusal), is often driven by emotional distress. According to the School Avoidance Alliance, between 5% and 28% of students in the U.S. have been affected. The 2021-22 school year saw absenteeism rates rise to nearly 30%, impacting 14.7 million students—more than double the figures from 2018-19.

Canada has experienced similar trends. Anxiety Canada reports that around 25% of youth engage in school refusal behavior. In 2019, the Saskatchewan Ministry of Education revealed that 23.9% of public school students missed over 20% of their classes. Ontario’s Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board reported an increase in absenteeism from 3-4% in 2020 to 8-14% by late 2022. In Manitoba, 20% of students were absent, exceeding the typical 12-14% rates. A study in Greater Toronto also noted a staggering 600% increase in extreme absenteeism, impacting nearly 9,000 students.

This reluctance to attend school isn't limited to K-12 students—it also extends to colleges and universities. It is not uncommon to witness a decline in classroom attendance and an increasing demand for mental health support in higher education. Chronic absenteeism not only affects those students who are missing but also disrupts the educational experience for their peers, particularly during group activities.

To address these challenges, imagine a tool that allows students to independently explore designated checkpoint locations at their own pace. What if learning materials like videos, notes, and questions awaited students on their smartphones when they reached pre-set locations? What if students could document their observations, submitting them in real-time as homework via text and photos? And wouldn't it be beneficial for them to receive instant feedback or hints while at these checkpoints? This vision inspired the creation of Presentria GO, Canada’s first place-based experiential learning tool.

Presentria GO: A New Era of Experiential Learning

Dr. Ken Kwong-Kay Wong, CEO and Co-founder of Presentria, has been pioneering the use of mobile EdTech tools for student engagement since 2012. He has seen firsthand how these tools can improve academic performance and stimulate classroom interest. However, the pandemic created unprecedented obstacles for in-class learning. Even as COVID-19's immediate threat subsides, the issue of poor class attendance persists. Students attending virtual classes on platforms like Zoom often remain disengaged, with few willing to participate actively.

To adapt to this new reality, the Presentria team developed a ground-breaking tool: Presentria GO. This place-based learning platform empowers students to engage not only in classrooms but also in various real-world locations. Through Presentria GO, educators can remotely deliver questions, answers, hints, and learning materials such as videos, photos, and PDFs, accessible via students’ internet-connected smartphones or tablets. Students, in turn, can take photos at designated checkpoints and submit their observations as part of their assignments.

This tool transforms campuses, neighborhoods, and cities into dynamic learning environments where students can learn anytime, anywhere, and at their own pace. Through gamification, Presentria GO encourages team competition, with students earning digital badges for completing field trips. Unlike traditional assignments prone to cheating via generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Presentria GO focuses on direct observations and applying academic theories to solve real-world problems.

No Programming Required, No App Downloads

One of the key benefits of Presentria GO is its user-friendly design. Educators don’t need programming skills to set up field trips or monitor student performance—everything can be managed online. Similarly, students aren’t required to download any apps. A standard web browser like Safari or Chrome is all they need to access the platform.

For students studying remotely in online or HyFlex courses, Presentria GO offers a web version that allows them to participate in virtual scavenger hunts, even if they cannot physically visit the checkpoints. This design ensures that all students can engage in the same activities, regardless of their location, fostering inclusive teaching and learning.

Education extends beyond the confines of a classroom, and Presentria empowers educators to create meaningful, real-world learning experiences. By integrating gamification and improving the user interface, we are positioning Presentria GO as a cutting-edge, inclusive teaching tool.

Testimonials and Broader Applications

Presentria GO has already been embraced by students and educators alike. Yasmine Shateri, winner of the 2022 Ontario College Marketing Competition (Retail Case), shared her positive experience: "Presentria GO is a fun and interactive application that allowed us to explore retail spaces and apply class lessons to real-world scenarios. It provided a unique and enjoyable learning experience."

Dylan Heida, her team partner, echoed this sentiment: "Exploring different retail locations and answering questions in real-time gave me an engaging experience that a classroom just can’t replicate. I thoroughly enjoyed using Presentria GO and would love to use it again."

Presentria GO isn’t limited to academic settings. It can enhance visitor engagement during campus tours, orientations, or even tourist destinations like zoos. Visitors can interact with specific locations through their devices, making their experience more immersive and educational.

Looking Forward: The Role of AI

Presentria GO’s development is far from over. The team is now in the beta phase of adding AI functionality using GPT-4 Turbo via OpenAI’s API. This feature will help educators generate questions on the fly by simply typing keywords or instructions directly into the Presentria platform, enhancing its flexibility and ease of use.

As Dr. Wong states, “Education extends beyond the confines of a classroom, and Presentria empowers educators to create meaningful, real-world learning experiences. By integrating gamification and improving the user interface, we are positioning Presentria GO as a cutting-edge, inclusive teaching tool.”