Beech–IDIA: Workshops for Digital Access

Next Lab is collaborating with the Institute for Digital Inclusion and Access (IDIA) to create and facilitate lessons and activities in emerging tech literacy, game design, worldbuilding, and more to community members of all ages.

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To bring emerging technology education to community members across the Arizona valley, Next Lab has partnered with the Institute for Digital Inclusion and Access (IDIA) to create workshops and bring them to IDIA Hives–tech-infused spaces that allow people to explore and learn, whether it be at a community center, a school, or even a pop-up event. While the IDIA provided the locations, Next Lab created and facilitated a series of workshops with various themes:

Building Fantasy Worlds with GameTech: Students at San Marcos Elementary School explored various virtual worlds through VR headsets–then got to brainstorm and create their own fantasy worlds in Roblox Studio! The kids brought their ideas to life using a template Roblox Studio project created by Next Lab, decorating environments with free 3D models and more from the Roblox Marketplace, getting a taste of what it’s like to develop games in a real game engine.

VR for Seniors: Next Lab introduced VR headsets to seniors at the Matthew Henson Community Center and Marcos de Niza apartments, teaching them how to use the devices and bringing them a selection of health and wellness applications in virtual reality. Seniors were able to experience immersive meditation in the stars, oculomotor training under the sea, and more, expanding their knowledge and familiarity with emerging technology.

Using VR to Build Opportunity: With VR headsets brought by Next Lab, Tempe community members at the EnVision Center were able to practice professional soft skills in a new way through a simulation app. By interacting with virtual avatars in work-based situations, the workshop participants received feedback on their communication skills, public speaking, and more.

Engage Your Community with GameTech: In this workshop at South Mountain Community College’s Guadalupe Center, middle schoolers were challenged to select a community they are a part of, identify the needs of that community, and brainstorm what a virtual space for that community might have and look like. Then, the students designed and created these virtual spaces using the Roblox Studio game engine, gaining experience in game and environment design for a specific, community-focused purpose.

Launch date:

• April 2025

Contributors & Credits:

• Amanda Federico — Program Manager, Curriculum Designer, Lead Facilitator
• Jose Sanchez — Roblox Developer, Facilitator
• Jesus Franco Yescas — Facilitator
• Shelby Cavanaugh Toft — Facilitator
• Czyra Argonza — Facilitator
• Nicolette Lowery — Facilitator
• Annie Cheng — Facilitator
• Ananya Kodali — Facilitator
• Kathleen Vela — Facilitator
• Sukhada Pande — Facilitator
• Ryann Woods-Sweeney — Facilitator
• Zoshan Sharifi — Facilitator

Partners:

• Institute for Digital Inclusion and Access