The University of Maine at Augusta has received a $400,000 grant from the Davis Educational Foundation to support new ways of bringing artificial intelligence and virtual reality into the classroom over the next two years.
The project, AI and VR Integration for Enhanced Learning at UMA, will help faculty redesign courses and introduce immersive learning experiences across Nursing, Aviation, Business, Education, Computer Information Systems and Music Technology. Students will have opportunities to work with emerging technologies in ways that connect directly to real-world careers and workforce needs.
At its core, the initiative reflects UMA’s commitment to meeting students where they are. By using adaptive tutoring tools, discipline-specific AI applications and immersive VR environments, the project aims to make learning more engaging, flexible and responsive to individual students. The work is also designed to support student persistence and retention through thoughtful course design and ongoing assessment.
Grant funding will support faculty professional development, student assistants who will help pilot new tools, and the purchase of 25 to 30 VR headsets for classroom and mobile use. Modest upgrades to existing classrooms and technical support will help create immersive learning spaces while building on UMA’s current infrastructure.
Over the two-year initiative, UMA will evaluate how these tools are supporting student learning and persistence, and will share results through workshops and student showcases with Maine’s higher education community. The effort reflects UMA’s focus on learning alongside partners and strengthening teaching and learning across the state.
The grant was received from the Davis Educational Foundation established by Stanton and Elisabeth Davis after Mr. Davis’s retirement as chairman of Shaw’s Supermarkets.