About Andre Plante
Partial-Load Faculty, School of Creative Industries, VR & AR and Emerging Technologies, Conestoga College
As an educator and VR innovator at Conestoga College, Andre Plante is shaping the future of immersive learning. His expertise spans the history, theory, and trends of VR, helping students explore the vast potential of virtual and augmented reality across industries. With a passion for making technology accessible, Andre empowers students to create meaningful and interactive experiences that go beyond gaming into industrial applications, simulations, and more.
VR is not just about gaming—it’s about creating experiences that simulate real-world applications. The potential goes far beyond entertainment.
How VR is Integrated at Conestoga College
At Conestoga College, VR is not an add-on to traditional coursework—it is a core component of student learning. Unlike institutions where VR is used in specific disciplines like biology or engineering, the program at Conestoga is focused on production. Students actively create VR experiences, working with software like Unity to develop interactive simulations and projects.
- Hands-on learning: Students don’t just study VR—they build within it.
- Industry-relevant projects: From game development to simulation training, students create meaningful applications.
- A future-ready mindset: The program emphasizes adaptability, ensuring students understand how XR applies across industries beyond entertainment.
"Our students are already engaged with VR. The challenge isn’t introducing them to the technology—it’s helping them discover all the ways they can use it."
Bringing Industry Applications to the Classroom
Plante emphasizes that VR is more than just a platform for gaming—it’s a tool with limitless applications across industries. His work focuses on showing students how VR can be leveraged for training, simulation, and beyond.
One of his key projects was a pizza-making assembly line simulation, designed to demonstrate how VR can be used for industrial training.
- The experience guided users through six interactive steps, from handling dough to packaging the finished product.
- By following a structured process, students saw firsthand how VR can teach procedural workflows—whether in food service, welding, or other industries.
- Using Zoe allowed Plante to build an interactive environment quickly, reinforcing the accessibility of VR creation for non-programmers.
This hands-on approach gives students a broader perspective on how immersive technology can reshape workforce training and education.
The Power of Creating Your Own Lessons in VR
For educators, the ability to build their own VR lessons rather than relying on pre-made content is a game-changer.
“Curriculums vary, and educators have unique teaching objectives. Being able to design your own VR experiences makes it possible to tailor lessons to your students’ specific needs.”
Zoe makes this process accessible. Without extensive coding knowledge, instructors can create interactive, spatial learning experiences that match their curriculum. Plante highlights how this capability empowers educators to:
- Customize lessons to fit different learning outcomes.
- Build interactive experiences that engage students beyond traditional teaching methods.
- Quickly prototype and iterate without needing deep technical expertise.
The ability to create inside VR instead of working on a flat screen and testing later is transformative. You can see results instantly and iterate in real-time
Looking Ahead: Expanding into XR and Language Learning
Plante’s next frontier? Exploring the potential of extended reality (XR) and language learning applications. He envisions VR tools that help students grasp languages like Japanese and English in an interactive, immersive setting.
His future projects will experiment with mixed reality elements, blending digital and physical spaces to enhance the learning experience. With advancements in XR, educators could soon create even more dynamic, hands-on lessons—whether for linguistics, technical training, or creative storytelling.
Advice for Educators Exploring VR
For teachers considering VR but feeling intimidated, Plante offers simple guidance: start small.
- VR doesn’t require an entire course overhaul—a three-minute experience can be just as impactful.
- Focus on learning objectives first, then determine how VR can enhance them.
- Utilize pre-built assets and tools like Zoe to reduce the time needed to create meaningful experiences.
“Educators don’t need to spend a year developing a module or have a massive budget. With the right tools, they can start creating interactive lessons within weeks.”
As VR and XR continue to evolve, educators like Plante are proving that immersive learning isn’t just possible—it’s here. With platforms like Zoe making creation more accessible, more instructors can bring VR into their classrooms, shaping the future of education.
Ready to bring your own lessons to life in VR? Explore Zoe and start building your interactive classroom today.