A group of faculty members from the Department of Asian and European Languages at the Faculty of Foreign Languages, University of Jordan, attended a special event organized by the U.S. Embassy in Amman on Monday, February 16, in celebration of Presidents’ Day in the United States. The event featured a lecture entitled:
“George Washington and the Constitutional Convention of 1787 Come to Life with Immersive VR Technology.”
The lecture was delivered by:
Warren R. Hofstra, Professor of American History and Director of the Community History Project.
Mahammed F. Obeid, Professor of Advanced Technology and Director of AR/VR at Shenandoah University, who is originally from Jordan.
The speakers presented an innovative academic collaboration integrating American history with immersive virtual reality technology. They showcased an interactive educational project that recreated the 1787 Constitutional Convention and the debates surrounding the Electoral College through a fully immersive VR experience.
Dr. Hofstra provided historical context on George Washington and discussed the contemporary relevance of his ideas, while Dr. Obeid outlined the technical dimensions of the project, highlighting interdisciplinary collaboration among engineering, computer science, artificial intelligence, and history students to produce an engaging educational model.
The event was also attended by Sadeen Tbayleh, a student in the Turkish and English Language Program within the Department of Asian Languages, as part of the faculty’s academic delegation.
The participation of the Department of Asian and European Languages in this event reflects its commitment to academic engagement, cultural exchange, and the exploration of innovative teaching methodologies that integrate advanced technology with the humanities.