Episode #176: "I Have SOMETHING To Say" with special guest, Adam Mangana

The education system is broken. Once designed to standardize humans to become a workforce pipeline that met the demands of industrialization, it just doesn’t work anymore the way it is.

Thankfully, Adam Mangana, Chief Innovation Officer and Co-Founder of OptimaEd has developed a solution currently being implemented in Florida, and he joins me in this episode of I HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY to talk about it in detail. He shares how he became a pioneer in creating Education Experiences using 3D immersive spaces, solving challenges presented by using 20^th Century teaching methods in a 21^st Century world. The biggest challenge is making sure our kids are Future Ready because the future is now.

Adam is an educator with almost two decades of experience in education technology and creating teaching standards aligned with virtual reality curriculum, culminating with the launch of Optima Academy Online. It’s a tuition-free online school serving students grades K-9 in the Sunshine State with over 4,000 highly interactive modules that provide learning experiences in 3D environments where students can learn (meaning inside it, virtually) with either the real-time guidance of a real teacher as an avatar or in a self-paced format.

Optima has also secured funding to provide the hardware to all students – FOR FREE, delivering equitable access to advanced technology to historically disenfranchised communities. “In addition to self-paced and teacher-led coursework, students are able to learn by experiencing the moment in history from the perspective of the person who lived it by stepping into their avatar,” says Adam. He adds, “It brings into the fold the opportunity to cultivate empathy throughout the learning experience.”

After realizing there was not much research regarding the impact and efficacy of virtual reality in education, Adam decided to get a master’s at Vanderbilt University to conduct his own research to better inform this innovative approach to education. It paid off. Today over 400 students of all backgrounds have free access to Optima Academy Online. “By decoupling funding for education from zip codes we democratize and individualize learning. This also provides parents an option that delivers safety, socialization, and flexibility,” Adam points out. OptimaEd is also working with Stanford Children’s Hospital to support students who are bedridden and unable to attend school.

Adam’s immediate goals are to consistently double the number of Floridian students every year and to expand to other states where parents are facing similar challenges brought on by COVID. “During the pandemic, people placed tremendous value on the gift of time. Spending time with family and loved ones and figuring out ways they could be with their children more was prioritized,” Adam observes. “I get it. My children are now learning virtually. It makes a difference when you can be there and make them a peanut butter sandwich during your breaks. But I’m always telling our team that we need to nail it before we scale it, so we are making sure to do this right,” he adds.