PENSACOLA, Fla. (WKRG) — The University of West Florida has received a $579,000 grant to improve STEM teacher preparation.

STEM includes the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math.

The grant is part of a larger $1,498,899 grant awarded across five universities from the National Science Foundation.

Over the next four years, teams will work with approximately 250 college students preparing to become teachers to study how virtual reality and artificial intelligence compare to more traditional models of teaching.

“This research explores the potential of artificial intelligence–driven avatars in virtual reality to transform the way future STEM teachers learn to teach,” Dr. John Pecore, professor in the UWF School of Education, said. “The immersive environment gives preservice

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