Hi there!
If you are reading this, chances are you have stood in front of a group with sweaty palms - just like me. Let’s be honest.. presenting can be nerve wracking.
So, how do you actually learn how to present well? And, how can we create educational trajectories that support students without overwhelming teachers?
That’s exactly where our journey began.
We started the way all nerdy adventures do: with research.
We dove into science and conducted a systematic literature review study. This resulted in seven educational design principles for effective presentations, relation to instruction, learning activities, and feedback strategies.
All very valuable.. but the theory itself doesn’t change practice. So, we started building.
We thought “What if you could practice your presentation in a virtual environment?”. We started experimenting with Virtual Reality (VR), where students could practice a presentation and receive feedback on their eye contact and use of voice.
And you know what was really cool? We discovered that feedback in VR can be just as effective as teacher feedback.
Not to replace teachers, of course, but to give them more time for coaching and in-depth interactions with students.
Unfortunately, we also ran into some challenges when using VR.
VR couldn’t provide effective feedback on postures and gestures (keep in mind, we’re talking about 2015!), the hardware needed to be replaced every three months, and the VR headsets were expensive and difficult to scale.
We realized the technology worked but it could be better.
So, we decided to take a different approach.
We turned to Artificial Intelligence (AI), and things started to click:
That’s how Honest Mirror really started to take shape.
With Honest Mirror, students can:
This gives teachers more time for guidance and students gain more control, autonomy, and safety. And because Honest Mirror works without Wi-Fi, it can even be used in areas where access to education is limited.
That’s why Honest Mirror was nominated for the UNESCO Hamdan Prize, not just as a tool for education, but as a solution with the potential to make a global impact. Shortly after, in 2024, Honest Mirror won the Computable Award, the leading award in the Dutch ICT industry.
What’s next?
We’re only at the beginning of this journey. We continue building a tool that helps students to grow, using a technology that is safe and accessible.
And who knows, when you practice with Honest Mirror, you might be the next one standing in front of a group without sweaty palms.
PROFESSOR & FOUNDER
Stan is a Professor in the research group Digital Ethics at HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht. He came up with the idea for Honest Mirror years ago. In addition, Stan is also active in the Digital Literacy project of the Teacher Education Institution.
TEAM MANAGER
Robert-Jan is team manager of Honest Mirror. He is also coordinator of the Digital Innovation in Education program within the research group Digital Ethics.
OPERATIONAL MANAGER
Shanna is the project manager and responsible for the operational management of Honest Mirror.
PHD CANDIDATE & MANAGER DEVELOPMENT
Bo is a PhD candidate and manager of development of Honest Mirror. She conducts research on peer feedback & AI and coordinates the development team.
UX DESIGNER
Berber is a User Experience Designer within Honest Mirror. She designs based on insights from scientific research and focuses on the accessibility and inclusivity of the application.
TEACHER EDUCATOR
Bart is a teacher educator at the Teacher Education of the HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht. He evaluates the effectiveness and implementation of Honest Mirror in practice, acting as a bridge between education and research.
DEVELOPER
Olivier is a developer within Honest Mirror. He works on developing the application, conducts testing in both research and educational settings, and focuses on ethical aspects. He is also actively involved in giving lectures, workshops, and demos.
SOFTWARE DEVELOPER
Zoë is a software developer within Honest Mirror. She specializes in both front-end and back-end development and is also responsible for the maintenance and management of the website and application.