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University of Phoenix study in The Geography Teacher examines how awe and the “overview effect” may shape geography learning

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New peer-reviewed article explores how sense of place and perspective may support student engagement and understanding

PHOENIX, June 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — University of Phoenix College of General Studies announces the publication of a new peer-reviewed article in The Geography Teacher, authored by Jacquelyn Kelly, Ph.D., associate dean, College of General Studies; Dianna Gielstra, Ph.D., full-time faculty, Environmental Science Program; Tomáš J. Oberding, Ph.D. full-time faculty, Environmental Science Program; and Niccole V. Cerveny, Ph.D.

The article, titled “The Overview Effect and Sense of Place: Awe-Inspired Learning and Connection Through Geography,” examines how awe and sense of place may influence how learners engage with and interpret geographic concepts, with implications for instructional design in online and classroom environments.

What is the overview effect and why does it matter for learning?

The article explores the “overview effect,” a cognitive shift described by astronauts viewing Earth from space, characterized by a heightened sense of interconnectedness, perspective and reflection. Building on this concept, the authors examine how experiences of awe, often prompted by scale, landscape and environment, may open attention, expand thinking, and support how learners process new information.

The paper situates these ideas within geography education, suggesting that place-based and visually grounded learning experiences may help students connect abstract concepts to real-world environments while strengthening their sense of place.

Our research highlights the power of a simple show-and-share discussion activity,” said Kelly. “Students explored awe-inspiring landscapes and then shared places that were meaningful to them. Those personal stories and images created opportunities for reflection, strengthened students’ connections to environmental topics, and helped bring a sense of place into the online classroom. We hope this provides a model that other educators can use to foster engagement and connection in online learning environments.”

The authors also discuss how awe-informed approaches may support curiosity and reflection, helping learners recognize gaps in understanding and integrate new knowledge with existing perspectives.

Key themes of the article include:

Examination of the overview effect as a framework for understanding perspective shift and learningExploration of awe as a factor that may influence attention, curiosity and conceptual understandingConsideration of sense of place as a meaningful element in student connection to course contentInsights into how intentional instructional design may incorporate these concepts in educational settings

Kelly is a published researcher with more than 20 years of experience in science and mathematics education. Her work focuses on translating STEM education research into practice in higher education settings. She has dedicated her work to scaling and sustaining research-based practices in science and mathematics education. Kelly earned a doctorate in curriculum and instruction with a specialization in science education and a Master of Science in materials science and engineering from Arizona State University. She holds a bachelor’s degree in physics and chemistry from California State University, San Marcos.

Gielstra is a biogeographer, course designer and faculty member in the College of General Studies Environmental Science program, with research interests in human and environmental connections, geography, and polar, mountain and riparian environments. Gielstra earned a doctorate in geography from Texas A&M University and holds a Master of Science in Environmental Studies from the Medical University of South Carolina and a Bachelor of Science in biology from Coastal Carolina University.

Oberding is a coastal ecologist, course designer and faculty member in the College of General Studies Environmental Science program. His research interests include hydrology, mariculture, coral ecology and environmental remediation. He earned a doctorate in natural resource and environmental management from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and holds a Master of Science in mariculture from Texas A&M University Corpus Christi and a Bachelor of Science in biology from the University of New Mexico.

Cerveny is a Professor of Geography in the Department of Cultural Science, Philosophy, and Religious Studies at Mesa Community College in Arizona. Her research interests are in geomorphology, landscape evolution, Native American rock art conservation, and sustainable heritage management.

The full article is available here: https://doi.org/10.1080/19338341.2025.2592717

About University of Phoenix

 University of Phoenix is Built for Real Life. 50 Years Strong. The University innovates to help working adults enhance their careers and develop skills in a rapidly changing world through flexible online learning, relevant courses, academic AI pillars, and skills-mapped curriculum for associate, bachelor’s and master’s degree programs. Active students and alumni have access to Career Services for Life® resources including career guidance and tools. For more information, visit phoenix.edu. 

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Agile Robots Launches Agile ONE SN Humanoid at NVIDIA GTC Berlin and Pilots Humanoids with Audi

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BERLIN, Oct. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — On 21 October, Agile Robots and NVIDIA launched the research humanoid Agile ONE SN at NVIDIA GTC Berlin. Agile Robots has released its new-generation Diana 7 and Diana 3 arms, both supporting the Franka Control Interface (FCI).

Agile ONE SN: humanoid reference platform

Agile ONE SN is built on the NVIDIA Isaac GR00T development platform. The 1.4-metre, 43-kilogram humanoid has dual WUJI tactile five-finger hands and 71 degrees of freedom in total, runs on NVIDIA Jetson Thor and ships with the GR00T 1.7 open VLA model. Skills developed on it can transfer to the full-size industrial Agile ONE. Availability is planned for early 2027.

Two days earlier, at the Invest in Germany Summit in Berlin, NVIDIA announced plans to invest in Agile Robots.

“Agile ONE SN gives R&D labs around the world a complete humanoid platform that is ready from day one,” said Dr. Zhaopeng Chen, founder and CEO of Agile Robots.

Application: humanoids in Audi’s logistics

Agile Robots, AUDI AG, Dassault Systèmes and NVIDIA also announced a joint project at Audi’s Ingolstadt plant. In the Audi Production Lab, mobile humanoids pick parts from containers and sequence them for final assembly, a task performed around one million times a day. The workcell is first tested in a DELMIA virtual twin accelerated by NVIDIA Omniverse libraries.

Diana 7 and Diana 3: one interface, from lab to industrial payloads

Diana 7 extends Franka Research 3 to higher payloads and reach, while Diana 3 brings the same force-control platform to entry-level research. Both share ±0.05 mm repeatability and 0.5 N relative force-control accuracy, and both support FCI, so Franka Research 3 code moves directly to Diana.

Diana 3 keeps seven degrees of freedom, joint torque sensing and compliant control for precision manipulation, lab automation and sample handling. Diana 7, shown at the 26th China International Industry Fair in Shanghai (12–16 October), offers 7 kg payload and 923 mm reach, and weighs 2 kg less than before.

About Agile Robots

Founded in Munich in 2018 by robotics researchers from the German Aerospace Center (DLR), Agile Robots provides AI-powered robotics solutions and employs more than 3,500 people worldwide. With its subsidiaries BÄR Automation, Franka Robotics, idealworks and Krause Automation, it covers all areas of AI-driven robotics.

For inquiries, please contact us via apac-sales@agile-robots.com and visit our official website at www.agile-robots.com 

CONTACT:
Agile Robots
apac-sales@agile-robots.com 

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ECOVACS WINBOT W3 OMNI Named to TIME’s Best Inventions of 2026

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NEW YORK, Oct. 27, 2026 /CNW/ — ECOVACS ROBOTICS, a global leader in home service robotics, is honored to announce that its WINBOT W3 OMNI has been named to TIME’s Best Inventions of 2026 list[1]. This recognition underscores ECOVACS’ leadership in the robotic window cleaning, driven by relentless technological innovation, and highlights how these breakthroughs are reshaping everyday life in meaningful ways.

Acclaimed by TIME for turning the demanding task of cleaning floor-to-ceiling windows into a more effortless experience, WINBOT W3 OMNI builds on ECOVACS’ strong market position in the category, with the company shipping approximately 1.075 million robotic window cleaners in the first half of 2026 and capturing over 50%[2] of the global robotic window cleaner market in 2025. This market leadership is underpinned by ECOVACS’ pioneering role in defining and continuously advancing the robotic window cleaner category. Since introducing WINBOT, ECOVACS has continued to drive user-focused innovations that elevate cleaning performance, simplify the cleaning process, and bring greater autonomy to window care.

For more than two decades, TIME Best Inventions list recognizes groundbreaking innovations with the potential to change how we live, work, play, and think about what’s possible. Selected through a rigorous editorial process, ECOVACS WINBOT W3 OMNI earns its place on TIME’s Best Inventions of 2026 list, recognized for its originality, efficacy, ambition, and impact.

WINBOT’s recognition by TIME as one of the Best Inventions reflects more than a single product breakthrough. It is built on ECOVACS’ years of technological expertise, extensive patent portfolio and ability to leverage core technologies across robotics, sensing, algorithms and intelligent manufacturing. With more than 3,100 patents granted and over RMB 5.2 billion invested in R&D since 2018, ECOVACS has established a strong technological foundation for translating its broader robotics capabilities into innovations tailored to the unique challenges of window cleaning. This accumulated expertise enables the continuous evolution of WINBOT, helping advance the category and deliver increasingly intelligent, reliable and effective cleaning experiences.

Showcasing ECOVACS’ innovation prowess, WINBOT W3 OMNI features a revolutionary station equipped with Vortex Wash, the industry’s first contact-free wiping pad washing system that eliminates the hassle of hand-washing dirty pads. Combined with the TruEdge scrubber, which brings precise edge-to-edge cleaning with millimeter-level accuracy, WINBOT W3 OMNI delivers a more thorough, hands-off cleaning experience.

Beyond WINBOT, ECOVACS is bringing robotics to more corners of everyday life through its expanding multi-category portfolio, from indoor floor care to outdoor pool cleaning and lawn maintenance, to make daily life easier and give people more time for what matters most.

About ECOVACS ROBOTICS:

Founded in 2006, ECOVACS ROBOTICS is a global leader in home service robotics with a diverse portfolio of products encompassing robotic vacuum cleaners and robotic window cleaners. With its expansion into robotic lawn mowers, commercial cleaning robots, robotic pool cleaners and robotic pet companions, ECOVACS solidified its position as a multi-category leader in home service robotics.

Guided by the vision “Robotics for All”, ECOVACS continues to advance technology and enhance the user experience to make life smarter and more stylish for consumers worldwide. With sales subsidiaries in Germany, the United States, Japan, and Singapore, ECOVACS products reach nearly 180 major markets and serve over 38 million households globally.

A testament to this market leadership, ECOVACS ROBOTICS has ranked first in China’s robotic vacuum cleaner market by share for ten consecutive years (2015-2024).

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Compal and ARC Cloud Forge Strategic Partnership to Accelerate Large-Scale AI Infrastructure

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The MOU outlines a global strategic collaboration spanning advanced AI computing systems, high-performance GPU clusters and next-generation data center infrastructure.

SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Compal Electronics, Inc. (TWSE: 2324) (“Compal”) and ARC Cloud today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to advance their strategic collaboration in large-scale AI computing infrastructure.

Signed during the 2026 OCP Global Summit, the MOU establishes a framework for collaboration across multiple projects. As part of their broader collaboration, the companies will explore opportunities related to a data center development roadmap of up to 100 MW. The partnership also aligns with ARC Cloud’s plans for continued expansion through significant capital investments in AI infrastructure and data center development across the United States, including California, Nevada, Texas and Georgia.

The collaboration brings together Compal’s advanced AI server technologies and manufacturing expertise with ARC Cloud’s end-to-end capabilities in AI infrastructure investment and the design, deployment and operation of large-scale GPU clusters.

The partnership extends beyond AI server supply to encompass system engineering, technical validation, deployment coordination and ongoing support. By aligning advanced computing technologies with infrastructure requirements, the companies aim to accelerate the delivery of computing capacity for AI model training, fine-tuning and inference.

“AI computing is moving toward increasingly integrated, high-density systems that require closer coordination between technology manufacturers and infrastructure providers,” said Alan Chang, Vice President of Infrastructure Systems Business Group (ISBU) at Compal. “Our partnership with ARC Cloud allows us to build on our engineering strengths and explore new opportunities to support the growing NeoCloud market.”

How the Companies Will Work Together

Under the MOU, Compal will contribute its expertise in AI server manufacturing, rack-scale integration and liquid-cooling technologies. ARC Cloud will bring its capabilities in infrastructure investment, strategic technology partnerships, and the engineering and operation of high-performance GPU clusters.

The companies will work to align system configurations, production schedules and data center deployment requirements, while exploring cooperation in joint engineering, system validation and lifecycle technical support. These efforts are intended to improve deployment efficiency and operational readiness as AI computing environments grow in scale and complexity.

“AI customers need more than access to GPUs. They need computing environments that can deliver consistent performance for demanding workloads,” said William Tiah, Co-Founder of ARC Cloud. “Working with Compal allows us to bring system engineering and infrastructure planning closer together, helping us build and operate reliable GPU clusters as demand for AI computing continues to grow.”

About Compal

Founded in 1984, Compal is a leading global manufacturer of computers and smart devices and a Forbes Global 2000 company, partnering with top-tier brands worldwide. The company has expanded into cloud servers, automotive electronics, smart medical and healthcare, and advanced communication solutions. Headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, Compal operates globally across the U.S., Taiwan, China, Vietnam, Mexico, Brazil, and Poland. Website: https://www.compal.com

About ARC Cloud

ARC Cloud (Accelerated Research Computing) is a U.S.-based, full-stack NeoCloud company specializing in the investment, development and operation of large-scale AI computing infrastructure. With end-to-end capabilities spanning data center development, GPU cluster design and deployment, infrastructure orchestration and operations, and cloud-based AI services, ARC Cloud provides dedicated GPU compute, managed infrastructure, model deployment and production inference for AI developers, enterprises and cloud service providers. Website: https://arccloudai.com

Forward-Looking Statements

The MOU establishes a framework for cooperation and does not constitute a binding investment or purchase commitment. The potential 100 MW data center development roadmap referenced in this announcement is exploratory and does not represent a confirmed project, capacity commitment, purchase commitment or revenue forecast. Specific projects, capacity, commercial terms and timelines remain subject to further agreements and applicable conditions. Actual outcomes may differ from current expectations.

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SOURCE Compal Electronics, Inc.

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