Merge at FETC 2026: Hands-On Learning Took Center Stage in Orlando
FETC 2026 is officially in the books—and what an incredible week it was.
From January 11–13 in Orlando, Florida, educators, librarians, instructional leaders, and edtech innovators gathered to explore what’s next in teaching and learning. For Merge, FETC 2026 was all about one thing: making learning tangible.
At Booth 2331 in the Innovation & Immersive Technologies Pavilion, hundreds of educators stopped by to experience hands-on augmented reality, explore what’s new in Merge EDU, and see how immersive tools can integrate into science, STEM, library, and enrichment programs
During expo hall hours, the Merge booth stayed busy with educators:
- Experiencing live demos of Merge EDU
- Signing up for a free Merge EDU trial—and taking home a free Merge Cube
- Exploring the Mega Merge Cube, which quickly became a crowd favorite
- Entering the Mega Merge Cube social media contest
Educators were excited for their students to be able to hold learning in their hands with Merge, especially when teaching abstract or complex concepts that are difficult to visualize with traditional tools.
Partnering with SMART Technologies
One of the highlights of the week was our partnership with SMART Technologies, where our community could see how impactful screen sharing AR from Merge EDU to the SMART Board® MX series can benefit their students.
Sessions Featuring Merge EDU
Merge EDU was featured across a wide range of sessions, panels, and expo tours throughout the conference, highlighting its versatility across subjects and grade levels.
From deep dives into AI, AR, MR, VR, and XR through a Universal Design for Learning, to hands-on sessions blending AR with Google NotebookLM, educators saw practical, classroom-ready ways to make immersive learning inclusive, engaging, and accessible.
Merge also appeared in:
- AR/VR trend sessions
- Immersive learning roadmap panels
- Science, STEM, and library-focused presentations
- Multiple expo hall tours led by trusted voices like Leslie Fisher, Shannon McClintock Miller, Jen Hall, and Phil Hintz
And a lot of free Merge Cubes found their way into educators’ bags along the way!
Libraries, STEM, and Inclusive Learning
One of the most exciting takeaways from FETC 2026 was how often Merge came up in conversations about:
- Future-ready libraries
- Inclusive learning environments
- Hands-on STEM instruction
- Emerging AI and immersive technologies
Whether it was a 15-minute expo talk or a full-hour session, educators were eager to explore tools that help students interact, investigate, and understand – not just observe.
Thank You, FETC Community
To everyone who stopped by the Merge booth, joined a session, attended an expo tour, asked thoughtful questions, or shared classroom stories – thank you!
FETC 2026 reaffirmed what we hear from educators every day:
When students can hold learning in their hands, understanding sticks.
If you didn’t get a chance to connect with us during the conference or want to continue the conversation, our team would love to hear from you!
We’re already looking forward to what’s next and to continuing to support educators bringing immersive learning to life in classrooms everywhere.
