Virtual Reality in Education
admin
AR/VR
August 30, 2021
5 min read
Embracing the best of technology opens the door to a million more possibilities that were never available before. As Virtual Reality (VR) is slowly being adopted in the education systems, here are the top reasons why and how to implement it!
What is virtual reality?
A simulation program based on computer graphics that allows the users to experience the three-dimensional visuals in a first-person manner, with the aid of specialized instruments, is called Virtual Reality (VR). Breaking it down, it is a virtual form of the real world. The devices used alter users’ perception by using our senses and herein transporting the user into an alternative reality where they can explore and interact with the virtual world as in real.
Benefits of virtual reality!
Virtual reality is no longer a treasure that is only accessible to the elite tier of society. With advancements in the technical field and the progressiveness of time, virtual reality has found a space in every sector of the world, from education to business. Here are the top reasons that make virtual reality a boon for the world today!
- VR gives the users an immersive experience with the gadgets. A step ahead of AR, the users are transported to the desired world, giving them a chance to interact and explore the real visual as they wish for.
- The immersive experience further gives the users a multi-dimensional approach to the visual at hand, proving to be very helpful in the medical sciences in teaching surgeons.
- All can access the resources. As the educational institute adopts it, all the students from different walks of life can enjoy the taste of technology without any inhibition.
Making parallel relation to education!
The virtual tool can be a great accessory to elevate the learning experience and inculcating creativity in the young mind. The benefits of VR can be expanded and drawn into real-life cases in schools where education experience can be elevated for all, irrespective of the economic background. Implementing VR in the classrooms can help in:
- Real-life visuals without compromise. This feature helps the student to get a real outlook of what and how things are.
- Visuals help in better retention and understanding of the concepts. In addition, experiencing things first-hand will help students tide over the difficulty of imagining when they can see for them.
- VR makes even the remotest corner of the world accessible to people anywhere and at any time. This can help schools to improve the exposure of students at a very low cost. Of course, this does not in any way dismiss the importance of outdoor field trips. But with VR in classes, the students can enjoy even the places that are not feasible for them at a negligible cost.
- Virtual reality offers a safe space for students to see and learn. This is of great help in higher studies like medical sciences and engineering as the students can see and understand the basic nuances better than theoretical imagining.
- These are far more enjoyable than a rudimentary class that focuses on learning without understanding the concepts.
- The immersive VR can ignite creativity and improve engagement in children.
- The VR technology can be used to improve various other aspects other than the studies. For example, developing a positive outlook on society, exposure to different cultures, and tolerance are other elements that can be explored using technology.
Why VR can improve the quality of education!
Adopting virtual reality in the field of education can help the sector tide over the rudimentary methods that it had been employing since the last century. Education now focuses on the grading system. Limiting the creative aspects of studies and pushing students to achieve excellence in fields that return investments is common. Children too tag along, gulping down things with neither head nor tail. Moreover, today’s education system limits space where students can breathe a sigh of relief by aiming to cover a larger syllabus within less time.
VR in education can change the future of education. With immersive experience, the students can learn and understand better. This also helps them think and question things, since seeing with eyes helps a better understanding of things than reading text and imagining the same. Furthermore, with VR helping them quickly grasp the subject, they can efficiently work for the day without being overburdened by subjects.
Fields where VR can play a prominent role.
- VR for students with learning disabilities: VR can be a great tool to support students with learning difficulties. Changing the ambiance and a more immersive experience can help the students get wholesome expertise helping them tide over the difficulties they face. The students can learn at their pace with a helping aid from the reality before them. VR teaching has also been proved helpful for children with autism, wherein they are seen to incorporate their virtual learnings into real-life cases.
However, there are a lot of conditional factors that need to be dealt with under this. A more exhaustive study can give a clearer picture, but for now, the studies don’t dismiss the positive impact of VR in studies for students with a learning disability.
- Virtual field trips: The best thing about the virtual field trip is not about saving the cost, but that all children can equally access parts of the world beyond their reach. Be it due to economic background or the disability that limits their present, VR-based field trips let them see, enjoy and explore the wonders of the world without having to leave their spaces.
Additionally, the school can provide a lot more exposure to students at a reduced cost and with no risk of accidents and injuries.
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- Understand nature: There is nothing more magical than what nature has bestowed us. With VR in schools, students can see what they study the textbooks. From the deepest abyss to being out of the world, the VR can let the children get a perspective of things they learn through texts. This further helps them develop sensitivity to the climate crisis, initiating them to take steps in reducing their carbon footprint.
- Improving exposure: The VR can be used to improve the exposure of students to different cultures and ethnicity, helping them grow in a more tolerant society.
- Training: The technical training required by some fields of education can be sufficed with the help of VR. With the 3D layout of the reality before them, the students can efficiently imagine and map over what they study.
Things to make sure before adopting the technology
Though VR is an excellent method to be adopted in theory, here are a few of the top difficulties that it faces that prevent it from being universally adopted by the education systems.
- The cost is definitely one thing. The VR instruments are not exactly lightweight. Adding to it the students who will be using them, the cost rises. To give a proper immersive experience, you’ll have to invest in ample devices that will give every student a chance to experience without being left out.
- Technology changes pretty fast. If you see the bulky VR headsets today, wait a few months; you’ll see sleeker devices at a far efficient price. This is why many institutes have not yet invested in VR. Since the technology is in developing stages, you can get hands-on better and cheaper products if you wait for a little more time.
- It should be meaningful to the studies. The designers will be taxed with the responsibility of creating content catering to the syllabus. Since it is still in the nascent stages, it is difficult to get hold of the entire course and some subjects.
- Teachers should be trained to invigilate students for the VR, from course development to teaching style. In addition, the teacher will have to update themselves with the new technology and integrate it into the teaching style.
Conclusion
VR is a great medium that can be explored in every walk of the educational sector. While the senior students demand a more comprehensive experience, the elementary kids can have fun and learn simultaneously with a mix of AR and VR. Therefore, it is high time for education to change the course it has set. Rather than pushing the students to learn, adopting VR can help students to understand. Though there is still a long time when the application becomes feasible to be applied globally, teachers and educational institutes need to know what is next in the field of education.
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