How Virtual Reality Is Changing The Education Landscape

nomandawood September 1, 2021

182 5 minutes read

As an essay writing service uk provider, it is safe to say that virtual reality has been a game-changer when it comes to education, but where did it all start? Let’s have a brief look.

“Pygmalion’s Spectacles” a 1935 sci-fi short tale, introduced the concept of VR technology. Like flying to space, this concept was groundbreaking at that period and simply a fantasy. However, to CNN’s credit, VR evolved from a theoretical concept to a medium implemented in education by more than 6 million kids.

Then in 1966, in the film “Fantastic Voyage”, an underwater submarine and its team shrunk down to a single cellular dimension so that they can travel throughout the body of an ailing researcher and dislodge a blockage from his cerebral. The film is a sci-fi tale that refers to the human desire to discover regions that are considered out of reach due to physiological limitations. It’s now possible for school pupils to do this courtesy of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). Learners can now take digital school trips to destinations such as the old Medieval Amphitheater, the Milky Way, and even the molecular passages within the individual anatomy.

Numerous professors acknowledge the educational potential of virtual space, yet a few are hesitant to adopt it in their teaching. Anything from excessive charges to objections from school administrators can be cited as reasons for this. In addition, while some people regard VR and AR as entertaining, some believe they aren’t as valuable as educational tools. Additionally, flaws of age-old technology, the cost of materials. And the inaccessibility of that material were also cited in an Ed-tech survey. Nevertheless. AR and VR in schooling are projected to rise in popularity amid these limitations in the subsequent years.

The Progression of VR in Education

How did advanced innovation become freely available to the general population? In 2012, the Oculus Rift, a 3D headgear attached to a display, was unveiled. As a result of its inception, VR technology has changed not just the way we play videogames, but ultimately how we interact with the overall virtual realm, including its application in academia.

This year marks the beginning of a revolutionary advancement in virtual reality. Compact, lighter, and much more robust headgear have made the innovation much more approachable. It is also feasible to enter the digital space from almost anywhere with 5G smartphones.

Virtual reality is becoming a viable solution for institutions due to its improved usability. VR is now available in the classrooms thanks to entire 360-degree camera systems and innovative programmes, including Google Expeditions. The technology portal designed in anticipated virtual reality in schools to rise considerably within the coming three years.

VR Technology vs. Conventional Education

Learning has not changed much over the centuries. The typical model of schooling has always been to educate students to retain facts. Thus, the average academic journey includes preparing for examinations, listening to seminars, and attempting to visualize events by reading textbooks.

Pupils can now perceive their schooling in a somewhat more compelling and interactive way thanks to the arrival of virtual reality (VR). Using virtual reality (VR) technology, kids can be transported from their workstations to ancient cities, combine radioactive materials, watch what happens without getting seriously injured, and explore imaginary environments.

Because of this, the job of the instructor has changed from one of content delivery to one of educational facilitation. Thus, according to Adobe, “Educators will emphasize setting possibilities for exploration instead of just offering ready-made learning.”

There are six instances in which virtual reality can assist pupils, according to Adobe:

Pupils can have a superior grasp of the concept by experiencing it firsthand.
In order to reduce costs and expand outreach, schools can establish digital laboratories.
As an alternative to studying from books, learners can educate by practicing practically
Students are more likely to retain information if instructors provide unique interactions.
Gadgets such as Tilt Brush allows children to be more inventive.
Studying visually means Educators can boost visual learners’ perception of academic information by incorporating optical teaching techniques.

Usage & Benefits of VR

For instructors and learners, VR technology in teaching has a vast range of uses. It is unnecessary to spend a lot of money integrating AR and VR devices into the classrooms. For inexpensive viewers like Google Cardboard to premium technology that can link with cellphones, there are a variety of options that may be obtained without going overboard. Instructors can use reasonable or perhaps even cheap applications, including 360Cities, which enables pupils to tour destinations like Venice and Kyoto as a tool for their learners. Using TimeLooper is yet another application that lets you see the universe via a chronological perspective, such as mediaeval England or the Second World War.

Integrating interactive learning into schools requires the use of these and similar tools. However, how can educators build up their courses to leverage the advantages of VR Technology in education if they don’t know where to start? Here are some handful of pointers from a professional essay writer to get you started.

Make Sure There Is Plenty of Physical Area & Monitoring and Regulating VR Use

Learners must employ VR technology securely in order to achieve the perks of the virtual world in the classroom. As a result, VR consumers tend to ignore their external conditions by spinning or striding through in a circle. A slip-up could lead to disastrous consequences. It’s up to teachers to be certain that their classrooms are large and secure for virtual reality exploration. A minimum of one arm’s distance between participants and items in the class is recommended. Employ VR material that learners can view from their seats when appropriate.

Getting the Most Out Of Virtual Reality in the Learning Environment

VR may bring educational concepts to reality, giving learners meaningful perspectives and unique views on the nature of the content they’re studying. Social interaction, on the other hand, is not something that can be replaced by virtual reality. To the extent that education is inherently a social phenomenon, VR is ideally employed in conjunction with other developing skills.

Establish a VR Teaching Strategy and Demonstrate Compassion and Cultural Competency

Virtual reality’s capacity to pique learners’ attention and engagement is one of the most important characteristics of using technology in schools. However, if pupils are trusted to their individual choices, they may stray from the subject at hand. The brilliance of VR is that it allows students to go to other parts of the globe without ever leaving their school. Since they move learners beyond their regular everyday existence, these diverse viewpoints can build compassion and ethnic competency. In addition, building culturally appropriate surroundings using technologies encourages children to accept traditions that are distinctive from their culture.