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here is no doubt that virtual reality (VR) technology is becoming more and more commonplace in society. From video games to movies, VR is being used in a variety of ways to entertain and engage people. But what about its potential to educate and train people?

There is a growing body of evidence that suggests VR can be an effective tool for learning least VR companies like Oculus and HTC are banking on it.

For example, VR could be used to give students a more immersive and realistic learning experience. Students could be transported to different historical periods or places and learn about them in a way that is much more engaging than simply reading about them in a textbook.
Additionally, VR could be used to teach difficult concepts in subjects like science and math. By providing a more interactive and visual learning experience, VR could help students better understand these concepts.

Michael Bodaekar founder and CEO of Labster argues that there is not much innovation in classrooms when it comes to teaching science, imagine if students can learn how the culture is done in labs and research facilities without even stepping into one. This is where VR comes in, it can provide an immersive experience for the students that can teach them things that would be otherwise impossible to learn.
Research conducted by lobster showed that when VR was used for teaching along with teacher-led coaching the learning was more effective than the traditional method alone.

Florian Radke who is a communication expert says that VR will change how we learn, work, and understand information. Soon AR will be available to all of us, and it’s likely that it will be an integrated part of our lives, just like the internet and our smartphones are today.
He adds that, in education, VR could be used to create truly immersive learning experiences. For example, imagine being able to learn about the human body by seeing it from the inside, or being able to step inside a virtual world and explore it. He suggests classrooms go 3D and experience what it's like to learn in an environment that is not limited by the physical world.

David Rapien who is an assistant Professor-Educator in the Lindner College of Business talks about how VR can take kids to another parallel world, just like in childhood we had this toy where you could see cities and buildings, in VR you can see how things are built. It is a great way to learn about the world and other cultures.
He explains how people can be transported to a different world and see a museum without even being there. It will also help in geography as people can go and see different places without leaving the classroom.

Imagine Children who like to travel and learn about different cultures, they can use VR to go to those places without spending any money on airfare or hotels. All they need is a headset and they can explore the world from the comfort of their homes.

Bernard Marr the author of extended reality in practice gives some examples of how learners can benefit from VR
-Watching the sky and the stars understanding the star formation, galaxy, and how the solar system works.
-Students can dissect animals and learn about their anatomy without having to kill any animals.
-Going back to history and seeing how the events actually happened.
-Practising a speech/presentation in front of an audience Going to a crime scene and picking up clues to solve the mystery.
-Learning languages with real people having real conversations

Dinesh Punni the founder of immersive insiders says VR replaces your world with digital content. It not only makes learning easy but reduces our environmental footprint because you don't have to travel anywhere. He says active learning happens when we can do and learn at the same time, for example when we are cooking we not only learn about the recipe but also how to chop vegetables, this is called experiential learning and VR is perfect for it. He says that our physical world is merging with the digital world and the possibilities are endless. We are just beginning to scratch the surface when it comes to using VR for experiential learning.

Jessica Ochoa Hendrix is the CEO and co-founder of Killer Snails, an educational game start-up that creates tabletop, digital, and virtual reality games, helping bring science to life in K-12 schools. Jessica says we can't be what can't see. She is been developing a program where middle schoolers can. She has been working on projects to give kids a real-life experience in science, she works with teachers to take this learning to class and reach all students. Students can go to the ocean virtually and study the ocean floor.

So, VR definitely has the potential to revolutionize education and learning. However, it's important to keep in mind that VR is still a relatively new technology. So, while there are definitely some advantages to using VR in education, there are also some risks and challenges that need to be considered.

Tech excites kids as far as I have seen, from my experience working with them. They are motivated when they can see the relevance of what they are learning. Allowing them to virtually travel, explore, and learn would be an excellent way to keep that motivation up, not just in school but also later on in their careers.

The potential for AR and VR in education is huge. We are in exciting times where technology is changing the way we learn. It will be interesting to see how these technologies develop and evolve over the next few years.

These technologies have the potential to revolutionize the way we learn by making learning more immersive, interactive, and engaging. It is exciting for teachers, students, and parents all over the world.

Posted 
Aug 31, 2022
 in 
Digital Learning
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