Introducing new technologies to the classroom allows for more engaging and innovating learning experiences. From pre-school to the post-graduate level, virtual reality (VR) is being talked about as having the power to transform the way we learn and make education more accessible, adaptable, and immersive. VR helps people learn new skills, be more creative, and overcome geographical, economic, and developmental barriers to learning. VR technology is increasingly more affordable and has many applications and present countless opportunities in every field.
The question remains, what is VR and how exactly can it be used in the classroom? Let’s take a deep dive into the latest research and find out.
What is Virtual Reality (VR)?
The Oxford dictionary defines ‘Virtual Reality’ as “the computer-generated simulation of a three-dimensional image or environment that can be interacted with in a seemingly real or physical way by a person using special electronic equipment, such as a helmet with a screen inside or gloves fitted with sensors”.
You might think of VR as a modern invention – but the first form of tech that we can call ‘VR’ was actually invented all the way back in the 1950s! The ‘Sensorama’ or ‘Telesphere Mask’ was designed to be “the cinema of the future”. Built in a large booth, it had 3D film with immersive “sound, scents and air breezes” that stimulated all five of the senses. Unfortunately, this invention turned out to be a commercial failure, and VR tech was largely forgotten.
The Power of Virtual Reality
It wasn’t until the start of the 21st century it was picked up and developed for entertainment purposes. It is within the last five or ten years that the public has started taking a genuine interest in this technology. In 2014, Facebook made waves by buying the VR headset Oculus Rift (a prototype made with duct-tape and by an 18-year old gamer in his parent’s garage) for nearly $3 billion! Not bad. But while Virtual Reality is most commonly thought of as for entertainment or social purposes, there are actually a range of applications of this technology.
Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality are already being used as a powerful new tool in medicine, being used to help make robotic surgeries easier, and to assist in physical rehabilitation. It is also used in exposure therapy treatment of phobias (for example, a fear of heights), and to help elderly people cope with Alzheimer’s. VR helps people learn new skills, be more creative, and maintain social contact. There has even been a virtual wedding! VR tech has many applications and present countless opportunities in every field.
Improved Memory
People remember only 10% of what they read – but 90% of what they do. Being in a fully immersive learning environment like VR helps students learn by doing. One experiment from Google Daydream Labs found that most people learned much better and faster with the aid of VR than those who were shown video tutorials. VR promotes higher order thinking, and increases understanding, commitment, and attention of students.
Personalised Learning Styles
Do you know your ‘Learning Style’? Approximately 65 percent of people are visual/spatial learners, meaning that they learn best holistically with the aid of visual tools, rather than through a textbook. VR is a powerful tool for these visual/spatial learners and is very effective to tailor the learning experience to suit the needs of different learning styles.
Reduced Anxiety
The research shows that VR helps students feel calmer and more relaxed. One study from the University of the West of England found that students reported feeling less stressed and anxious when they used VR. This has been found to be most helpful for people with non-neurotypical conditions like autism – VR significantly improves their ability to cope with new and uncertain situations.
Distance Learning
The N High School in Tokyo is the first high school in the world that is almost completely online, using VR tech to help distance students feel socially connected and engaged. VR-assisted distance learning provides safe and accessible immersive learning environments for students who can’t physically attend a school – perfect for our current times!
Field Trips
Imagine going on a history field trip to the Roman Ruins or the Egyptian pyramids, free of charge, and be back in time for lunch? Virtual reality removes the barriers that students might face to having these experiences – like cost, distance, and accessibility. Google Expeditions and Tour Creator even offers the experience of swimming with whales and visiting other planets! Being able to travel to a virtual environment and really ‘experience’ the world in a way that a textbook is unable to do would be sure to really engage any child.
Science and Anatomy
Virtual Reality is already used in higher education to help medical students learn about the human body, using interactive 3D anatomical and physiological models. Systems like FundamentalVR, Health Scholars, and Touch Surgery, are able to help train surgeons without the high-stakes of a real-life medical patient.
In a classroom setting, science laboratories can be simulated, providing safe and accessible science experiments, lowering the cost. This would allow kids to learn anatomy, do biology dissections without all the gross stuff, and conduct exciting experiments with dangerous chemical reactions.
Architecture and Design
VR is a popular tool in building design. Utilised by designers, architects and engineers, it is a powerful tool to help understand the space and how the project is developing, and to visually support and enhance building designs. Students can create a model of a building, and even walk around in the finished structure and see exactly what it will look like when it is complete.
Driver Simulations
In a classroom setting, VR is being used to help teenagers learn to drive with the aid of virtual reality driving simulators, which incorporate real-life driving scenarios and help drivers practise key skills without the dangers of a real-world environment. VR is already used in military training, to prepare astronauts for space, and to help train pilots. So, it is a powerful tool when it comes to simulated learning of physical and practical skills.
Affordability
I know what you’re thinking – is VR tech an expensive investment? The average price for a high-quality VR headset can be way up in the hundreds. However, the low-end headsets are well within reach for schools or parents. They work by just slotting your mobile phone directly into a pair of cardboard goggles. And these have a pretty affordable price-point.
Factoring in the range of applications that this tech has to offer, investing in a virtual reality headset is cheaper in the long-term as it cuts out many of the costs of a non-virtual traditional classroom. So, considering the many possible uses of this tech, and the fact that it allows the teaching to be adjusted to suit the learning style and needs of the individual student, VR headsets are already showing potential to make education much more affordable, accessible, and immersive.
