Is VR a Viable Option for Learning in the Future?
VR Technology – A Viable Option for Learning in the Future?
Technology is constantly moving in one direction—forward. And it continues to evolve and change while most students spend their time in school studying. However, what if we told you it’s already evolved to new heights without you realising it? That’s right! It may not seem like there have been any significant jumps in technology as of late. But the truth is tech is changing the way many students globally study and learn. How? Through tools like Virtual Reality!
Today, our team is going to take a look at the current state of VR. And we’ll determine whether it’s a viable option for learning in the years to come. The experts at our essay writer online service will examine where the tech is used today and analyse other relevant examples. So, let’s dive in by first understanding the concepts of virtual reality.
What is Virtual Reality?
Most students probably know about virtual reality. After all, it’s a very popular word online. Many gamers, streamers, and YouTubers jump into VR games to have fun. But it’s still good to define what we’re discussing, so there’s no confusion.
Virtual Reality, or VR, is a form of computer-generated simulation that renders 3D images or environments for users to interact with. Individuals wear special electronic devices and equipment, for example, a headset with a screen or glove-like controllers with tracking sensors. Thus, allowing the wearer’s physical body to be mapped into a three-dimensional space.
As a result, it essentially allows users to physically enter into virtual spaces or environments to interact with the digital world.
Now you know what VR is. But why should students care about its viability for future education? Because it’s already used for learning today!
What is VR Learning?
Virtual reality is currently being adopted more and more as technology in modern schools. But what is VR learning? And why are institutions making an effort to add virtual reality to their courses?
As mentioned above, VR places us in 3D spaces. It allows us to view a location and experience it for ourselves. That’s where it ties into learning. Imagine you’re studying history. Most institutions only offer you lectures and textbooks. You can’t go to the location in the past and see what it was like at the time in history.
However, it is possible to do just that with virtual reality technology. With its help, students can be physically transported to ancient Egypt or Rome, or any other place in the world. They can learn about it by being present at the site they’re learning about. Thus, helping them visualise without a need for textbooks and pictures. That’s how VR learning works.
But are there any examples of other academic learning areas the tech is used today? The answer is yes! So, let’s take a look at the question below.
How is VR Technology Used Today to Teach Students?
Our essay writers’ online services put together a short list to give students an idea of where technology like VR is being implemented. So, have a look at some examples of where you may see the tech appear in the future:
1. Distance Learning
Long-distance learning is something that has become incredibly important over the last few years. After all, we’ve all been locked indoors, thanks to the pandemic. That’s why institutions like the University of British Columbia Law School have been slowly integrating virtual reality lectures using the social application VR Chat.
The tools have allowed students to attend classes remotely as if they were actually there. And if we ever see similar situations in the future, you can be sure we’ll see more schools adopting virtual classrooms.
2. Game-Based Learning
Game-based VR learning is relatively new. After all, gaming itself hasn’t seen positive coverage. So, VR games seeing praise is something surprising. But according to research, the schools, colleges, and institutions currently using gaming in VR to teach their students may present positive results.
The study analyses the critical value VR adds to current technology through a sense of immersion. And concludes it is beneficial for learners to leverage the educational aspects of virtual reality. Fortunately, for most students, this means we should see more game-based learning solutions arising in the near future.
3. Virtual Field Trips
As we’ve already mentioned, VR lets you go anywhere. That’s why many schools now use it to offer virtual field trips and campus visits. The tool Google Expeditions allows teachers to transport their students to some of the most inaccessible locations on earth.
The best part is the Google Expeditions app is free. Thus, it offers both an incredible learning solution as well as a low-cost way for teachers to improve the workflow for their students. That’s why our essay writers online services suggest most of us will see this tool being used sooner than we expect.
Conclusion
In the end, there are many good things about virtual reality technology. It lets us access locations, environments, and remote classrooms. It also helps us visualize and learn in 3D spaces. And with the technology growing at a steady pace, it’s bound to show up in a classroom near you before you realize it.
We hope our list showed you some interesting ways VR is changing the education system. But these are not the only solutions the technology provides. That’s why we also encourage students to keep up with any modern technological trends, as they will undoubtedly lead you into the future.
However, students may still be struggling in the meantime. And if you find yourself facing too many difficulties, it’s okay! While you wait for your institution to catch up with virtual reality, you can use our essay writers’ online services to help you improve your grades. So, check out our page now!