Virtual Reality: The Future of Education

Raadeyah Khawar

Published: September 3, 2024

Imagine stepping into a classroom where history comes alive; it isn’t just read from a textbook but envisioned firsthand. Picture solving complex math problems, not just on paper but through interactive virtual puzzles, and observing science experiments not from a video but in a virtual world. 

This is the envisioned future of education, advanced with VR Technology - where learning begins to exceed limits and become an immersive adventure for students and teachers alike. 

Virtual Reality, or VR, is a simulated three-dimensional (3D) environment that allows users to explore and interact with a fictional surrounding that closely resembles the real world, as perceived by their senses. 

Although VR is widely known to be used extensively in the gaming industry, it has begun expanding to other industries, ultimately aiding in the advancement and prosperity of education and STEM careers. From kindergarten to university-level education, VR Technology has proven itself heavily impactful to the education field on multiple accounts, and the change is happening at a frenetic pace. In fact, over 900 schools across the United States, including The University of Washington and UC Berkeley, are already using Virtual Reality to revolutionize the way their students learn. But how exactly is this benefiting the students? 

Education is all about experience, no matter the age of the learner. Virtual reality experiences bring so much potential for bringing curriculums to life. They come to great advantage, as they are utilized to enhance, impact, and complement real-world exploration to build solid foundations in learning journies.One of the key benefits of VR is that students can construct their learning with tasks that involve: encountering authentic problems, exploring solutions, and even collaborating with others; all of which ensure that students are engaged, motivated, and challenged immersively throughout their school career. Not only do these enriching experiences assist in enhancing communication, critical thinking, and comprehensive skills with visual aids, but they also build digital literacy skills and support inclusive teaching. Proficiency in digital literacy is crucial, especially in the modern day and age. VR Technology builds these skills by offering fresh perspectives on virtual learning, and even opportunities to create their own media. These opportunities aren’t limited to students of certain learning abilities. Rather, VR Technology supports inclusive teaching for students of all types of learning abilities with its provision of flexible learning environments, multi-sensory and hands-on learning, as well as customizable simulations tailored for students. Additionally, VR systems can gather comprehensive performance data, giving teachers the ability to monitor student progress and identify areas of strength and weakness for personalized and targeted skill development. 

Although VR Technology brings ample opportunities for students to the table, it may not be the most ideal learning method to fully transition into.One of the main disadvantages of VR in education is its high cost; not only is it expensive to purchase and maintain, but it is also costly to create educational content. This is the primary reason why VR Technology is mostly used in the United States and has not yet found its way into Canadian classrooms. Additionally, prolonged use of VR has the potential to negatively affect social skills and relationships by reducing face-to-face interaction and isolating users from the outside world. More importantly, VR Technology can lead to multiple risks for health concerns, including physical and developmental troubles. The sensory disconnection between virtual and physical movements may cause motion sickness or discomfort in some users, leading to nausea and dizziness. Similarly, the devices have the potential to cause neck and eye strain.

These drawbacks of VR technology, including developmental and physical impacts, are the primary reasons why VR headsets are unadvised for children under the age of 12-13, possibly making them unsuitable for youth-filled classrooms.

Many education officials believe that Virtual Reality Technology will usher in a new era of education, allowing students to better grasp the concepts they are set to learn. VR systems have shown their potential to expand educational opportunities by creating immersive, engaging, and personalized learning experiences. However, the journey of VR in education will inevitably experience its difficulties and concerns - ranging from costly expenses to development and health impacts. 

Nonetheless, the future of VR Technology and other technologies in education isn’t just about the technology itself; it’s also about how it can change the way we learn, inspire new ideas, innovate, and lead to advancements for future leaders.

Sources:

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“Pre-School: Age 4 to 7 Years.” ClassVR, 8 June 2022, www.classvr.com/virtual-reality-in-education/virtual-and-augmented-reality-in-pre-school-education-age-4-to-7-years/. 

“Primary & Elementary School: Age 7 to 11 Years.” ClassVR, 6 June 2022, www.classvr.com/virtual-reality-in-education/virtual-augmented-reality-in-elementary-education-age-7-to-11-years/. 

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Staff, ACR. “Top 25 Public Augmented/Virtual Reality (AR/VR) Schools in the U.S. – 2023 College Rankings.” Animation Career Review, Animation Career Review, 11 Aug. 2023, www.animationcareerreview.com/articles/top-25-public-augmentedvirtual-reality-arvr-schools-us-2023-college-rankings. 

VanKampen, Stephanie. “Too Cool for School? Canada Slow to Adopt Virtual Reality in Classrooms | CBC News.” CBCnews, CBC/Radio Canada, 19 June 2017, www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/virtual-reality-education-1.4152384#:~:text=According%20to%20Maldonado%2C%20VR%20hasn,is%20still%20expensive%20to%20create. 

Lindner, Jannik. “VR In Schools Statistics: Transforming Education with Immersive Technology.” WiFiTalents, 6 Aug. 2024, wifitalents.com/statistic/vr-in-schools/. 

Zaripov, Firuz, and Eric Hawkinson. “How Can VR Be Used to Promote Empathy in Education?” How VR Can Promote Empathy in Education, www.linkedin.com, 3 Dec. 2023, www.linkedin.com/advice/3/how-can-vr-used-promote-empathy-education-skills-mobile-devices-rz9cf#:~:text=For%20example%2C%20VR%20can%20transport,promoting%20a%20more%20compassionate%20worldview.