Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) are part of the extended reality technologies that aid the learning process and use technology to create an awesome digital experience for learners. Virtual Reality and Augmented reality make it possible for learners to explore the world within the shores of the classroom.
Education and research have advanced beyond the theoretical exploration of concepts. Now, students can enhance their knowledge through real-life examples without leaving the classroom. An example of this is the Froggipedia app which allows students to explore the internal organs of a frog without having to dissect it.
AR and VR have gained wide popularity in the gaming world, and people can play real-life action and horror games. Now, AR and VR are beginning to gain popularity in the education sector, and will soon emerge as a requirement for schools and other learning institutions.
This article expressly discusses all about AR and VR in education; its perks, improvements, etc., as well as the differences between traditional learning and implementing AR and VR in education.
Overview of AR and VR
The use of virtual reality in education and other sectors has made it possible for humans to reach realms ordinarily thought impossible. This has changed the narrative and solved a lot of problems, one of which is the ability of students, scientists, and other AR and VR users to study situations and realms from a closer and safer point.
Augmented Reality (AR) is used to augment real-world scenarios, while Virtual Reality (VR) is employed to create a virtual environment. AR and VR are mutually exclusive of each other, and while AR represents the real world, VR represents the virtual world. That is, users can access the real world (AR) and control their presence in the virtual environment (VR).
All About AR and VR in Education
The application of AR and VR in education research has developed contrasting schools of thought. While some believe it will positively affect the narrative, others believe that AR and VR methods are not effective in the classroom. However, AR VR has proven to be highly effective in education and research, and in the coming decades, the presence of virtual reality will heighten and researchers and educational institutions will have to adopt AR and VR.
AR and VR Connection with Students
The use of virtual reality in education has and continues to transform education. It has a unique connection with students and helps to create a more immersive connection with students. Although the cost of virtual reality in education is quite high, the long-term benefits far outweigh these costs.
AR and VR can enhance students’ learning experience and equip them with skills needed for the future, which is futuristic. Some of these skills include emotional intelligence, critical thinking, and understanding, knowledge retention, among others. The external environment sometimes poses a distraction to students and affects their concentration, but the use of virtual reality in education has improved students’ concentration and drastically eliminated external influences.
Benefits of Virtual Reality
Here are some of the benefits of VR in education:
- AR and VR can improve students’ learning outcomes and retention.
- It enhances collaboration and teamwork.
- It improves students’ engagement
- VR improves students' understanding of complex, conceptual subjects.
- It provides an interactive and meaningful learning experience for students.
- It provides multi-sensory experiences for students.
- It creates a contextualized learning experience for students
- VR creates a gamified learning environment
- It improves knowledge retention
Unique Complement to Education
AR and VR give kids a unique learning experience. The external environment sometimes poses a distraction to students and affects their concentration, but the use of virtual reality in education has improved students’ concentration and drastically eliminated external influences. Now, kids can gain first-hand experience with how real-world scenarios work.
Virtual reality brings education to life and students' knowledge is no longer limited to theoretical facts alone. Examples of VR in education research include:
- Anatomy with ar and VR, students can study, enlarge, isolate, and even dissect the human body to better understand its features and solve problems. This incredible idea was developed by Microsoft HoloLens.
- FLAIM Australia is known for its constant wildfire burst which drastically impacts the society, economy, and other aspects of the country in general. The FLAIM initiative aims to train firefighters using mixed reality (ar and vr) and equip them with the expertise needed on the job. Using the vr technology, firefighters will experiment with harsh and dangerous scenarios that are considered too extreme for the real world.
- Teachers can take their kids on exciting ar and vr trips to gain a closer and real experience. A zoo trip using ar, for instance, will allow kids to study animals in their natural habitat and learn their behaviors. This has been made possible with the Google Expeditions app which is easy and cheap to use.
Deepening Learning with AR and VR Education
Virtual reality education companies have helped deepen students' learning in that they understand concepts better and gain real, solid experience. AR and VR have advanced beyond science and technology, and are now being employed in many non-STEM subjects.
Virtual Reality to Deepen Learning
The use of virtual reality in education has made learning more effective, engaging, and realistic. VirtualSpeech is an incredible example of how virtual reality can help to deepen learning. Using VirtualSpeech, students can learn the art of public speaking and overcome their fears.
Compared to traditional learning, using VR will develop independent thinking in kids because their understanding will no longer be limited to abstract concepts alone.
Virtual Reality Beyond STEM
Although VR is gaining popularity in education research and the STEM education sector in general, it is not limited to it. Over the world, AR and VR are fast becoming an integral part of STEM education. However, virtual reality stems beyond STEM education and is also popular in gaming higher education, healthcare, military, security, arts, and adventure, among others.
Traditional Learning Methods vs VR vs AR
Here are the core differences between traditional learning methods and AR and VR.
Enabling More Field Trips
Truth be told, it shatters our hearts when our kids are unable to join other kids for field trips due to funds. However, with AR, kids can go on multiple adventures and explore places/things naturally thought impossible. Using the Google Expeditions app, kids can embark on exciting adventures spanning science, arts, history, the natural world, and other planets.
Enhancing Life-Long Learning
One of the many benefits of VR in education is enhancing the lifelong learning experience. Beyond the classroom, students will acquire experiences, knowledge, and effective skills relevant to today’s world. Extended learning, which includes augmented reality and virtual reality, expands learning to be more in-depth, engaging, and realistic. Students can also learn other relevant skills to boost their soft skills, like emotional intelligence, public speaking, critical thinking, and analytical skills, among others.
Improving Teaching with AR and VR
VR in education research has significantly improved teaching. Teachers can expand their curriculum with the confidence that their students will fully grasp concepts through solid, experimental examples. The burden has also been lessened for teachers and teaching is more interesting, as students will always remain eager to learn.
In addition, teachers are presented with a wider range of subjects without the fear of limited or unattainable resources.
Frequently Asked Questions
AR and VR are incredible technologies that help to improve students’ participation. Vr in education research creates a more interactive classroom and students' learning is based on the learning-by-doing method. The use of ar and vr in education also serves as immersive learning tools that make it possible for students to explore the world, delve deep into complex subjects, and explore the impossible, all from the safety of the classroom.
Augmented Reality (AR) in education creates an opportunity for students to study abstract objects in the real world. AR in education. Teachers can enhance and increase students’ engagement by helping them to learn global perspectives through intercultural interaction, and virtual field trips, among others.
Virtual Reality (VR) can create impacting, engaging, and memorable experiences for students. Vr opens up unlimited possibilities for students to explore the world through field trips. In addition, vr builds lifelong learning, so students can acquire skills that will always remain useful for them.
Summary of Teaching and Instructing with AR and VR
The use of AR and VR in education and education research has been rumored to contain adverse effects for kids. For instance, there are arguments that the continuous use of AR and VR in education can make students forget the line between virtual and reality.
However, studies have shown that the benefits of AR/VR in education far outweigh the costs, and as long as students are duly supervised, they have no reason to fret. Virtual reality is gaining momentum in the education sector, and soon, students’ learning will heavily lean on AR and VR technologies.
