In the past years, virtual reality (VR) has been making the headlines explaining how it helps the student in the studying process by helping teachers to teach effectively, and students to understand complex concepts. However, these would make much sense to us when we grasp the concept of VR; it uses an application in education.
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What is Virtual Reality?
It’s the application of computer technology that creates a virtually stimulating environment which is either different or similar to the real world. In a layman’s terms, VR is simply a non-existent reality. Typical VR headset or devices include headsets that produce sounds, realistic images, and other sensational feelings to create a physical or live experience of the real world in a virtual environment.
How does it work?
How VR works is a major concern to many who are trying the grasp the uses and application of the system. It focuses on virtual stimulation to create an illusion of an environment in the eyes of the user. Thus, it eliminates all forms of interaction with the real world by placing the virtual environment in the eyes of the user. Two autofocus lens placed between the eyes and the display screen is used to display the virtual environment using HDML cable linked to a computer or a mobile phone.
Distance study
This technology is yet to be fully utilized in the aspect of distance study. According to research, the studying outcome of distance study for online students can be greatly improved with the technology. For instance, they can pay to write a unique research paper and utilize such resources in the process by visualizing study outcomes.
Virtual Reality in education
Even if the concept is widely used in gaming, studies have shown that it’s also well practiced in education in the aspects of teaching and studying. According to recent forecasts, in 2019, VR will go mainstream, where many of the major players in the education sector globally such as Google and Facebook will invest heavily in the development of VR-driven applications to aid the studying process.
Even now, VR technology is used by many schools to influence the studying process and make it easier for students to remember what they learned. But the reality is that most modern students do not know how this application based study can help them in their studies. This article will reveal several ways these students can benefit from VR and use it to improve their studies and learn new things. Thus, making a virtual reality in education a priceless technological development.
A better sense of place
Students love practicing what they learned in class, and this typically deepens their understanding of such concepts as they can practice it in a real setting. Sadly, modern teaching methods limit studying theoretical illustrations and diagrams. VR removes such limits and enables them to explore what they discovered and see how it relates to real life scenario.
This is also useful when doing any research paper writing as it helps the student to grasp a better sense of place on concepts they wish to write about. The catch is that it’s easy to forget that it’s only a virtual experience, and such scenes did not happen in real life. The human brain is stimulated, and the mind is engaged. Thus, making what they learned in school stay in their memories forever.
Scale learning
Science labs are great for discoveries, but they aren’t without limitations and highly expensive too. Modern students can scale their study experiences using VR, which makes learning more engaging and dynamic. A typical VR device can be transformed into a science lab to enable undergraduates to visualize what they learned clearly.
Virtual field trips (VFT)
This is one of the common application of VR education to aid student learning. Many schools have successfully applied the technology using Google expeditions to take undergraduates to distant destinations and faraway locations on the planet. Those studying Geography have a lot to benefit from this as they can travel in the virtually to other countries to know more about their culture and people just as they are being taught in class.
Helping students to learn by doing
Teachers all over the world understand the fact that they learn more when they practice what they are learning alongside. VR helps them to discover for themselves and practice what the teacher is teaching in real-time. According to researchers, this is the best form of learning as it exposes them to the thrill of doing things rather than staring at the whiteboard.
Virtual learning made possible
Each student learns differently. Some learn faster through visual learning, and VR is particularly useful to them. Instead of gluing to their books and stressing their imaginative minds to visualize what they are learning in class, modern students can see what they are learning clearly. The ability to visualize complex processes such as when writing a research paper makes it fun.
Virtual campus visits
Universities are collaborating with undergraduates to create VR campus tours. Thus, providing them with a unique way to select the perfect school of their choice. Such visits allow them to see what being a student of certain schools feels like without spending a dime on travel expenses to visit such schools in person.
The touring technology uses real photos and videos of selected universities to help the student explore the surroundings of such schools at 360-degree angles. However, not many universities have embraced the technology, as many are still analyzing its costs and benefits ratio.
VR aid special learning
This technology is a major plus in the educational sector, especially in the special learning classes. In many schools, sign language teachers and instructors are using it to make learning more fun and real to students with special needs. Such a unique learning process can spark the imaginative minds of students, providing a higher visual insight that would have been impossible. With a VR headset over their heads, students with special needs such as autism can visualize as much as possible facts being taught, which automatically speeds up the learning process.
Virtual reality in education has come to stay and serve as an advanced method of gaining enhanced knowledge in the classroom. From research paper writing, lab practicals to university tours, VR has influenced the process for modern students globally.
The virtual reality-based study has transformed modern classrooms, making it the ideal place for studying and increasing student engagement as well as their knowledge retention rate. The goal is to make it accessible and affordable for all students and schools globally.
