Newsflash: Steven Spielberg is producing a new film adaptation of a novel called “Ready Player One”, set to premiere in 2018. It is based in a dystopian society, around the time 2044, in which the world is in stagnation due to an energy crisis and global warming. Social inequality and economic recession are widespread but there is one escape for most people: OASIS, a virtual world, accessible through a headset and haptic gloves. Its virtual currency is the most stable currency in the world.
A grim scenario. But how will the use of VR play out in our actual future? There are, as always, several possible outcomes. As a BIM aficionado and techno-optimist I wanted to share a more uplifting use case with you today. Let me take you on a trip to the front row of Harvard’s largest and most prestigious on-campus class: “CS50 Computer Science” with 2200 participants and 102 staff.
Harvard just announced their first MOOC that will be VR-ready this fall in order to improve the online learning experience of thousands of students. If leveraged correctly, VR could provide access to the world’s best education from the most remote corners on our planet. Does mere access to the virtual platform however increase the success rate of students in online classrooms? MOOCs have been troubled by low completion rates. According to TechCrunch, “the future of online learning isn’t about accessibility: it’s about taking what we already know works offline and combining it with what you can only do online to create the most engaging experience.”
What remains to be answered are questions related to the fundamental educational experience: Is VR technology the mean to improve it? How can students take notes and retain the knowledge obtained in the VR classrooms? You are invited to share your opinion with me below on how you think this is going to play out.
I feel that VR is a step forward from MOOC’s because you are more engaged in the classroom and its not like you can just look away from a screen like you do when you’re watching lectures on online educational platforms such as Coursera. The issue that could arise is being able to write notes while wearing a VR headset and in some cases having a relatively fast internet connection. Would the classes be live or recorded?