Over the last years, Virtual Reality has become a widely used tool in the education industry.
Virtual Reality enables schools to ‘take their students on an expedition’ in a relatively cheap way, provides them with a lot of options on where to go and even an individualistic approach. With the help of VR, school expeditions can go anywhere at any time in history or even into future. This broadens the students’ perspectives and provides them with the opportunity to experience other cultures and traditions by not even having to leave the classroom. Also, when children are not able to attend a school trip, they may now be able to experience a similar expedition with the help of Virtual Reality.
Moreover, this educational tool can be very helpful for students who are orientating themselves towards a career. Games that are based on a concept in which students are able to experience a day as a teacher, a dentist, or a fireman for instance, provides them with a better idea on what a certain job is about. This way it may be easier for students to choose among educational tracks and compare different jobs connected to these tracks.
Google Expeditions is an example of a teaching tool that uses virtual reality. In January 2018, Google launched a program that enables educators and students to be involved in the creation of their ‘own experience’. Through the platform, the students can collaborate and share one another’s creations.
In my opinion the additional use of Virtual Reality can be very valuable in particular to a history class as students get the chance to experience life as it was then. Also, students may have a more solid base on which they base their decisions towards a career.
What is your opinion of the applications of VR in education so far? And in what other ways do you think VR can contribute to education in the (near) future?
Sources:
- https://www.thetechedvocate.org/using-google-expeditions-in-the-classroom/
- https://www.blog.google/outreach-initiatives/education/pioneer-new-lessons-your-classroom-google-expeditions/
- https://marketbrief.edweek.org/marketplace-k-12/google-education-launches-beta-create-virtual-reality-experience/
