Immersive Teaching Methods: Virtual and Augmented Reality Tools in Education
Recent studies show that the volume of the educational software market in 2019 amounted to $2.3 billion, and by 2025 this figure will double. It indicates the active implementation and use of software in all areas of education. In Kindergartens, schools and universities around the world, many technologies are used to provide interactive learning for children.
Immersive Teaching Methods
These interactive tools include virtual and augmented reality technologies. First, you need to figure out what kind of technology it is and what the difference is between them.
Augmented reality technologies (Augmented Reality, AR) can design digital information (images, video, text, graphics) on top of device screens and combine virtual objects with a real environment. The popular Pokemon GO game is a prime example of AR technology. Virtual Reality (VR), using a 360-degree picture, transfers a person to an artificial world, where the environment is completely changed. You can get acquainted with augmented reality using just a smartphone, but for immersion, in virtual space, you will need a special helmet or glasses.
These immersive teaching methods can become the main tool in education and revolutionize the learning of both schoolchildren and students. Virtual reality in healthcare has already shown positive results; now it’s time to introduce new technologies in education. Teachers can use virtual and augmented reality for students to interact with various objects in three-dimensional space. For example, when studying the solar system, children cannot just look at boring drawings in a textbook, but plunge into outer space thanks to the helmet of virtual reality. Just imagine your child flying between planets, studying their secrets.
What is the Use of AR and VR for Education
Virtual and augmented reality technologies allow pupils and students to study subjects more deeply, analyze the consequences of world events, participate in archaeological expeditions and much more, and, most importantly—in an entertaining way. AR and VR allow you to gain experience that students usually do not have access to.
5 Facts in Favor of Immersive Technology:
- Visibility. In a virtual space without obstacles, you can examine in detail any process or object, which is much more interesting than looking at pictures in a textbook. For example, through the Anatomyuo application, you can study the body structure in great detail, and Operation Apex will show all the wealth of the underwater world.
- Concentration. In a virtual environment, a person will not be distracted by external stimuli and will entirely focus on the material.
- Maximum involvement. Immersive technologies provide the ability to fully control and change the scenario of events. A student can witness historical events, conduct an experiment in physics or chemistry with their own hands, or solve a problem playfully and understandably.
- Security. With the help of VR and AR technologies, you can carry out a complex operation, operate a sports car or even a space shuttle, purchase a paper from an essay writers service. You can also conduct an experiment with hazardous chemicals and, at the same time, do no harm to yourself or others.
- Performance. Scientists at the University of Maryland conducted a study in which they suggested that two groups of people remember the location of certain images. During the experiment, one of the groups used virtual reality helmets, the second ordinary computers. At the same time, the group that studied the images using VR helmets showed a result of 10 percent higher than the participants in the second group.
Educational Content for Children with Disabilities
The latest technology also plays an essential role in educating children with physical, social or cognitive impairments. Indeed, using immersive technologies, you can create an inclusive learning environment that takes into account the needs and capabilities of everyone. It may be one of the important steps in the democratization of knowledge.
Technology companies are actively working on the formation of educational content. For example, Lenovo has developed a specialized virtual classroom, with which you can create a mixed learning environment and make school life rich and interesting for both students and teachers. Such a virtual classroom consists of various devices (virtual reality helmet, tablet, router), as well as software and comprehensive training programs for children of different ages. And in collaboration with Google, the company has created more than 700 virtual tours that can transfer students anywhere in the world: from the depths of the oceans to the most famous museums in Europe.
The U.S. is still trying to introduce virtual and augmented reality technologies. Everyone is happy with the result, from inspired children who were striving for new knowledge to educated technology teachers. Libraries also acquired virtual reality glasses and related educational software. Now everyone can freely enter the virtual space to meet new knowledge and get educated.
Daria Globchak / August 16, 2022
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