Provided that you’re an educator, you might know that the deeper learning of an individual depends upon three factors: active listening, reading, and visualizing.
While the traditional education system can work on the first two, the latter becomes a headache for it. Practically going to laboratories helps somewhat but it is more time taking and falls in the pit hole of limitations.
How does a teacher who has a lesson on the ice age draw the picture in the students’ minds? This is where the Extended Reality jumps in to aggrandize the learning experience for the learners by shaping a new world around them, a world of virtual reality.
What is Extended Reality (ER)?
The fusion of augmented (AR) and virtual reality (VR) all in all is termed as the extended reality.
Let’s not leave you hankering there. The difference between AR and VR is that VR is a maximal virtual setting around an individual. The person can’t control what’s going on but the VR system.
On the flip side, AR is controllable and doesn’t need dedicated devices to give an added experience to the already existing reality. AR is accessible on mobile phones too. An example of AR is the digital trial experience in online retail where you check how will the product look on you.
All of this was possible because of the rapid advancements in the space of the internet. The 3G was cramped to the images and textual data but the upgrade to the 4G/5G enabled this.
Whether in education or entertainment, the Internet improves the overall ER experience. If you are into providing education to your children through Extended Reality make sure to connect to a reliable internet connection from Spectrum. It is considered one of the top-notch ISPs in the US with flexible plans and supreme Customer Service.
Having said that, let’s circle how VR & AR can aid and amplify learning.
Better Retention on the Learnings
It has been scientifically proven that humans are prone to lose the information learned through the text and tend to learn faster when aided by the visuals. Fascinating brain we have!
While in the classrooms, students are more engaged in what’s going on but the online lessons especially after the sudden change in the education system thanks to the pandemic, halted the learning of the individuals.
The uprising trend in online classes is inevitable but the problem remains the same. Not much engagement and then not much retention. This problem is easily solvable through the help of virtual reality.
Educators can get the edge of the VR headset to improve the engagement and then the overall learning of the students. Virtual tours to the space facilities, automotive factories, and other interesting visits can not only boost retention but unlock the interest of students.
Practice without Actually Practicing
For intricate learning such as medicine and surgery, online education is a mere failure. You can learn and read about the fundamentals but actually experiencing it is a whole different thing.
Medical colleges spend tons of resources on these practicals and the absent students will be on a big loss if they miss that class.
This is another problem that can be solved by VR and AR through experiential learning. By implementing the 3D model in a completely virtual setting, they can learn to practice surgery from anywhere in the world.
Not just in medicine, but in technical fields like engineering, the engineers-to-be can learn about how things actually work out from the books. Virtual tours to sites through VR offer an immersive experience that improves their creativity, and understanding of the technical concepts.
Having said that, VR coupled with AI will be a marvel in education. VR can provide a tailored experience according to the individual strengths and weaknesses of the individuals. In that way, every single one of them can learn the concepts effectively at their own pace.
Learning in the Corporate
Businesses especially the big corporate giants are adopting this internet-born technology to improve the learning of their workforce and also save the cost. Improved learning through the VR, no need to waffle more on it, you already know by now.
But OK, let’s give some attention to the savings. Businesses invest millions of dollars in employees’ learning because it involves other resources like site visits, and getting the necessary material to provide the experience. Well, all of this can be replaced through the integration of VR and AR in their learning.
Not to forget, the VR learning experience also minimizes the risk of mishaps associated with physical visits to the manufacturing plant.
According to Forbes, the British multinational oil and gas company BP collaborated with Igloo Vision to build a safer learning experience through VR for oil refinery workers.
The bottom line is: apart from entertainment and gaming, Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality can play a key role in improving the educational experience overall. From providing immersive experiences to engagement, it is a fine replacement for traditional more costly learning methods.
