Opening New Realms of Learning: Exploring the Possibilities and ...

Opening New Realms of Learning: Exploring the Possibilities and Limitations of Virtual Reality in Education
Maryam Maqsood
Passionate Educator, a Teacher a.k.a Superhero
The potential affordances and constraints of virtual reality in education
Many #benefits come with #virtualreality, such as the ability to observe objects in #threedimensions and learn about them #riskfree. Through #internetservices, virtual reality can also assist in gaining #knowledge and #confidence. Students feel eager to learn something new with the #help of #VR. Students can explore the world in virtual reality instead of sitting through tedious #lectures; for instance, they can explore nature through virtual reality (VR). Some people may find the typical #classroomenvironment#boring, which may hinder their ability to continuously be interested in learning. The advent of a VR facility in the #modernworld may allow the entire world to fit inside a small #classroom (Inceoglu & Ciloglugil, 2022). The students may be able to apply any concept they have previously learned in a #virtualsetting. As a result, they will be able to observe and discover even the smallest details about the concept with great detail and interest. Even for those who dislike traditional methods of instruction, it can make learning more enjoyable and restore their interest in it. #ClassVR, which gives the impression that you are in a classroom, is considered one of the most well-known examples of a VR application (Autor et al., 2020). There are countless instances where using virtual reality in a classroom setting benefits students of all academic disciplines. By enhancing their vision and giving them close-up experiences that mimic real life, for instance, understanding anatomy is made simpler for biology students. The video game Inmind 2, which teaches about the neurosciences of the brain, serves as an example. You can download applications like "Unimersiv" to learn more about new topics like nature, space, or anatomy. With the aid of software such as #EarthAR, you can find locations on Earth that are out of your reach. One example is software such as "#Tiltbrush," which enables the creation of three-dimensional art. All of these examples transform learning into a fun game for the students, taking them away from the monotony of the classroom environment and onto #newadventures (McGovern et al., 2020).
Virtual reality (VR) would be chosen as the best #educationalinvention by everyone if voting were to be conducted for any classroom learning technology. However, there are drawbacks to adopting VR. Developing a VR addiction is very easy, which could harm eyesight and brain activity (Gentile, 2021). Because of the potential for a slow #addiction, a lack of #outdooractivity can also be harmful to your health. Some might argue that students were learning all of these skills in real-world field experiences back when these technologies were not developed. All of the lessons that a VR system might teach can be learned through actual field trips or hands-on exercises (Gentile, 2021). Therefore, discussion can be either in #favor of or #against these claims.
Based on the resources available in their environments, various nations offer different educational styles. Every economy has a different level of technological and digital affordability for educational purposes. This is the main reason why there are so many different educational systems in use today. Due to the poor economic climate and oversaturation in the educational sector, organizations may find it more difficult to #supervisestudents' in-person field trips and practical experiences. Installing an educational VR system might not be as expensive as going on field trips or using expensive materials for practical purposes. However, this only needs a single financial investment and then can be used indefinitely at no additional cost. For #cosmology or science students, the development of science fiction in the form of a "#metaverse" can lead to online hypothetical iterations and #realworld adventures (Lin et al., 2022). This can improve the learning environment a thousandfold, making it enjoyable and enlightening. Utilizing virtual reality and augmented reality, only headsets can help create a single, #universal, and immersive virtual world that serves as the learning environment. While seated in their classroom, the students can observe the entire world in front of them.
There may be a lot of arguments against the use of VR as a #toolforeducation. Not all educational institutions might be able to install and use such expensive equipment. Discrimination in education may occur as a result of some people having more resources than others. As a result, this can lead to negative attitudes toward learning as well as decreased motivation and performance in the classroom. Due to the economic inequalities within and between nations, #educationaldiscrimination is already on the increase. The #accessibility of educational VR facilities to some people may intensify this #discrimination (Corlatean, 2020). As a result, students from disadvantaged backgrounds might endure more #hardship and sense more deprivation. The relationship between students and teachers may also suffer as a result of the VR educational tools. Because there is little to no human involvement in #VRbasedcourses and learning, it is just students and software. The lack of student input also increases the class' dependence on the software, which has a lack of flexibility. Given that learning is not a set activity, each student learns at a different rate, so VR-based classrooms may be disadvantageous for students who have special needs.
The core idea behind modern educational #technology is high-quality education. I have high hopes for this module because there are many different aspects to the theory of modern educational technology. To investigate the ways and means for developing high-quality education, this module may help to elaborate on modern educational technology theory and quality education. It can guide every aspect of theory and how to use it to improve learning. As a result, it will assist in enhancing education using contemporary educational theory. Any form of education today would be incomplete without access to the internet and information technology. We might be able to determine how to use technological resources more effectively to raise educational standards and quality. After completing this module, it will be possible for us to use technology-related education to explain all other learning theories, such as #behaviorism, #cognitivism, #constructivism, #constructionism, etc.
Corlatean, T. (2020, June). Risks, discrimination and opportunities for education during the times of COVID-19 pandemic. In Proceedings of the 17th Research Association for Interdisciplinary Studies Conference (pp. 37-46).