Leveraging AR/VR in Education and Smart Learning.
By: Abhinay Bir
Tags: Virtual Reality, Education, Leveraging Ar In Learning, Better Learning, Augmented Reality

The other day, my 12-year-old sister asked me to explain how does Antarctica has 6 months of darkness/sunlight. I explained her about rotation -but her eyes shining with curiosity showed that she didn’t understand.

She said, “show me how can earth’s rotation do this magic”. I showed her a video on YouTube but still in vain.

I think most students find it impossible to imagine and understand complex topics like -chemistry,biology of animals, human anatomy, DNA, genes, etc just with photos and videos.

What if students could go inside a human body and understand the whole mechanism?What if young students could visit a virtual Harrapa civilization and see how our ancestors lived?

Just imagine the-aha moments-that our young kids and students will cherish.

This is all possible and in-fact, happening due to augmented reality mobile apps and headsets. Nowadays, google cardboard, VR headsets are as cheap as 30 bucks. Now is the most exciting time as technology like AR/VR will have a huge impact on our world.

Augmented reality is a technology that has an array of applications. Here we will talk about how it can revolutionize the education system.

Let us dig in to know in brief about virtual and augmented reality.

1) WHAT IS AUGMENTED REALITY AND VIRTUAL REALITY?

Virtual reality is the computer-generated 3D environment where you will be present. You will become a part of that environment and can do desired actions.

For example- if in a class, students are reading- the diary of a young girl, virtual reality will help them to go back in time and step inside Anne’s Secret Annex!

And augmented reality adds digital elements in our real world seen by our eyes. For example- If my sister wears a virtual headset which will help her to see the whole solar system right in front of her eyes, this is virtual reality.

Have you played Pokemon Go?This game is an perfect example of Augmented reality.

In laymen language, augmented reality-adds elements in our world while virtual reality changes the world around you.

2) THE DILEMMA OF OUR EDUCATION

Our education system is based on reading ,seeing and hearing ,through which only 10 -30% of information is retained in our memory. But by-doing-our memory retention is as high as 90%.

How awesome will the schools become for young students if kids can learn through augmented reality.

The current education system focuses more on rote learning and discards the different capabilities of each student. Every student is assumed to learn in a specific way. How blatantly wrong our education system is!

Education is about creativity and learning new things and coming up with innovative ideas, alas, all these aspects are void in most of the schools and colleges. But AR/VR has the scope to completely transform our education system for good. Let us see some areas and ways where AR/VR can contribute.

3) LEVERAGING AR/VR

AR/VR can be applied in plethora of ways in education system, here are some of those.

1. VIRTUAL EXPEDITIONS

VR/AR technologies are being used to help students get immersed in an environment in which they could only imagine when reading textbooks.

For example Force Field Entertainment, a large VR / AR development studio- has carefully restored Anne Frank’s diary to the tiniest detail to let users not only read but to experience history. The Anne Frank House VR has been now used in countless educational institutions.

Imagine schools where every class will have advanced cheap VR technology which the students can use to experience awe-inspiring moments of history and geography.

Rome Reborn is an app through which you can travel back to time and see how the ancient Rome city looked.

2. VIRTUAL CHILD PSYCHIATRIST

Since most schools and colleges lack a professional child psychiatrist-what if there is a VR product that can check student’s mental health by simulating them through many situations.

This will lead to the early identification of mental problems in children. Also, we can create a product for child psychiatrists which will help them to discover problems among students.

3. REFINE THE ROLE OF TEACHERS

As AR/VR technologies will get better, our teachers and education will give more emphasis on creativity and innovation.

This change in perception will change our teachers routine of providing content to letting students try and come up real world solutions. This mental attitude will foster the growth of AR/VR and real learning.

4. AR TEXTBOOKS

Every student have smartphone’s that can be used with textbooks containing AR content that will make then more appealing to students. They can interact with

5. PROVIDING EDUCATION IN REMOTE AREAS

Students could attend classes without being physically present in school. This can be used to provide learning to the millions of children who don’t get access to quality education.

6. GET EXPOSURE TO DIFFERENT CAREERS

Many students face a tough time to figure out what field they will like to pursue in their careers. AR/VR can help them-through an experience in that industry environment.

Getting exposure to diverse careers can prove to be one of the vital activities that students can take part in.

7. CREATE A STRONGER COMMUNITY FOR EDUCATION AND BOOST GROUP LEARNING

Even in 21st century, there are millions of students who don’t get access to education. AR/VR promises to provide education to remote and underdeveloped areas in the world.

In future , students might have cheap and better AR headsets ,helping them to learn and interact with other students.

8. TECH TRAINING

AR/VR will provide better training ambience for medical students. It will become easy to learn skills.

ADVANTAGES OF AR/VR

1. Develops creativity

2. Promotes visual learning

3. Higher attendance rates

One study among marketing students has shown that the introduction of technology makes 87 per cent of students more likely to attend class and 72 per cent of them more likely to participate.

4. Understand the history of human race in a more personalized way.

AR/VR has tremendous benefits — the future looks resplendent and inspiring for our young students.

The coming generations will certainly won’t cry as we used to when the scary bus came at our doorstep to take us to horrifying schools.

Our mothers used to force us to attend schools despite our boldest and innocent intentions. If AR/VR technology can help mothers and send children to schools without the morning drama, that will be the real victory of this technology!

CONCLUSION

AR/VR will revolutionize the whole world , and no doubt in coming years it will make our education system more robust and amazing.

The challenge will be to make it more accessible so that the students from all over the world can get access to this technology.