realidad virtual en la educación

Applications of Virtual Reality in education

A few decades ago, virtual reality was just fiction. How could we imagine that one day this and other technologies would be part of everyday life?

Although virtual reality is not currently part of everyone’s daily life, we are aware of its existence and the possibility of using it to our advantage.

Education is one of the areas that has been least developed in these decades. The way of teaching has not evolved as much as technology has. However, this is something that can, and must, change.

Do you want to know how and why? Then continue reading this post.

What is virtual reality?

Virtual reality is an interface that through technology create a virtual environment. With visual, sound and tactile effects, simulations of reality are created to make the user believe that he is really in an environment that exists.

At the beginning, this technology was applied mostly in games, but new possibilities of use are being discovered every time. One of them: education.

How can virtual reality be applied to education?

What kid doesn’t like video games? If there are, they must be very few.

Through technology children are transported, and despite what many say, they develop their imagination, creativity and learn. They have fun in an innovative environment and discover many possibilities.

Don’t children quickly learn the dynamics of video games? They develop strategies without knowing that they are doing it and can spend a lot of time entertained in this way.

How then can traditional education compete with technology? It seems like unfair competition. On the one hand, a world full of possibilities and on the other, something monotonous.

However, technology and education need not be on opposite sides. They can work together, with the same goal and when that is the case, can you imagine all that can be gained?

I give you some examples:

Travel and explore without limits

With virtual reality it is possible to make an excursion to Machu Picchu, visit the pyramids of Egypt or take a walk through the Louvre. We can even go further, like exploring the lunar surface for example.

What today is taught in theory, technology will allow us to do it in a more practical way. Thus, learning becomes more experiential and lasting, without it being a boring and tiring task.

time travel

And how about learning history by transporting ourselves in it? Thanks to virtual reality this will also be possible. Instead of watching a video about the fall of the Berlin wall, how about witnessing it?

Learning through “experience” is a unique way of not only obtaining historical data, but also having other types of perceptions that only experience can give us.

explore the human body

“Walking inside the human body” must be an unforgettable experience. Is there a better way to understand how our body works? Who knows, one day…

Generate empathy and instill values

Transporting ourselves to a totally different reality can allow us another type of perception of what we see in the news.

The news shows us the refugee crisis, for example. But witnessing it with the help of virtual reality can be a necessary experience to humanize ourselves more and seek a fairer society.

virtual reality in educationTaken from La Vanguardia

Examples of some applications

VR Lessons by ThingLink

This application brings interactive classes in science, language and art. With this app you can explore, for example, the ecosystem of a distant region.

They are lessons created for primary school students where they can learn the most diverse topics in a more playful way.

Unimersiv

This is one of the largest platforms for educational experiences in virtual reality. With its applications you can learn about space, anatomy and history.

Transport yourself to the time of the dinosaurs or visit a space station is possible on this platform.

VR Language App by Mondly

You can also learn languages ​​with the help of virtual reality. The Mondly app teaches basic dialogues in more than 30 languages. Through simple real dialogues, he recreates everyday situations.

An application that can be downloaded easily and promises to improve even more.

Anatomy VR

This application to learn human anatomy is also available in Spanish. With it you can navigate inside the human body learning many things about it.

The app claims that you will feel like an endoscope and have a fully immersive class using virtual reality glasses.

What advantages can this technology bring to learning?

This technology can bring a great number of advantages for all stages of education, from primary to specialized training.

Faster and lifelong learning

Living an experience can facilitate learning for any student, in addition to helping to better fix content.

Better development of practical activities

For many students who finish their university studies, putting into practice everything they have learned can be a difficult task. But if you have already experienced part of these routines in virtual reality, this process will be much easier.

Best Skills Assessment

Simulation of a real situation is the best way to assess the ability to deal with a real problem.

Through virtual reality, a simulation can be made and the student’s attitude can be recorded, such as the precision to execute the task and the time it takes, for example.

Greater inclusion

Thanks to virtual reality, people with some type of disability, who are often excluded from the traditional educational system, can join and develop through technology.

People with some physical or intellectual limitation can learn together with any other student with full capacities.

conclusion

Virtual reality can help us as a society much more than you imagine. Technology is advancing by leaps and bounds while other areas are moving slowly. By applying technology to other sectors such as education, for example, the results will be seen in the short, medium and long term.

The educational system must use virtual reality at all levels, from primary to higher education.

If you want to better understand how digital transformation can influence higher education, then be sure to read this article.

Good reading!

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