In today’s era, by using AR/VR, students pay more attention to their subject. These technologies are engaging students in the learning process not only via audio perception but also through a sensory approach.
AR and VR solutions create a safe learning environment where students can experiment with chemicals or climb Everest without putting themselves at risk. The implementation of interactive elements and augmented reality (AR) in the classroom enables curious students to express themselves and satisfy their curiosity.
In addition, virtual and augmented reality will help to delve into the depths of a volcano, expand an atom, or build a trigonometric model of a figure. The best part is that one can interact with everything!
Read on to learn more about Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality in the classroom, their benefits and market prospects, and the top uses of these amazing technologies.
Let’s begin!
Interesting Stats of AR/VR in Classroom
- As per the reports, the size of the global virtual reality in education market is projected to reach USD 13,098.2 million by 2026.
- Education is expected to be the fourth largest sector for VR investments.
- 97% of students would like to study a VR course.
- Almost 80% of teachers have access to virtual reality devices, but only 6.87% use them regularly in the educational process
- Reports state that 54% of teachers and 41% of parents want more use of augmented and virtual reality solutions in the classroom.
The Best Way to Learn is – Via Doing It
There is a recent increase in the use of all sorts of technology in the classroom, which has become the norm even for kindergartners, something we didn’t see very often a decade ago. The future of learning will be a technology-infused blended learning ecosystem in a classroom, whether virtual or physical, made possible by immersive technologies like VR and AR.
As per a leading AR development company, learning by doing is more effective in retaining information when students can touch, interact, and experiment rather than simply be lectured on.
It is these AR/VR-powered hyper-immersive learning technologies that will enrich and open up a world of intercultural learning opportunities, from walking the streets of a foreign country through the Google Earth VR app to meeting the Mona Lisa beyond the crystal.
Let’s proceed to learn in-depth how AR/VR is transforming the entire education system.
What is AR/VR- Assisted Learning?
Using specialized software and equipment, virtual reality technology transports the user into a simulated world. Of course, what AR is in education is not that all virtual worlds are created equal. Augmented reality superimposes digital information onto real-world objects, while virtual reality is a purely digital environment.
The impact of e-learning applications amid the coronavirus where educators have begun to use AR and VR in education with this technology in their teaching practices as technology advances. ed-professionals use augmented reality apps in the classroom to animate scientific texts and study flashcards, making the learning process more engaging for students. Some of them use AR to supplement their students’ assignments by integrating interactive puzzles and quizzes.
Moreover, AR provides a platform for people to connect and work in virtual environments, intending to reinvigorate the learning process. Students can perform impossible tasks, such as visiting the inside of a brain cell or going back in time.
Benefits of VR in Education and AR in the Learning Process
No doubt! Almost every field of study can benefit from AR/VR, which is a unique and necessary addition to classrooms. Here, we are going to mention the top benefits of implementing AR/VR in the classroom.
- Better Engagement
Integrating augmented reality into education courses can be engaging for learners, resulting in better engagement with educational content. All sessions delivered by educators in traditional setups can be enhanced by supporting them with additional AR-enabled content.
- Improving Creativity
AR in education is great for fostering creativity and content consumption. Students’ creativity can be stimulated by powerful tools, a storytelling tool that allows users to quickly and easily create animated projects using virtual reality.
- A Better Understanding of Advanced Concepts
Each student’s approach to understanding the lesson material is unique. Certain concepts, such as the mechanics of planetary motion or geological processes, require more time to understand for some students. An education app development company states that the inability to imagine concepts slows down the learning process.
In education, virtual and augmented reality are tools to acquire an accurate image of unobservable and difficult-to-understand concepts.
- Clearer Pathways to Student Learning Outcomes
Effective education needs structure and direction. Students must achieve clearly defined learning objectives and outcomes, gathering the knowledge they need to progress in the education system.
The beauty of AR and VR in the classroom is that these environments can be pre-programmed and designed in advance. This means that students can enjoy playful experimentation while still working towards predetermined learning outcomes.
- Increases knowledge Retention
Students need to be able to consume knowledge, but they also need to retain it effectively. Studies have found that VR and AR actively improve knowledge retention, making it easier for the human brain to remember new data.
- Increased Enjoyment of Activities
Research shows that interest-based learning, where lessons are built around topics students find interesting, promotes a deeper engagement in learning. AR and VR technology in education immerses students in a world where they can explore their interests beyond textbooks.
And with AR in the cloud, students can take their learning with them on the go, using cloud-based apps or even lecture notes to interact with the world in real time as they explore new places or find new things.
Even more mundane tasks, like memorizing multiplication tables or learning civics, can be brought to life with virtual reality. Instead of writing the answers, you can catch them in the air with your hands. You can participate in legislation voting instead of learning about the government.
Amazing Uses of AR/VR in the Classroom
There are many uses of VR in higher education, but VR technologists are developing more uses in the classroom every day. Check out the following uses, and keep reading if you find it hard to believe in modern techno-magic!
1. Experimental and Immersive Learning
The VR ride mentioned above is an example of how immersive VR technology and how students experience varied communities and historical landmarks while sitting in class! However, the advantage of this type of learning is that
Improves learning and increases memory retention for students. Students can also experience different cultures that allow them to have world views and become more informed.
2. Laboratories
It is not easy to keep labs up to date and have enough equipment to serve all the students in a class. The difficulty lies not only in obtaining the resources but also in financing them.
However, with VR-based labs like Labster and PraxiLabs, not only is the cost reduced, but the process is safe and accessible to everyone, through a simple VR headset!
3. STEM Education
The four disciplines of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics are built from complex abstract concepts, which require a lot of resilience on the part of the student to understand.
Using virtual reality in the classroom can help students understand these basics better. Students can not only watch abstract concepts transform into somewhat tangible substances, but they can also interact with these concepts!
4. Educational Real-Life Television
Wouldn’t it be a miracle to imagine yourself working alongside the renowned inventor of radium, Marie Curie? Virtual reality can make such a simulation possible! Uses of virtual reality in the classroom include the ability to select a monumental moment in history and experience it instead of reading about it on the internet or listening to a lecture about it.
Students might have the chance to watch Winston Churchill’s famous “Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat” speech or join Gandhi in his Dandy March!
5. Enhancing Skills
Virtual reality allows students to learn through hands-on experience, as students are immersed in a world that simulates real life. Learning through experience has been argued to be the most effective way to learn, and studies have shown that it increases the quality of learning and retention by 70-90%.
6. Remote Learning
From traditional physical classes, we have gone to online classes. By making use of VR technology, educational facilities will have the opportunity to be in everyone’s home. Learning can be more adaptable and accessible from any location.
Virtual reality for higher education is truly a unique technology that has never been seen before and might be the closest thing to magic for us. Its applications are innumerable and there are unimaginable ways in which we can use this technology to our advantage.
However, introducing them in the classroom is the first way to start exploring their uses.
7. Gamification
Looking at how well VR has supported the gamification process in the entertainment industry, using this process and applying it in the classroom is an innovative mix. However, learning by playing is fun, which makes learning attractive. This is a method of teaching and learning that most traditional classrooms do not participate in. However, it is certainly effective for classrooms from preschool to high school.
Be Future Ready!
VR/AR has a profound impact on education and training. 3D technologies keep students engaged and simplify complex concepts. AR reality in mobile app development enables interaction with lesson materials, eliciting emotional reactions from students and adding an extra dimension to the learning experience.
Since we are only talking about positive aspects, one of the biggest obstacles to the widespread implementation of VR and AR solutions in the educational process is purely practical: it takes a lot of effort to create quality AR/VR content that meets the needs of educational programs.
Just Be on Top Among Your Competitors!
So to be on top amongst the competitors, you should get in touch with Quytech. We will develop customized and content-driven solutions that stimulate engagement and rekindle students’ interest in learning. As we know, implementing AR and VR development services in education requires specialized knowledge of the software. Thus, take your decision wisely!