Virtual reality (VR) is a concept that has been at the forefront of technological advancement for many years. However, it has only been in recent times that it has tried to position itself into mainstream applications. Its importance and versatility only become more and more apparent as it finds more opportunities to enhance our daily lives. One of those areas that virtual reality has started to cement its potential in is education. VR technology has been implemented in quite a few ways, from virtual reality field trips to game-based learning.6
An article titled “10 Ways Virtual Reality Is Already Being Used in Education,” highlights some of the many ways that virtual reality has taken shape in education.6 It starts off with the mention of one of the most popular applications of VR technology for learning, known as Virtual Field Trips. These field trips are accomplished with the use of Google Expeditions, a free app download on iOS or Android and the utilization of Cardboard VR headsets that the smartphone is placed inside of. These are low cost headsets that make the realm of virtual reality much more easily accessible to a broader range of schools, as VR headsets can range greatly in price and features. The combination of these technologies has allowed students and teachers to be transported to parts of the globe previously deemed unreachable, such as the peak of Mt. Everest and the depths of the ocean.
Special needs education is another area where VR is starting to find a home and make an impact. The Jackson School for Special Needs Students in Victoria, Australia has been using the Oculus Rift headset with its students in the classroom.2 There, the Technology and Special Education Instructor, Mathieu Marunczyn, noted that meditative virtual reality apps that explore the stars and planets have had a calming effect on his students, many of whom have some form of autism. Marunczyn also stated that the headset has helped spark the imaginations of his students, in addition to giving them the visual insight that they otherwise would have never received. The example he uses is how VR lets his students peek inside of an Egyptian temple or view a jet engine, which gives them a better understanding of how it is put together, making his instruction more hand-on.
In the wake of the current pandemic, online or distance learning has increased tremendously in the past few months.3 This is a major area where virtual reality has potential to shape the landscape of learning. The Stanford School of Business is already offering a certificate program that is delivered entirely through virtual reality. Meanwhile, the University of British Columbia Law School is offering students the ability to enjoy VR lectures using a VR social application called VR Chat. “The application provides virtual online chat spaces where students with a VR headset can project themselves and interact with lecturers and other students.” A study conducted by researchers at Penn State University even showed that this technology can improve learning outcomes for online students.6
Other implementations of the technology in schools is through skills training. This gives students the opportunity to learn and practice important tasks without the risk of dealing with an uncontrolled and/or an unfamiliar environment, leading to fewer potential mistakes while providing a deeper level of understanding of the skill just learned. There was a study conducted by Google’s Daydream labs which found that people who received VR training learned faster and better than those who were solely shown video tutorials.5
The article showcases a few other avenues that VR has found its way into, such as language immersion and virtual campus visits, and more. The Journey of Medical Systems discusses VR application in the example of using it to see through the skin, organs and muscles, to be able to visualize the complexity of the area to be operated. In their article, it is stressed that one of the advantages to virtual reality is having the ability to repeat processes and tutorials as many times as desired, unlike in the real world with limitations of patients, time, resources, etc.3 In my own experience, VR technology is already starting to find its way into pharmacy school curriculums. I was fortunate enough to help facilitate a research project that focused on integrating VR videos into pharmacy course material. This was for the purpose of making interactive and immersive tutorials on topics ranging from how to properly check a patient’s blood glucose via finger stick testing, to proper handling of laboratory equipment and materials in a safe and productive manner underneath a laboratory hood. In addition to that, we were able to have a VR video showcasing a tour of the College of Pharmacy and highlighting many of the opportunities available to students upon admission to the school.
I believe that this marrying of technology and education has the potential to greatly enhance the way we tackle learning. Virtual reality is rapidly becoming a staple in academia and will continue to further cement itself as having an integral role in how and at what pace we learn new information. We as educators should try to find even more ways to integrate VR, in order to foster the advancement of learning by our students.
References
1. Babich, Nick. “How VR Education Will Change How We Learn & Teach: Adobe XD Ideas.” Ideas, 19 Sept. 2019, xd.adobe.com/ideas/principles/emerging-technology/virtual-reality-will-change-learn-teach/.
2. Herold, Benjamin. “Oculus Rift Fueling New Vision for Virtual Reality in K-12.” Education Week, 21 Feb. 2019, www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2014/08/27/02oculus.h34.html.
3. Izard, S.G., Juanes, J.A., García Peñalvo, F.J. et al. Virtual Reality as an Educational and Training Tool for Medicine. J Med Syst 42, 50 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10916-018-0900-2
4. Li, Cathy, and Farah Lalani. “The COVID-19 Pandemic Has Changed Education Forever. This Is How.” World Economic Forum, 29 Apr. 2020, www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/04/coronavirus-education-global-covid19-online-digital-learning/.
5. MacGillivray, Ian. “Daydream Labs: Teaching Skills in VR.” Google, Google, 20 July 2017, www.blog.google/products/daydream/daydream-labs-teaching-skills-vr/.
6. Stenger, Marianne, et al. “10 Ways Virtual Reality Is Already Being Used in Education.” InformED, 28 Oct. 2017, www.opencolleges.edu.au/informed/edtech-integration/10-ways-virtual-reality-already-used-education/.
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