Publish at October 12 2022 Updated October 12 2022
At one time not so long ago, a virtual reality headset could be worth in the $5,000 range. Over time, prices have thankfully dropped to more like $500. Augmented reality technology was less expensive but still not very accessible for classes. Today, the marriage between virtual reality (VR) and pedagogy is being seen more and more often, especially in higher education. Companies are flourishing and offering solutions to make learning more immersive.
What to offer learners, however? Because although the price has come down, the fact remains that virtual reality requires a substantial investment. A school is not an arcade. While playful approaches can be used in the classroom, they must be anchored in educational objectives. So how do you integrate the VR headset into a training course?
When we look at the current use of virtual reality in pedagogy, it seems that a huge part of the scripting involves reproducing real-life situations in a virtual context. Because if VR technology does not produce the almost ultra-realistic graphics of contemporary video games, it still allows for immersion through its device. The brain is fooled by the fact that no matter where it looks or turns, it remains in the simulation.
As a result, medical and nursing programs are increasingly inclined to incorporate virtual reality activities into coursework. Because immersive technology solutions replicate as much of the actions they will perform and add "actors" such as patients, their families, other staff members, etc. This makes it possible to depict real-life dangerous situations they might encounter...without dramatic repercussions if they make a mistake. Teachers and other peers can note what happened and offer feedback.
While the medical community benefits from this technology, various industries rely on it in specific and skill-intensive job training. The nuclear industry is pushing to use these "pseudo-real" contexts with future workers who will have to, for example, change a seal in the core of a nuclear reactor. They can put into practice what they have learned in lectures without risking their health or that of an entire region in the event of an accident in the simulation.
In another context that is less risky but requires just as much precision, future grape pickers can now learn how to use machinery to harvest grapes. A method to ensure that no precious fruit is lost during harvesting. What's more, the use of this type of technology is attracting a bit more of the next generation into the field.
What seems clear in the increasing use of VR in the educational world is that its role in an educational scenario is that of moving to the concrete. Thus, if the "adventurers" (the learners) are given prior knowledge by their mentor (the teacher), virtual reality is the moment when they walk through the magic mirror and are confronted with what their guide has told them about.
This is the beauty of virtual reality: limits are virtually absent. Especially since the device makes it even easier to enter playful mechanics that are attractive to many students.
Little by little, serious VR games are being offered in a variety of settings. As this dissertation reminds us, it is increasingly easy to obtain metrics and indicators to score a learner's understanding in a virtual context. While pedagogical research is in its infancy in integrating virtual or augmented reality in the classroom, interest is growing.
In Quebec, an action research program on the use of these technologies in post-secondary science learning has been set in motion and is expected to release its report by August 1, 2023. It will be interesting to see what comes out of the researchers' work.
Photo credit: en.depositphotos.com
References:
Belkadi, Nejiba. "Why Can Virtual Reality Be Useful in Education?" EdTech Actu. Last updated January 13, 2022. https://edtechactu.com/digital-learning/pourquoi-la-realite-virtuelle-peut-etre-utile-dans-lenseignement/.
"CenarioVR: Case Concret De Réalisation D'un Serious Game En Réalité Virtuelle." E-learning Touch'. Last updated June 9, 2022. https://www.elearningtouch.com/cenariovr-cas-concret-realisation-serious-game-realite-virtuelle/.
"E-Cab Trains Future Harvesters Through Virtual Reality." Credit Agricole. Last updated February 25, 2022. https://www.creditagricole.info/fnca/ca11_1330957/e-cab-forme-les-futurs-vendangeurs-grace-a-la-realite-virtuelle.
Emken, Tyler. "MCN Students Practice Real-life Scenarios in Virtual Reality." Illinois State University. Last updated: April 6, 2022. https://news.illinoisstate.edu/2022/04/mcn-students-practice-real-life-scenarios-in-virtual-reality/.
Galichet, Emmanuelle. "Virtual Reality: How The Nuclear Industry Is Modernizing." The Conversation. Last updated December 22, 2021. https://theconversation.com/realite-virtuelle-comment-lindustrie-nucleaire-se-modernise-172882.
Kuiperij, Jon. "Sheridan nursing program using VR to simulate real world scenarios." Sheridan College. Last updated February 2, 2022. https://www.sheridancollege.ca/newsroom/articles/teaching-learning/sheridan-nursing-program-using-vr-to-simulate-real-world-scenarios.
"Augmented Reality At The Heart Of Our Trainings." Bureau Veritas Training. Last updated March 8, 2022. https://formation.bureauveritas.fr/actualites/32_168_formation-realite-augmentee.html.
Panzoli, David. "Pedagogical interaction in immersive learning games." HAL Open Archive. Last updated October 8, 2021. https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/tel-03371201/document.
Uthayakumar, Deeva. "Virtual Reality: Traversing the Boundaries of Classroom Learning." IMMpress Magazine. Last updated December 20, 2021. https://www.immpressmagazine.com/virtual-reality-traversing-the-boundaries-of-classroom-learning/.
"What is the Impact of Mixed Reality on Teaching?" ARVRedtech.com. Last updated May 2, 2022. https://arvredtech.com/blogs/news/what-is-the-impact-of-mixed-reality-on-teaching.
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