How to make the educational process enthralling? VR in education

Edgar Dale, who studied the using of audiovisual materials in training, found that after 2 weeks a person was able to reproduce 10% of the information he had read, 20% of audiovisual and 90% of reproduced info. Plunging into VR, the child interacts with objects in the same way as in reality. He can bypass them from different sides, twist or move. Thus, the information is fixed much better in his memory.

Let’s imagine what space VR in education opens up for studying various disciplines.

In the last decade, thanks to the reduction in the cost of devices, VR technology has become more accessible to a wide range of users. That, in turn, led to an increase in the number of programs and applications on various topics.

If we talk about using VR in education, it can be the study of nature, laboratory work in physics, the study of dinosaurs, the journey around the planets and much more.

VR and AR technologies are often mentioned in immersive education programs. Such programs use technologies in the learning process to create various virtual worlds and simulations, often in a game form. This type of training contributes to increased involvement, communication between students and interest in the subject.

As part of academic research on the impact of virtual reality technology on the learning process, dozens of works were carried out. The review noted:

• improving student performance;
• understanding of the material;
• increased motivation;
• the degree of involvement in the learning process and interest in the study of the subject is growing;
• increased communication between students.

This section presents only a few ideas on how the possibilities of VR technologies in education can be used.

So, let’s talk about VR educational application development.

Ideas for using VR applications for effective science teaching

The ability of this technology to immerse a person in the virtual world determines the main direction for its development in education. Everything that cannot be created in the real world for technical, economic or physical reasons can be created in the virtual world. The opportunity to go where in reality it is difficult or impossible to go. To see electric and magnetic fields, prehistoric animals, underwater worlds, ancient countries, planets, and asteroids. It sounds great, right?

In addition, this technology can open up some things in a new way, for example, painting, there is an application that immerses you into pictures. Such applications can open up a new painting in the century of cinema and computer games.

VR for foreign languages learning

When learning foreign languages, great progress in learning is achieves while live communication the native speakers. However, if such a person is difficult to find or difficult to technically deliver to the audience. VR now allows you to get into space where you can not only communicate, but also interact with other users. Such an interactive format will be interesting to learners of any age. To hold such meetings in person or even using video conferencing would not be as effective, but more laborious and costly.

VR to study history

In the study of history, students can familiarize themselves with the three-dimensional exhibits of the museums of the world. Also with recreated cities, battles or other historical events. For example, you can not only recreate any battle but also allow trainees to participate in it and make their own, as well as collective decisions. It will rally the team and increase the level of learning!

VR for nature sciences

In biology, technology makes it possible to scale to the size of organs, a cell, or even a DNA molecule.

In the field of chemistry, applications allow doing dangerous or expensive experiments. To study the structure of atoms and molecules and even to watch for chemical transformations over time.

VR for literature education

In the field of literature, you can visualize the highlights of fiction. The combination of material and events is interesting.

VR in NASA studying

In the mid-80s, the Ames Research Center at NASA developed one of the first functional VR systems in the world. Such a system will allow astronauts to practice their movement outside the space station or on the rocky, uneven surfaces of space bodies. They can even train to drill rocks to mineralogical samples on an asteroid or other planets.

Do you want to visit Mars? Why not? You have the opportunity to explore the habitat of the Red Planet. Imagine the curiosity and delight of students! Astronomy lessons will bring joy to students.

Examples of using VR technology in knowledge-based industries

Virtual Reality helps to increase productivity, product quality, reduce manufacturing defects and minimize the risks of equipment downtime. For example, virtual simulators are an extremely useful technology aimed at staff development.

Auto giant Ford was one of the first to master Virtual Reality. Back in the early 2000s, enterprises of the company used VR for designing and internal corporate communications. Over the past 7 years, technology has become the center of all automated production. Designers and engineers move around the factory wearing Oculus Rift glasses.

The most powerful impact of VR technology in the industry is the area of ​​personnel training and planning. There is a shortage of qualified personnel at all levels. As a result, the current level of automation requires the highest skills of employees. It is necessary to speed up the process of their preparation.

Benefits of using VR in education

Virtual Reality opens up new possibilities for studying theory and practical exercises because traditional methods can be costly or too complex.

There are main benefits of using VR in education:

1.Visibility. 3D graphics make it possible to reproduce the detailing of the most complex processes that are invisible to humans. Even the disintegration of the atomic nucleus or chemical reactions. Virtual Reality allows you to reproduce or model any processes or phenomena that modern science knows about.

2. Security. The practical basics of controlling aircraft or ultra-high-speed devices can be absolutely safely worked out on a virtual reality device. VR also gives you the opportunity to work out super complex medical operations or manipulations, without harm or danger to anyone.

3. Involvement. VR technologies make it possible to simulate any action mechanics or object behavior, solve complex mathematical tasks in the form of a game, and so on. Also, VR allows traveling in time, viewing the main scenarios of important historical events or to see a person from inside.

4. Focusing. The space modeled in VR can be easily viewed in a panoramic range of 360 degrees, without being distracted by external factors.

5. Virtual lessons. The first-person view and the feeling of being present in the painted world is one of the main features of Virtual Reality. As a result, this allows you to conduct lessons entirely in Virtual Reality.

6. Saving. Creating a simulator for production – the likelihood that employees will damage equipment is reduced, which reduces operating costs.

Our experience

Not so long ago, our client wanted to create a universal astronomical simulator for planetariums. The required software «Event Horizon» had to provide a 100% accurate representation of space objects, provide sufficient interactivity for use as a training tool, and have easy navigation through the iPad app.

We developed the application without the use of VR technology; just imagine what opportunities could open up if we use it. As you can see, it could also be used in astronomy lessons to give the most complete information for students.

So, the benefits of using virtual reality applications are enormous. We develop software that makes your life easier, applications that save you time and resources. Our team develops applications that improve any business. We want to offer useful solutions that will increase interest in your product, whatever it may be.

l.sidorenko