Online learning provides numerous advantages for students willing to learn new skills in lesser time. Unlike the pre-Covid19 Era, it utilizes technology significantly. Today, for instance, we have a hybrid online learning method, which includes next-level approaches such as Virtual Reality (VR).
A significant advantage of online learning is, you can access the course material and attend your online class from anywhere, at any time. Along with online learning, you can get online tuitions as well to prepare for your test. So you do not have to think about “how am I going to take my online test without any preparation?”
How VR Can Benefit Online Learning?
So before diving right into the core advantages of VR in online learning, let me explain what VR exactly is. VR builds a whole digital atmosphere, a 360-degree, three-dimensional user experience that seems almost as realistic as our world. In a three-dimensional digital setting, students can interact with objects and course material or whatever even more proactively. That is so because they are learning through visual conceptualization. It feels like you are in a dream, but your mind is working to its fullest. Read the main difference between AR and VR below.
The Main Difference between AR and VR
Many people do not know about VR, and some think that VR and Augmented Reality (AR) is the same. However, that is not the case, at all. VR is different from AR, as AR simulate a projection. It can project a digital layer through a smart device. It can be anything, from educational text to dinosaurs. Like VR brings you to a digital world, AR reverses it, by bringing the digital world into your atmosphere. It can also provide precise and eye-catchy content but in real-world surroundings.
Furthermore, we can provide environmental mindfulness to the students with muscle disabilities, as they can control objects, which they cannot in the real world. Mostly, these approaches remain under the surveillance of experts. Some VR experts stated that VR might generate psychological problems which may affect brain development, particularly in children under 13. However, it is just a theory, and experts are still working to find out the truth.
VR can fill the void which traditional learning approaches cannot for disabled students. By implementing VR in online classes, we can demonstrate everything better and push teamwork and collaboration to the next level. Many students are unable to learn practical things properly from other students. However, VR has the ability to eradicate this issue by providing us a digital environment that feels realistic.
How VR is Effectual for Practical Learning
Researchers proved that VR is effective for clearing out practical concepts. Experimental learning is an approach of learning through practicality and direct experience. Instead of reading a book, experiential learning offers the opportunity to acquire skills and expertise through practical application.
Therefore, academic researchers say that our absorption rates drop time after time during a traditional lecture. For instance, if you are attending a class and the rate of absorption is at 100 percent, it will drop the next day. The probability is that you will lose 42-79 percent of learning potential the next day and so on. On the other hand, the experiential learning approach can help us in maintaining the same rate effectively.
A great aspect of VR is that it allows you to visit an alternate reality. From watching the dinosaurs, to fighting as a soldier in WW2, you can be present at any timeline virtually. Plus, VR can help surgeons to practice new approaches to surgeries – that too without harming any living being. Thus, the advantages of VR in learning are endless. Below are some advantages of experiential learning and VR in online learning. On the other hand, the experiential learning approach can help us in maintaining the same rate effectively.
Quickens Learning
Mostly, students use rote learning or repetitive memorization to memorize their course material. Rote learning can be ineffective sometimes, as we are just memorizing learning material, not understanding it. However, VR offers an improved approach by giving us a virtual platform to perform and visualize the learning material. VR enhances our learning experience by implementing powerful visualization and decision-making.
A Safer Approach of Learning
It is quite natural for humans to make mistakes. Students make numerous mistakes on course, particularly the medical students or the ones having lab work. VR here offers simulations and lets us learn in a virtual, safe, and controlled environment. For instance, astronauts can try changing space shuttle parts in different approaches without any worry of losing their grip. We can try unique methods of practical work and find out what works best for us.
Links Multiple Learning Approaches Together
In campus life, we often learn from textbooks regarding a particular topic. Well, this works, but what about experiencing the theory we are learning from a book in an interactive 3D environment? VR gives students an excellent and way much memorable approach to the learning experience.
Boosts up Collaboration
The virtual settings of VR offer students to collaborate, learn and perform better with each other. It amplifies overall engagement with solid productivity outcomes.
Makes Intricate Topics Simpler
There are many puzzling topics from understanding how gravity works to brain surgery, VR can help us in understanding these topics. Not only these topics, but a wide range of intricate topics to help us better understand them. VR also eliminates the risk of harm to life, as we are doing experiments in a virtual world. Not only the educational institutions but the companies are using VR too for training their staff effectively.
Accessibility
Like we can access online classes and their material from anywhere, we can use VR the same way. You can visit Ancient Rome or perform brain surgery just by sitting at home. Therefore, a high-speed internet connection is necessary to proceed further.
The Use of VR in Learning Online Presently
We live in a digitalized world, where technology is taking over everything. You may not know this fact, but many well-known educational institutions use VR to improve their learning methods. Here are some examples of how the educational industry is using VR currently. Not only the educational institutions but the companies are using VR too for training their staff effectively.
Conclusion
VR merge with online learning can help the students with autism significantly. For students with autism, navigation can become difficult. They cannot even line up within the cafeteria, as their anxiousness does not allow them. Many educational experts stated that VR helps these students. Academic researchers are implementing unique techniques through manageable ways to develop a better understanding of students with autism and learning disabilities. Therefore, if you have any disability and cannot deal with academics properly, do not worry. You can get help for your test through the internet. There are many academic assistance services available. So you do not ask anybody to do my online test, but prepare and go for it by yourself. They cannot even line up within the cafeteria, as their anxiousness does not allow them. Many educational experts stated that VR helps these students. Academic researchers are implementing unique techniques through manageable ways to develop a better understanding of students with autism and learning disabilities.
