For decades the same learning models have been implemented, creating a traditional and successful educational system globally. The education sector is one of the few industries that has experienced the least amount of technological growth.
There have been explicit technical implementations to help make learning and teaching more straightforward, but the essence of teaching still involves a teacher standing in front of a class.
However, as emerging technologies slowly begin to increase, with the likes of Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR), they are set to change the landscape of education and classroom-like experiences, radically changing the shape of future education.
(Image Source: Devabit)
Goldman Sachs’ report indicates a valuation of $80 billion by 2025 for VR and AR integration and adoption in a range of industries. As evident from the graph, the gaming industry will naturally see the most adoption of new technologies such as VR and AR. However, Education is right behind it. One of the reasons for slow adoption is down to the uncertainty of how VR and AR can create additional value for already well-established companies, but as they emerge, there will be space for VR and AR in all industries.
VR and AR simulated classrooms
The way students learn has evolved over time. Today’s classrooms are bursting full of intelligent tech such as computers, tablets, smart boards and a range of other equipment. The implementation of new technologies can help give students a more enriched experience.
The pandemic has created numerous challenges and has resulted in many educational institutions closing their doors for long periods. This has meant children have been unable to receive the same education levels that they otherwise would have.
According to the Institution for Fiscal Studies (IFS), the learning time in lockdown was dramatically lower, with a 25% reduction in learning in one day. Primary school children were spending 4.5 hours learning compared to 6.0 hours per day pre Covid-19. For secondary school children, the drop was even steeper, with a 32% reduction going from 6.6 hours a day to 4.5 hours a day.
Some research has provided evidence that suggests that extra learning outside of hours leads to better and improved educational outcomes. One of the most significant issues present in education brought to light through the pandemic is the widening of socio-economic learning time gaps during the lockdown phase. This means it is suggested that lockdown worsened educational inequalities between children from poorer and richer backgrounds.
(Image Source: IFS)
VR and AR technologies could help close the gap between children from different socioeconomic backgrounds providing an equal opportunity for learning for all. VR headsets with smartphones and AR technologies on smartphones could bring to life simulated classrooms where children do not need to be physically present but virtually present. This will allow them to still receive a complete education without worrying about external factors such as Covid-19 or even future pandemics.
Simulated classrooms will allow student and teacher interactions to occur, such as asking questions and allowing students to respond. A range of technology can be used to accomplish this, making it possible for learning through technology. Apple is currently working on AR smart glasses, which work by overlaying information on objects that reside in the real world. The eyewear market is estimated to worth 210.8 billion dollars by 2025, making it promising and adaptive.
If we get to the point where we can utilise AR technology with existing glasses frames, this revelation can flip the augmented reality industry on its head, thereby making it so much easier to extend our reality and get the information processed quicker.
VR and AR can help teachers explain abstract and random concepts that are sometimes hard to visualise without the help of technology. Students will then be able to see this concept through their smart devices while allowing them to explore similar objects around them. For example, when teaching shapes in primary schools, AR could be used to help children learn about 3D shapes; using AR, they explore objects around their home, which will help them identify why the type of 3d object they are looking at through their smart device. This level of play taps into the natural curiosity of children making learning fun.
The use of simulated classrooms will also help shape the future of education by allowing teachers to train better. VR and AR are successfully already used in medical training, and the same can be implemented in training and learning for teachers. Simulated classrooms will not help training teachers and educators deal with issues they may face in the real world, it will also give them a better understanding of their job roles before being assessed, making better teachers, which will make for a better education system overall.
Biggest obstacles in AR and VR mass adoption
Although there is great promise for VR and AR technologies in today’s world, and as we have seen how it changes education for the better, some obstacles make these technologies hard to adopt on a mass scale and here’s a look at some of the obstacles.
Firstly there is no standardisation in the technologies as there is a range of developers working on them, which has created eight different platforms so far. Making the technology standard for all to be used on all smart devices is difficult. Large organisations may be able to take the technologies to market alone. However, users will still be limited in its use as VR and AR technology will only be supported by their own devices.
Second, hardware for VR and AR technologies currently are bulky and expensive. Ar is performing better than VR, but still, its adoption into devices make them less appealing.
Thirdly, there is a very limited amount of content available for users, which is hard to deal with, especially in a world full of streaming content at our fingertips.
(Image Source: Devabit)
As demonstrated in the graph above, many companies see user experience as a significant obstacle that will cause issues in the mass adoption of VR and AR technologies. This concern reflects the concern discussed above, proving that technology’s technical limitations will eventually make people tired or become bored with it. Cost is another obstacle. AR can already be used on smartphones, but VR needs special equipment, but with limited content, it’s not enough to get the mass population interested.
