Immersive Virtual Reality in Education

Virtual Reality (VR) is a tool that puts a user into a simulated environment, it allows users to act within the environment controlling their own movements within the environment. There are two types of VR environments, desktop virtual reality, which involves reality based on the computer screen, and Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) which involves head-mounted displays (HMD) which projects an immersive reality through the HMD.

By Shah Garcia, the image of a head-mounted display (HMD) and of classmate Alvaro testing out Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR)

Within tutorials, we were exposed to a multitude of VR applications that can or used within classrooms today. One of the tools that I personally enjoyed using was MEL VR which is a chemistry-based IVR that enhanced my spatial knowledge. Meaning it went beyond the physical boundaries of sight being able to look at things that I couldn’t before through VR (Southgate, 2018). For example, the ability to examine and go into the Atom (Mikropolous & Natsis, 2011). Therefore, VR can be an effective tool for teachers to give students the ability to look at things from a different perspective, and simultaneously foster students’ creativity by exposing the features of the impractical thereby facilitating experiential learning (Southgate, 2018). Also, students can be put into simulations where they are in someone else’s shoes for example being another race than yourself, which can foster creativity as they gain empathy for people and challenge stereotypes and bias (Southgate, 2018). In general students experience, a hands-on approach and as a result are better able to connect theories and knowledge learned in VR settings (Chiu, Hwang & Hsia, 2023).

By Shah Garcia: MEL VR

In contrast, we used another technology called Co-Blocks that used desktop virtual reality where we created our own scenarios. I think this tool can be effective in implementing a problem-solving task. For example, setting a task whereby students create their own safety approach to pedestrian crossings which correlates to PDHPE syllabus (NESA, 2018). It is important to make tasks, relatable to students to increase their engagement levels but, also use a technology that allows students to be creative. Allowing students to explore Co-Blocks and facilitate experimentation, exploration, and student-generated content will allow foster creativity and inquiry-based learning. (Southgate, 2018).

By Shah Garcia: Co-Blocks desktop virtual reality and a really rough draft exemplifying road issues with pedestrians

The limitations of VR include cybersickness, especially for younger students who cognitively aren’t developed enough to put HMDs on yet, girls may be not into using VR education as it can affect anxiety levels within classrooms such as putting the HMD on their heads and privacy implication of students whereby students can be exposed to the internet and its negativity (Pellas, Mystakidis & Kazanidis, 2010 & Southgate, 2018).

References:

Chiu, M., Hwang, G., & Hsia, L. (2023). Promoting students’ artwork appreciation: An experiential learning‐based virtual reality approach. British Journal of Educational Technology, 54(2), 603–621. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.13265

Mikropoulos, T. A., & Natsis, A. (2011). Educational virtual environments: A ten-year review of empirical research (1999–2009). Computers and Education, 56(3), 769–780. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2010.10.020

NSW Education Standards Authority. (2018) PDHPE: K-10 Syllabus. https://www.educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/k-10/learning-areas/pdhpe/pdhpe-k-10-2018

Pellas, N., Mystakidis, S., & Kazanidis, I. (2021). Immersive Virtual Reality in K-12 and Higher Education: A systematic review of the last decade scientific literature. Virtual Reality : the Journal of the Virtual Reality Society, 25(3), 835–861. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10055-020-00489-9

Southgate. (2018). Immersive virtual reality, children and school education: A literature review for teachers. DICE Report Series Number 6. DICE Research. https://ericasouthgateonline.files.wordpress.com/2018/06/southgate_2018_immersive_vr_literature_review_for_teachers.pdf