Influence Of Virtual Reality On Schools

Influence of virtual reality on schools

Virtual reality nowadays has become an important part of life. It can be seen everywhere, even in school. Before appearance of technologies, virtual reality was quite rare, but nowadays students became different as well as process of studying changed in some kind. Thanks to the Internet, we can just write something like “take my online course for money” and get course ready. Virtual reality makes process of studying brighter. Today we will make sure in it.

First of all, it should be said that we won’t talk about virtual reality in the meaning of Internet technologies. Nowadays another meaning of virtual reality is becoming more and more usual. Virtual reality is becoming a world itself, created by different items. From this article you will get to know about virtual reality, how it works and how it is used in different spheres. You can also read more about modern trends in world of virtual reality: https://onlineclassmentor.com/blog/top-vr-trends-you-probably-dont-know.

1. What Is Virtual Reality?

Although for many people term virtual reality means “something connected with computers” there is another way of understanding it. So, virtual reality is another world created with the help of special equipment. Or VR can also refer to the equipment needed to create this virtual world. You can read about VR in the world of video games to understand what it is more precisely. Video games demonstrate VR in the brightest way.

Virtual reality appeared in 1950-s, but it is still not developed really well. Main usage of this technology can be seen in video games and movies. It seems to be great technology interesting for many people, but as for now, its price is probably the biggest barrier towards its popularity. It is also a great obstacle for virtual reality technologies to move forward: price is high but concurrency is enormous. However, this technology can be used in other spheres, except games and movies. If you want to appear in another world, sometimes good movie can also help with this. With the list of sensitive movies to watch you can go to different worlds and feel a lot of emotions.

2. How Does It Work?

First of all it should be said that nowadays there are some companies who are the obvious leaders in the world of VR such as Google and Sony. Different companies have own secrets and features of creating VR sets. However, general things remain as they are. If you like to play games you may know also, that Sony is also leader in the world of consoles. Feel free to read more about it: https://onlineclassmentor.com/blog/microsoft-scorpio-vs-nintendo-switch-choose-wisely.

To switch on this Virtual Reality, you need some things as: PC, headset and device, which indicates your position in the space. Then special device is used and it makes 3D image real sized. Even with these things, you will already feel Virtual Reality. However, it’s not the end. There exist additional devices and we will tell about them briefly.

There are also lenses in the headset, so when you wear it, they create 3D image, which always moves, depending on where you are looking. You can read some facts about 3D videos and their history – without them there would be no virtual reality. As usual, these headsets have different angle of sight up to 110 degrees. However, it’s enough for feeling all features of VR. Finally, video, which is shown to you, when you wearing headset, is always at least 60 frames per second.

Many companies have gone far beyond this. For example, headsets from Sony are able to show more than hundred frames. If you like video technologies and technologies for games, you should read about motion capture: one of technologies that make movies bright and interesting: https://onlineclassmentor.com/blog/motion-capture-brief-history-and-interesting-facts.

Another important thing is device for indicating your head position. It means that whenever you are looking, image in front of you always follows you. This device or devices track your head position and then send this information to device, which generates virtual reality. Of course, the faster this data transfer is, the better it works for user.

Track of the head movements is not the only thing virtual reality device should do. Everybody who wears VR headset at first, as usual wants to see his body, not only subjects around. That’s why tracking of the body is also important and you will know now, how it works.

Nowadays there exist many wireless sensors for tracking body in the space. It is convenient, because you are free in movements. As usual, such sensor should be taken into a hand. Pressing different buttons on it, you can do some actions which virtual reality requires. Each device of this type also has special sensors, which track gestures. There also exist eyes tracking, but it only begins to appear and develop, so in most cases you won’t face this technology. We haven’t mentioned headphones, but they seem to be common and used to fulfill the feeling that everything is “natural” in virtual reality. That’s why if you want to feel it in the full volume high quality headphones are must.

Of course, it is quite hard to work out headsets and other equipment and it should be always improved. For today, difference between virtual reality and real world still exists and can be felt. So the task of the developers is to make this difference as small as possible.

3. VR For Different Professions

Of course, the first though about field of using this technology is videogames. Talking in general, we can say that virtual reality is used for practice by different professions. It allows people practice without danger and harm. We all know that too much theory is not a good solution and is one of the biggest but stable present education system cons. So virtual reality helps in practicing and makes process of developing skills better for different professions.

Virtual reality helps to many professions and workers of these professions to avoid danger and injuries. This technology may be helpful and it really does, for such professions as pilots, for example. If you think that people, who use this technology during training look strange, you should definitely look at the list of weird jobs around the world.

As we can see, it can be used not only for amusement as video games but for serious things as simulator of airplane for pilot to get more practice with no negative consequences. In the next point, we will look in details different spheres and professions where VR is used and gives great profit.

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Let’s look at some examples of using VR in different fields:

1. Medicine

- First of all VR is used to help patients who have different phobias. For example, person is afraid of flying or afraid of insects. With special course and doctor’s care, such therapy may better patient’s situation and his fears may go away. However, it’s not the only example of using VR technology.

- Post traumatic syndrome. Many soldiers suffer this syndrome after war. There are many cases when psychiatrist can’t help using common methods. Here, virtual reality comes for help again. If environment, that doctor can control, patient overcome the circumstances, which caused this syndrome and in many cases becomes healthy. Feel free to read more about importance of technology in education.

- Surgeon training. Virtual reality gives the unique possibility for young specialists to train without any risk for patients. This is probably the best way of using this technology. People who have just finished studying can train to make different types of surgeries and only when they get enough experience they can come to job and help people with no harm and with practical experience. Feel free to read about application for Virtual reality surgeon trainings.

2. Car industry

This is not a wide practice yet, but Ford Company, for example tries it. They created special headsets that show how customers drive their cars and what feelings they may have. It also means that Ford can skip the step when they should create first physical model of the car – they go immediately to building of the model, which can be then go to the market for sale. It saves money and time and raise productivity at the same time.

3. Tourism

Probably it is better to see nature by you own eyes. However, what if you don’t have enough money and time? There already exist some types of virtual reality trips. For example, virtual reality trip by Destination British Columbia allows you to ride a boat or climb mountains. And for doing this you don’t have to go anywhere! Of course, this is quite doubtful question because from the other sight, you save time and spend no energy, but from the other sight, all features of the hiking tour are lost.

Of course, these professional fields are only few examples. Virtual reality found its usage in many other professions and missions such as preparation for space trips. It really helps and can be used far beyond the field of videogames. However, what can we say about studying process? How can virtual reality help in studying? Are there any pros and what are the main pros in virtual reality studying? We will single it out.

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So we know what virtual reality is and how it can be used. What can we say about virtual reality in school? How and why should it be used? Let’s look at definite examples to answer this question. If you have a subject, which is an entire question for you, you can discover online class mentor and find help at this service.

5. Place Of Virtual Reality In Schools

Virtual reality allows to create another world and to imitate another space. Add some imagination, and you can use it almost at every lesson. What is interesting is that while for some schools VR is still just a dream, in definite countries even created virtual reality schools, not only classes. Anyway, this technology is still new for education and needs definite effort to be involved into studying process, but it can make studying bright for every student.

Let’s look at different examples.

- History lessons. Many students claim that history for them is a dull subject, where they must just learn a lot of numbers and facts. What can be done with the help of virtual reality? Battles and actions may become real. For example, students may see the life of Queen Victoria. Moreover, students may appear there, at that very place and moment of the battle. Or, for example they may become commanders of the army for some minutes. It is clear what will be more interesting: became part of history and historical events or just learn numbers and facts. If you have problems with history lessons or other subjects, we may help you. We don’t have virtual reality technologies of course, but we can do your exam for you.

- Nature science. This lesson is really interesting, even with the use of videos and images. But virtual reality can shift students to ancient times, to epoch of dinosaurs, it can allow them to observe tsunamis or eruptions. Or students may see and learn some information on Bermuda Triangle just through seeing this nature miracle. Isn’t that great? It’s better to see by your eyes once that to hear or read about it. So profit of such experiments at science lessons is undeniable.

- Astronomy. Probably, every student had a dream to walk along some planets, to see stars closer and observe the moon as if being there. Here, virtual reality may also help, without any difficulties. Do you want to observe the moon? Technology will recreate precise copy of real moon. It can help students in learning astronomy. Instead of seeing images and numbers, they will see everything by their own eyes. Just image: lesson called “moon landing”. Teacher and class has excursion to the moon, they observe it, make different calculations and experiments. Isn’t that great?

- Literature. Another example is literature. Of course, some stories, like those by Steven King are full of horror, so not everybody will dare to appear in them. However, you should know about this writer: https://onlineclassmentor.com/blog/stephen-king-king-of-horror-and-mystery. Anyway, many of novels written by Jack London for example are great. With a help of virtual reality students can not only read book but go through events, main heroes have gone through. Or, for example, can you imagine a test on novel where student should do the same things as main character did in order to pass it well? With virtual reality it is more than real.

- Chemistry. As for now chemistry is full of theory and practice can be dangerous as well as not every experiment can be hold in the classroom. With virtual reality, students can make different experiments, mix different liquids and practice as much as teacher will allow them. There is no harm to the health and ability to learn on their own mistakes. However, it’s important that students understand difference between chemistry experiments in virtual reality and in real life.

Of course, these example above, are just some, of the huge world of abilities that virtual reality gives to education. Probably, the biggest achievement of this technology was creation of virtual school, where some gifted students have classes. You may read more about features of virtual school.

Pros of VR in school are obvious: they make lessons interesting. VR helps students to acquire different practical skills without harm and risk. Technology also gives a chance for students to see “alive” some nature miracles and some periods in history, which have gone and can be seen only in books.

Another plus of virtual reality that it makes teacher’s job easier sometimes: teacher shouldn’t find images and videos – he should just provide key information to students or organize observation of definite subjects and direct students’ attention to necessary things. It is also clear that students will be very interested in such types of lessons, so teacher won’t have to spend extra energy to organize the discipline.

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Now it’s time to find out possible cons of using virtual reality in schools.

6. Why Virtual Reality Is Also A Problem?

- Price. The biggest problem with this technology is its price. Although headset itself is expensive, there is another problem. This problem is developing of environment for virtual reality, which requires a lot of sources. First of all it is a great job for programmers. Moreover, it is enormous amount of job for designers: everything should be very accurate, or in another way, students will learn wrong information. So because of price for development of environment and other work, virtual reality still remains undeveloped not only in schools but in the industry of technologies in general.

- Makes students lazy. If students just wear headset and appear in other world, they will get used to it very fast. It means they will reject other traditional ways of studying like reading a book, learning some information from them. We can make a conclusion that virtual reality should be used very carefully and in strictly limited amount.

- Kills imagination. Of course, to appear at the battle or in the story is great. But students don’t have to imagine anything: virtual reality technology will make it for them. It means students will have problems with imagination and creativity.

- Problem with organizing a lesson

There is still almost no experience of organizing a lesson, where only VR will be used. First of all it requires creation of definite screen or presence of powerful phones, because headsets should be switched into something. It is also a problem in synchronizing teacher’s headset with students’. If is important for example for VR excursions to different planets and so one.

- Requires special knowledge

Virtual reality equipment is not easy. Not everybody can understand how it works and how to switch everything in a right way. That’s why teachers should have specials trainings in order to able to handle this VR headsets and equipment. Of course, it is possible to hire a specialist, but it is still not the best choice, because it needs spending of extra money.

We can see that virtual reality can influence school from changing lessons to changing school, from real to virtual one. As there are many pros of using virtual reality there are also many problems except price. That’s why it should be used methodically and advisedly. It shouldn’t become the main method of studying but in mixture with traditional methods, it may give great result. If you want to use modern technologies with profit, for example, if you need help with tests online our service can give you this opportunity. So don’t hesitate and use modern technologies as much as you can.

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Influence Of Virtual Reality On Schools