VR and AR: The new learning trends to watch out for

Kids have long been used to playing mobile games in virtual landscapes that feel real. And adults have also been used to a similar technology, when viewing the insides of a car virtually or simply seeing the landscape come alive by zooming in on a Google Map.  Welcome to the magic world of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality. This world has now extended to the classroom too as a new trend under the concept of immersive learning. 

Immersive learning is a contemporary learning style that uses technology to engage our senses actively beyond just listening to lectures. In the same way that a photo or video can help students visualize a challenging concept, immersive learning can ‘illustrate’ study matter and engage the senses. There are many different ways to create immersive learning experiences.  

What is VR and how is it used in class?   
VR is a computer-generated environment that can be experienced from all angles of vision. We referred to Google Maps. That’s a good example of VR. Students can click around the digital environment and zoom in on any spot they want to, and they can then view it in detail from all sides. There are also special headsets that block our peripheral vision while projecting video imaging into each eye, making us feel as if we are inside a virtual world. Kids love watching the pyramids of Egypt, a volcano or our digestive tract come alive in this way.  

What is AR and how is it used in class? 
AR is a form of technology that allows us to add digital images to the real world. This can be done through apps on AR-compatible smartphones, which turn our phone camera lens into a portal to view the augmented images on the smartphone screen. One of the most notable examples of AR was the mobile game Pokémon Go, which allowed the app to access phone cameras and allowed users to see Pokémon creatures in the real world around them. With AR, students can use their smartphones to see comments or labels on diagrams and have the option to read more about something they need further clarification through pop-ups.