I thought I was ahead of the times when I acquired virtual reality headsets and other
mixed reality technology via a grant award in late 2019. The pandemic shutdowns halted my plans to use the acquired virtual reality headsets for virtual field trips and other STEM investigations. Returning to in-person learning just six months later, the prospect of utilizing this tech for meaningful integration seemed more daunting and less appealing.

Feedback from my students revealed that they had already consumed hours of 360° views while gaming on their home computers and were well versed in digital travel because teachers frequently used video tours as engagement tools during the pandemic.

To overcome my discouragement, I recalled that in 2020, Natale et al. published a review of recent research related to learning with virtual reality and concluded that VR is not as impactful on learning when done with non-immersive tools such as the Chromebooks students were issued when they were forced into distance learning.

Holding fast to the prospect that the virtual reality headsets would be the key to pushing past the passive consumption of video and games by providing impactful immersive learning, I patiently awaited the opportunity to integrate this tool.

Shockingly, at the mention of being able to use virtual reality headsets this year, my students responded with something to the effect of “Yeah…like an Oculus? Eh…I’ve already played a lot with that because I have one at home.” Once a novel technology, the current mindset seemed to be that VR was just another toy used to consume games and other media. I was not looking to use VR to gamify my classroom. I wanted my students to be able to use virtual reality as a medium for developing the higher-order thinking skills that McQuiggan et al. (2015) described as critical for
thriving in today’s digitally connected society.

To push them past the consumption mindset, I developed an immersive design adventure that awakened and inspired the 4Cs of learning: creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication.

As new VR technologies emerge, educators at all levels are finding new applications to augment the classroom experience – and for good reason. VR allows educators to move past pages in a textbook to create totally immersive experiences that stimulate and inspire students.

Imagine a social studies teacher leading a discussion about the Taj Mahal, for example. While educators and students used to be bound to traditional experiences like books, handouts, or PowerPoint presentations–now they can use the power of VR to take virtual tours of the monument, walking from space to space and seeing every detail of the carved stone.

The applications for VR in education are truly endless and open up an entirely new way of learning–with lesson formats that can literally bring students back in time for history class or transport them to different galaxies for science.

However, with VR in the classroom on the rise (and even VR-first schools like Optima Domi entering the market), the introduction of new technology always presents new challenges for educators. Just like we saw with the introduction of laptops in the classroom over the past decade, powerful technology has the ability to greatly improve the classroom experience, but also has the potential to be a burden to manage and is at risk of being abused.

So, what does it take to successfully deploy a VR program in the classroom? Let’s take a look at three key factors to consider:

Teachers need easy-to-use platforms

Most educators do not have the time or the technical know-how to manually sideload apps, manage configurations, update devices, or manually track their location and usage–and even if they did, teachers should not have to be part-time IT professionals anyway. However, these are all things that are necessary in a successful VR deployment, and therefore, schools should invest in fun, simple platforms that do not require technical expertise to manage.

Imagine you are a struggling reader. You dread reading…in any class. You feel like a failure, and you are starting to hate school. One day, your science teacher brings in a Microsoft HoloLens headset. You put on the mixed reality glasses and pick up the science article that the teacher wants you to read. You begrudgingly begin reading.

After only a few sentences you are lost because you don’t know what “light energy” means. Because your eyes stopped on that phrase, an animation jumps off the page through the glasses demonstrating an example of the concept with a voiceover explanation. Several moments later you read the word “photosynthesis” and another animation appears with an audio explanation. Suddenly, reading in science class takes on a whole new emotion…you are feeling success and are even interested in reading more about science.

Characteristics of struggling readers

Some students struggle with reading, and it’s a complicated situation. First, they struggle with anxiety. High anxiety is often present for struggling readers, and they tend to have reading anxiety along with general anxiety. Second, low-proficiency readers struggle with motivation. Essentially, struggling readers have a low reading self-concept, which is linked to lower motivation. Third, struggling readers have low achievement. Given the high anxiety and low motivation, struggling readers only perform at a low reading level. For these struggling readers, common instructional methods are insufficient…and they fall behind.

Mixed reality science reading

At East Carolina University, we wanted to create something uncommon, so we created a science reading experience for 5^th grade students using the Microsoft HoloLens. The HoloLens is a mixed reality technology—it merges the real and virtual worlds to produce something entirely new. Young readers wore the mixed reality glasses and then looked at a page of scientific text in the real world. But we programmed the HoloLens to deliver supplementary content in the virtual world that could only be seen and heard within the glasses. Because abstract concepts can be intimidating for young learners, we focused on supplying additional information for difficult scientific concepts. When the students’ eyes paused on a particularly difficult word or phrase, the glasses would deliver audio-visual information to supplement the reading.

We all know that augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are super fun, but AR and VR tools can also be incredibly powerful when integrated into classroom learning.

What’s the difference? AR is the idea that the user brings something into their real world and using a device to see something that isn’t actually there–animation or 3D images come into the real world. VR immerses a person in the experience, as if they’re actually there.

AR and VR tools have a number of benefits for students, and because the tools are engaging, students are more likely to absorb classroom lessons and concepts. Plus, students are engaged in active learning with AR and VR tools.

Here’s a handful of fun and engaging AR and VR tools to get you started:

3DBear AR: This app combines immersive technologies and inspiring pedagogic content for the optimal learning results. Strategies include AR, VR, 360-photos, scanning, and 3D printing. Most of the app’s features are free.

Avanti’s World: Avanti’s World is the world’s first educational VR “theme park.” Created by Avantis Education, Avanti’s World offers an immersive and engaging educational experience where students can walk with dinosaurs, visit ancient civilizations, journey to distant planets, and experience other impossible adventures all from the safety of a ClassVR headset or a web browser. Avanti’s World is divided into four different “lands” — “Trip  Through Time Land,” “Super Science Land,” Engaging Earth Land,” and “Literacy Land,” with hundreds of scenes to explore. It includes reporting and assessment tools for teachers and a comprehensive set of educational resources for each land. Students can engage in a guided lesson, learn in groups, or explore Avanti’s World independently.

Catchy Words AR: This word game was made specifically with augmented reality in mind and has been used for students with dyslexia. Students have an immersive experience without touching the screen as they walk around, catch the letters with their device, and solve the word.

“When will I ever use this?”

Math students have been asking educators this very question for decades. And yet, it has long been reported by Brookings (Loveless, 2008) and others like the Algebra Project (Moses, 2001) that Algebra I is the gatekeeper to higher level math classes, higher education success, and careers in the technical fields. It is a commonly-held belief that algebraic concepts are directly related to critical thinking skills. So, what is the disconnect?

We have hovered our proverbial mouse over the 21st century now for two decades. Yet, our education system and structure had shown little to no trace of modernization. Bells rang, people moved. An agrarian calendar is used to let our students “off” for the summer to help with…wait, for what? 

Disruption

Enter stage left, a worldwide pandemic. Our educators have been upskilled, the resources and environment have been retooled, and the technology-assisted curriculum has been modernized. 

And while the staff, students, and families are stressed as we continue to deal with the impacts of the pandemic, visionary leaders have the chance to be the architects of what post-pandemic education should look, sound, and feel like. 

Asking students, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” is no longer an adequate question to address the future of our students. Students must have a Future Self Vision. Regardless of their circumstances, they should be able to see themselves in the future. What quality of life do they envision for themselves and their families?

My school, located in London, is a rich and diverse community with over 40 languages spoken at the school. Affectionately known as a ‘village school in the United Nations of Brent,’ we can see the arch of the iconic Wembley Stadium from the end of our street. However, like some of our American counterparts, we serve students who have never been able to visit–let alone step inside–the iconic landmarks like Wembley, Buckingham Palace, or the Tower of London, in their own backyard. 

This fact was brought home to me several years ago when a 10-year-old student from Brazil, whom we will call Lucas, made a sobering observation on a school trip to center city London. Looking up at the glass, the skyscrapers, the abundance of wealth, Lucas casually remarked, “I didn’t know London could look like this.” 

In that moment we knew we were failing our children. If our neighborhood of Cricklewood in North London was all they knew, how could they have aspirations beyond it? It was augmented reality that began to bring the world to life for our learners.

Here are a few ways we have created moments of awe and wonder for our learners:  

Connecting the world around you  

Augmented reality gives educators the opportunity to bring the world to life. But first we need to see the world. We enrich our learning by taking field trips to the heart of our capital city. Pupils draw landmarks, interview tourists, use iPad voice recorders, and make films using the camera on iPad, editing them in iMovie to bring those landmarks to life.  

Then, using augmented reality apps, we link the children’s artwork to their videos and embed it all in a Google Map. This means that anyone can point their camera at the trigger image and find out more about the landmark they are visiting that day–all narrated by our pupils. 

Bringing school alive 

Simple point and tap triggers mean any image can be brought to life. Displays suddenly become interactive, with videos, websites, sound files, and animations popping off the walls. Imagine a display board full of children’s written work coming to life with pupils reading their own work.

Immersive learning experiences are a new type of educational experience that can be used in place of traditional lectures and classrooms. Immersive learning is meant to mimic the real world by providing students with an environment that is as close to reality as possible. It’s designed for learners who are interested in hands-on experiences, problem-solving, and discovery over non-traditional methods like reading textbooks and listening to lectures from a professor.

There are also many potential applications of immersive learning techniques in schools. This article will discuss what immersive learning is, how it changes the classroom experience, and some current use cases of immersive learning.

What is immersive learning? 

Immersive learning provides realistic settings in which students can participate in situations and simulations. Immersive environments are created with artificial stimuli such as sounds and images that make users feel physically present in the virtual world. Let’s look at some of the most common types of technology involved in immersive learning techniques:

Augmented reality augments real-world surroundings into a user’s device and enhances reality by incorporating digital features.

Virtual reality creates digital simulations in a headset, allowing users to be fully immersed in a virtual environment.

Mixed reality blends AR and VR to make virtual interactions seem more lifelike. MR enables digital and physical objects to coexist and interact in real-time.

3D immersive learning is a method that encourages extensive learning by using 3D visuals and simulations to give users an immersive experience.

Over the past year, virtual learning proved to be a mixed bag of success. Some students adapted; but for others, learn-from-home was a gargantuan hurdle. Many school systems, in fact, were forced to alter their student performance standards simply due to the number of failing grades students were receiving.

A recent McKinsey study showed that present forms of virtual learning, especially those built around videoconferencing, actually widen learning gaps. But don’t make the mistake in thinking that technology itself is to blame for these educational struggles.

If anything, new solutions are sorely needed. Students need the ability to learn effectively both inside and outside the classroom. There needs to be a seamless connection between modes of learning, with immersion at the core. The right technology can make this happen.

3D tech, in particular, has the potential to change the very nature of learning. Using 3D cameras, scanners and other multi-dimensional hardware and software, students can learn faster, with greater engagement and retention. 3D tech also can foster the personal connections, interactions and shared experiences that are so critical to early child development.

Immersive classrooms

One of the most exciting innovations in the education sector is hands-on learning facilitated by depth sensors. Supported by depth sensors that track student movement in a certain area, immersive imagery is projected on the walls, floors and other flat surfaces of rooms equipped for the purpose.

Immersive learning might sound like a no-brainer strategy, but it’s a superb way to ensure students are engaged in lessons and core concepts.

Augmented and virtual reality apps are excellent ways to engage students in immersive learning, while at the same time offering a fun learning experience.

Students can explore historical sites, meet sea creatures up close, and more.

As you’re searching for some new immersive learning apps and tools to incorporate into your teaching this fall, check out the list below for some fun choices.

1. Catchy Words is a new kind of word game. Students have an immersive experience as they walk around, catch letters with their device, and solve the word. Content-specific words, or an entire word list, can also be added to the game to help reinforce vocabulary associated with lessons and learning units.

According to the World Health Organization, around 15 percent of the world’s population lives with some form of disability or special educational needs—and of that 15 percent, 2 to 4 percent experience significant difficulties in functioning.

However, the global disability prevalence is thought to be higher than previous WHO estimates, which date from the 1970s. Instead, data from last year suggests a figure of around 10 percent is more accurate, with 190 million (3.8 percent) who are 15 or older and have significant difficulties in functioning.

Given these facts, it seems like a paradox, then, that students with special needs relating to conditions such as autism (ASD), ADHD, dyslexia, Down’s Syndrome, and hearing difficulties can often feel left behind in a classroom environment in comparison to their peers.

Fortunately, education is progressing to become more inclusive of those with different learning styles and educational needs, but there is still a lot that can be done to make the classroom more inclusive for each and every student. It is becoming more and more apparent that it is time we rethink not just what we teach, but exactly how we teach.

Generation Z (people born from mid-1990s to 2010s) and Generation Alpha (those born between 2010s and mid-2020s) grew up surrounded by technology. For these young people, devices like smartphones and tablets are like an additional exoskeletal attachment. These young generations are not afraid of new technologies. School districts and universities should not be either.

The 2020s will be the decade of immersive technologies, and this is the year for schools to start exploring how to bring virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) into the classroom. I use VR in my classroom because I see its success, but it’s not just me–multiple studies point to the academic advantages of immersive tech.

Related content: 10 reasons to use AR and VR in the classroom

VR and AR will change how we live, work, learn, and interact with each other. This belief caused me to start The Glimpse Group, a diversified VR and AR platform company made up of 9 unique software and services subsidiaries.

In addition to my work with The Glimpse Group, I am also an adjunct lecturer at Fordham University. At Fordham I teach Exploring Entrepreneurship, a class where students learn what it takes to be an entrepreneur, along with the critical elements of starting a company. My colleague, Professor Christine Janssen, and I modernized the course by adding VR exercises to teach our students soft skills and business collaboration.