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Dr Charles Debieux
Virtual reality, or VR, has begun to enter the mainstream of entertainment, including movies and computer games, but what about education? For those not familiar with the technology, VR provides a 360-degree-view of the world through an immersive headset. The viewer can watch videos or look at a 360-degree photo as though they were actually there.
At Wellington College International Shanghai, we have begun our journey of utilising VR technologies in a variety of lessons and educational contexts. As part of their science lessons, pupils are taken on a journey through the lungs, with each area and progression fully narrated by the teacher. This environment enables our pupils to appreciate the internal anatomy of the lungs as well as the microscopic details. Some of our sixth formers have had the opportunity to guide their younger peers through the insides of the cell, giving them an experience unobtainable by a more traditional approach of using a textbook, website, or microscope.
Additionally, pupils have been on virtual journeys to Mount Everest and the Amazon Rainforest during geography lessons, and back to the trenches of World War I in history. As the availability and sophistication of VR content grows, so does the technology’s educational potential. However, VR is not only for viewing pre-existing content. The technology also enables pupils to become more creative in their learning. For example, they can design models in virtual reality and print prototypes using 3D printers, a practice that will certainly become more commonplace in industry as these technologies evolve. Using 360-degree cameras, pupils can also produce their own VR content, whether that be on field trips, or making their own music videos, documentaries, or films. The possibilities are virtually endless.
Within the realm of education, VR technology has great potential as an immersive experience that can transform the way content and knowledge is transferred to pupils; however, as educators, we must ensure that the technology is used to boost the educational experience, and not distract from it.
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