The Edvocate

Top Menu

Main Menu

  • Start Here
    • Our Brands
    • Governance
      • Lynch Educational Consulting
      • Dr. Lynch’s Personal Website
      • Careers
    • Write For Us
    • Books
    • The Tech Edvocate Product Guide
    • Contact Us
    • The Edvocate Podcast
    • Edupedia
    • Pedagogue
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
  • PreK-12
    • Assessment
    • Assistive Technology
    • Child Development
    • Classroom Management
    • Early Childhood
    • EdTech & Innovation
    • Education Leadership
    • Equity
    • First Year Teachers
    • Gifted and Talented Education
    • Parental Involvement
    • Policy & Reform
    • Special Education
    • Teachers
  • Higher Ed
    • Best Colleges and Universities
    • Best College and University Programs
    • Diversity
    • HBCU’s
    • Higher Education
    • Higher Education EdTech
    • International Education
  • Advertise
  • The Tech Edvocate Awards
    • The Awards Process
    • Finalists and Winners of The 2023 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2022 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2021 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2020 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2019 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2018 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2017 Tech Edvocate Awards
    • Award Seals
  • Apps
    • GPA Calculator for College
    • GPA Calculator for High School
    • Cumulative GPA Calculator
    • Grade Calculator
    • Weighted Grade Calculator
    • Final Grade Calculator
  • The Tech Edvocate
  • Post a Job
  • AI Powered Personal Tutor

logo

The Edvocate

  • Start Here
    • Our Brands
    • Governance
      • Lynch Educational Consulting
      • Dr. Lynch’s Personal Website
        • My Speaking Page
      • Careers
    • Write For Us
    • Books
    • The Tech Edvocate Product Guide
    • Contact Us
    • The Edvocate Podcast
    • Edupedia
    • Pedagogue
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
  • PreK-12
    • Assessment
    • Assistive Technology
    • Child Development
    • Classroom Management
    • Early Childhood
    • EdTech & Innovation
    • Education Leadership
    • Equity
    • First Year Teachers
    • Gifted and Talented Education
    • Parental Involvement
    • Policy & Reform
    • Special Education
    • Teachers
  • Higher Ed
    • Best Colleges and Universities
    • Best College and University Programs
    • Diversity
    • HBCU’s
    • Higher Education
    • Higher Education EdTech
    • International Education
  • Advertise
  • The Tech Edvocate Awards
    • The Awards Process
    • Finalists and Winners of The 2023 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2022 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2021 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2020 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2019 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2018 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2017 Tech Edvocate Awards
    • Award Seals
  • Apps
    • GPA Calculator for College
    • GPA Calculator for High School
    • Cumulative GPA Calculator
    • Grade Calculator
    • Weighted Grade Calculator
    • Final Grade Calculator
  • The Tech Edvocate
  • Post a Job
  • AI Powered Personal Tutor
  • How to Implement the Stations: Interacting with Multiple Texts Teaching Strategy in Your Classroom

  • Dyspraxia: Everything You Need to Know

  • Most Interesting “The House on Mango Street’ Essay Topics To Write About

  • Most Interesting “The Handmaid’s Tale” Essay Topics to Write About

  • “Great Gatsby” Essay Topics

  • “Most Interesting the Glass Menagerie” Essay Topics to Write About

  • Most Interesting “The Gift of The Magi” Essay Topics To Write About

  • “The Fall of The House of Usher” Essay Topics

  • Interesting Essay Topics for “The Crucible”

  • Most Interesting “The Cask of Amontillado” Essay Topics

The Tech Edvocate
Home›The Tech Edvocate›Why Virtual Reality has the Potential to Transform Education as We Know It

Why Virtual Reality has the Potential to Transform Education as We Know It

By Matthew Lynch
February 27, 2017
2
Spread the love

Virtual reality has been on the radar since Morton Heilig’s Sensorama in the 1950s, and head mounted versions of the technology were even around in the 1960s. But it wasn’t until recently that its use has become less of a novelty and more of a commonality. Console games and smartphone adapters have brought the potential of virtual reality into the lives of everyday people. And soon, that technology will enter the classroom.

Now, the big question is how these emerging technologies will transform education as we know it. While that question might not be fully answered for some time, it is easy to see the potential.

Full Immersion

The benefits of full immersion are well documented for the learning of foreign languages. Not only does it expose the student to the language in a natural way, but it also helps them ultimately function like a native speaker.

Virtual reality offers the ability to become fully immersed in a subject. Graphical representations are presented in 3-D, and the system is designed to respond to the body movements of the participant. More sophisticated systems allow the student to control a virtual representation of themselves, often referred to as an avatar, and even lets them interact with the virtual world around them.

By being an active participant in the learning environment, students have the opportunity to engage at a new level. And the increased engagement and more natural approach might increase the rate of learning and retention.

Safe Experimentation

When properly programmed, virtual reality environments can mimic real-world conditions. This means new items can be designed and examined for effectiveness or even safety. For example, experiments in physics can be constructed virtually. If a student “builds” something based on an incorrect calculation, faulty assumption, or is simply interested in how an event will play out, the virtual model can be constructed and used without any actual risk to the student involved.

This increases the ability to learn through experimentation, including creating a safe space for experimentation that has potentially dangerous consequences in the real world. It also allows them to see the results of failed experiments in a way that promotes learning.

Virtual reality also allows for deeper explorations of biology and anatomy by using accurate renderings instead of real-life dissection. For younger students, this can bring access to advanced concepts without having to deal with the implications of actual dissections in the classroom.

Experience Different Times and Places

Field trips in schools have helped expose students to new ideas and environments. Historical reenactments at sites like Jamestown and Colonial Williamsburg bring visitors into a different time to help them understand, at least superficially, what like was like for original settlers. Often, students are limited to experiences within a manageable range of their home area. But virtual reality could change that.

Virtual reality has the potential to allow students to explore international locations and could be used to simulate different time periods. This expands the concept of the field trip into full immersion experiences that do not have to be limited by time or space.

The same concepts can be used in biology, botany, and other natural sciences. Students can explore sites that would be much too treacherous for an actual journey. Children could explore the Amazon rain forest or take a trip down the Nile without having to worry about unexpected events that could cause harm.

Bring Students Together

As the technology improves, the ability to bring students into a single environment, even if they are from different schools, states, or countries, can help connect students to their larger world. This gives them the opportunity to learn from people they may otherwise never have met. A broader virtual world could expand their horizons and may promote more diverse collaboration in the future.

While we are still only scratching the surface of what virtual reality can do in an educational environment, the potential exists for it to change education as we know it.

TagsEdtechedtechchatelearningSTEAMSTEM
Previous Article

Preparing K-12 Students for Future STEM Careers

Next Article

Disengaged Students, Part 14: Educational Technology – ...

Matthew Lynch

Related articles More from author

  • Early Childhood & K-12 EdTech

    How EdTech Companies Can Persevere Through Superintendent Turnover

    February 7, 2018
    By Matthew Lynch
  • Early Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Futures

    How to Develop a Successful Makerspace!

    April 27, 2017
    By Matthew Lynch
  • EdTech & InnovationMatthew Lynch

    Classroom Technology: Does it Really Make a Difference?

    March 17, 2016
    By Matthew Lynch
  • EdTech Startups & Businesses

    How Edtech Companies Should Go About Pricing Their Products

    June 18, 2018
    By Matthew Lynch
  • Parental Involvement

    How to Prevent the Winter Slide

    December 13, 2016
    By Matthew Lynch
  • Child DevelopmentParenting

    Is Homeschooling a Good Idea?

    December 4, 2017
    By Matthew Lynch

2 comments

  1. Sang Cho 28 February, 2017 at 13:56 Log in to Reply

    Virtual reality brings students closer to real life experiences. I deeper thought on this VR is a great concept envisioned to transform the learning process. I am grateful for making me aware of such an important issue

  2. Sang Cho 2 March, 2017 at 13:15 Log in to Reply

    Thanks Mathew for the outstanding piece of info.Virtual reality is one of the best methods in learning, there is yet to be full exploitation of this learning process. I must admit I have learned a lot from this model of learning.
    I am happy to also gain more on this article.

Leave a reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Search

Registration and Login

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Newsletter

Signup for The Edvocate Newsletter and have the latest in P-20 education news and opinion delivered to your email address!

Subscribe to The Edvocate Podcast

Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsAndroidby EmailRSS
  • Recent

  • Popular

  • Comments

  • How to Implement the Stations: Interacting with Multiple Texts Teaching Strategy in Your Classroom

    By Matthew Lynch
    March 23, 2023
  • Dyspraxia: Everything You Need to Know

    By Matthew Lynch
    March 23, 2023
  • Most Interesting “The House on Mango Street’ Essay Topics To Write About

    By Matthew Lynch
    March 22, 2023
  • Most Interesting “The Handmaid’s Tale” Essay Topics to Write About

    By Matthew Lynch
    March 22, 2023
  • “Great Gatsby” Essay Topics

    By Matthew Lynch
    March 22, 2023
  • 18 Reasons the U.S. Education System is Failing

    By Matthew Lynch
    April 3, 2017
  • The Top 5 Unexpected Benefits of Early Childhood Education

    By Matthew Lynch
    February 29, 2016
  • 7 Benefits of STEM Education

    By Matthew Lynch
    January 12, 2019
  • What is Culturally Responsive Pedagogy?

    By Matthew Lynch
    April 21, 2016
  • pass or fail

    Black Boys in Crisis: Why Aren’t They Reading?

    By Matthew Lynch
    January 16, 2017
  • School Evaluation For Special Education What Parents Need to Know
    on
    December 27, 2022

    A Guide to Norm-Referenced Tests

    […] Norm-referenced tests – ...
  • Effectively Educating Diverse Student Populations: Strategies That Work - Applead Hofu
    on
    December 21, 2022

    6 Ways to Implement a Real Multicultural Education in the Classroom

    […] as to successfully ...
  • The Importance Of Sight Words In Early Reading – GoGreenva.org
    on
    December 21, 2022

    Understanding Letter Recognition and It’s Role in Preliteracy

    […] between letters, numbers, ...
  • Online Education in Chennai - Birla Brainiacs
    on
    December 20, 2022

    The Advantages and Limitations of Homeschooling

    […] Online Education in ...
  • Advancing Technology Education in Rural High Schools Across ... - The Tech Edvocate - VSAY .IN
    on
    December 20, 2022

    7 Ways Technology Is Impacting Modern Education

    […] technology advancements have ...

Ask an Expert

  • Ask An Expert

    How Dumbed Down Education Is Creating a National Security Crisis

    Spread the loveFor the past few decades, our country’s educational system has seen both struggle and tremendous change. With the various ailments plaguing our educational system, education reforms have attempted ...
  • Ask An Expert

    21 Inspirational Quotes That Nelson Mandela Made About Education

    Spread the loveWe all have our heroes. Those human beings that seem larger than life and almost achieve Godlike status. One of my heroes is the late-great Nelson Mandela, who ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssistive TechnologyCareer ReadinessChild Development TechClassroom ManagementDigital & Mobile TechnologyDigital LeadershipDisabilitiesDiversityEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEducation LeadershipElementary EducationElementary SchoolEquityFirst Year TeachersFreshHigh SchoolK-12Middle SchoolModern ParentingParent & Family TechParental InvolvementParentingPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformPreK-12Special EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachers

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 7: How Digital Age Teachers Can Win Over Parents

    Spread the loveEducation is a collaborative process, as it takes many stakeholders working in unison to help students succeed academically. One of the most integral parts of this collaborative team ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssessmentAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisChild Development TechClassroom ManagementDigital & Mobile TechnologyDigital LeadershipDisabilitiesEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEducation LeadershipElementary EducationElementary SchoolEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGamificationGifted and Talented EducationHBCU'sHigh SchoolHigher EducationK-12Online Learning & eLearningOpEducationPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformRetention & Social Promotion SeriesSpecial EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTesting

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 6: 8 Ways That Digital Age Teachers Avoid Burning Out

    Spread the loveBeing a teacher is a tough job. So much so, many new teachers end up leaving the field within their first three years. To ensure that the next ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssessmentAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisBullyingChild DevelopmentChild Development TechClassroom ManagementCurrent Ed NewsDigital LeadershipEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEdTech Startups & BusinessesEducation LeadershipEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGamificationGifted and Talented EducationHBCU'sHigh SchoolHigher EducationHigher Education EdTechK-12Matthew LynchModern ParentingOnline Learning & eLearningOpEducationPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformRetention & Social Promotion SeriesSpecial EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTestingYear-Round Schooling

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 5: The Archetype of a Great Teacher

    Spread the loveOne of the questions that I am frequently asked is, what does a good teacher look like? I respond by mentioning my 10th-grade Biology teacher, Mrs. Minor, and ...

International Education

  • International Education

    The Opportunities in Teaching Abroad

    Spread the loveAs education becomes more globalized, teaching abroad has become an increasingly viable and appealing career option for many educators. The allure of teaching abroad is evident in the ...
  • International Education

    PISA (The Program for International Student Assessment): Everything You Need to Know

    Spread the loveThis program assesses 15-year-old students schooling in countries that form part of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.  The evaluated skills include science, math, and reading. Some ...
  • Education FoundationsInternational Education

    4 Reasons You Should Study Geography

    Spread the loveUsually, people are under the wrong impression that geography does not offer many job opportunities, and there are no jobs for a geographer. They think that studying geography ...
  • International Education

    How International Baccalaureate (IB) Programs Work

    Spread the loveThe International Baccalaureate Program is a very intensive pre-college program in which when students get involved, they get college credit. Unlike most other learning initiatives, this program deeply ...
  • International Education

    Globalization: Everything You Need to Know

    Spread the loveGlobalization is the growing interconnectedness of countries around the world. It involves increasing communication and various forms of interaction between people of different nations, ethnicities and cultures. There ...

Early Childhood Education

  • Early ChildhoodTeachers

    19 Tips for Teaching Kids to Not Interrupt Classmates During Learning Experiences

    Spread the loveAre you looking for strategies to teach kids not to interrupt classmates during learning experiences? If so, keep reading. 1. Give constant, positive reinforcement for appropriate behavior. Ignore ...
  • Early ChildhoodTeachers

    20 Ways to Teach Kids to Take Care of Their Personal Property

    Spread the loveAre you looking for ways to teach students to take care of their personal property? If so, keep reading. 1. Observe the learner while they are performing schoolwork ...
  • Early ChildhoodTeachers

    13 Ways to Teach Students Appropriate Mealtime Manners

    Spread the loveAre you looking for ways to teach students appropriate mealtime manners? If so, keep reading. 1. Train the learner in appropriate mealtime etiquette (e.g., speaking with an empty ...
  • Early ChildhoodTeachers

    20 Strategies to Encourage Students to Take Care of their Personal Property

    Spread the loveAre you looking for strategies to encourage students to take care of their personal property? If so, keep reading. 1. Praise the learner for appropriate care of personal ...
  • Early ChildhoodTeachers

    14 Strategies to Teach Students Appropriate Mealtime Manners

    Spread the loveAre you looking for strategies to teach students appropriate mealtime manners? If so, keep reading. 1. Praise the learner for demonstrating appropriate mealtime behaviors: (a) give the learner ...

Gifted and Talented Education

  • Gifted and Talented Education

    How to Reform Gifted Education

    Spread the loveGifted children are those who demonstrate exceptional potential in one or more areas of intelligence, such as academics, arts, athletics or leadership. Such children have advanced cognitive development ...
  • Gifted and Talented Education

    Twice-Exceptional: What Does it Mean?

    Spread the loveTo be twice-exceptional is to be exceptionally gifted in some academic aspects while being below average compared to peers in other aspects. As a matter of fact, such ...
  • Gifted and Talented Education

    A Guide to Talent Search Programs

    Spread the loveThe Talent Search Initiative has as its aim; the identification of high-performing students by organizing specific tests. Different avenues are then provided for these students to channel their ...
  • Gifted and Talented EducationK-12

    Homogeneous Grouping: What You Need to Know

    Spread the loveThis term refers to the grouping of students by mental capability, aptitude, or hobbies. For instance, gifted students are placed in one group, and students with special needs ...
  • Gifted and Talented Education

    Cluster Grouping: What You Need to Know

    Spread the loveThis term describes a manner of classifying gifted students to place them in properly segmented classrooms. For example, about five to seven extremely bright pupils with comparable skill ...

Black Boys in Crisis Series

  • Black Boys in Crisis

    Are Boys of Color Being Set Up to Fail By Schools?

    Spread the loveThe educational system in the United States has long been criticized for not providing equal opportunities to boys of color. It is no secret that Black and Latino ...
  • Black Boys in Crisis

    The Importance of Mentoring Young African-American Males

    Spread the loveTeachers need to realize that at home, in their neighborhoods, and in school, many students face difficulties that can interfere with learning. Compared to their middle-class counterparts, it ...
  • Black Boys in CrisisDiversityEquity

    7 Ways That Black Students are Discriminated Against in U.S K-12 Schools

    Spread the loveAfrican Africans have a long history of being mistreated in the United States, starting with slavery. It should come as no surprise that their children face the same ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssessmentAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisChild Development TechClassroom ManagementDigital & Mobile TechnologyDigital LeadershipDisabilitiesEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEducation LeadershipElementary EducationElementary SchoolEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGamificationGifted and Talented EducationHBCU'sHigh SchoolHigher EducationK-12Online Learning & eLearningOpEducationPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformRetention & Social Promotion SeriesSpecial EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTesting

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 6: 8 Ways That Digital Age Teachers Avoid Burning Out

    Spread the loveBeing a teacher is a tough job. So much so, many new teachers end up leaving the field within their first three years. To ensure that the next ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssessmentAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisBullyingChild DevelopmentChild Development TechClassroom ManagementCurrent Ed NewsDigital LeadershipEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEdTech Startups & BusinessesEducation LeadershipEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGamificationGifted and Talented EducationHBCU'sHigh SchoolHigher EducationHigher Education EdTechK-12Matthew LynchModern ParentingOnline Learning & eLearningOpEducationPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformRetention & Social Promotion SeriesSpecial EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTestingYear-Round Schooling

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 5: The Archetype of a Great Teacher

    Spread the loveOne of the questions that I am frequently asked is, what does a good teacher look like? I respond by mentioning my 10th-grade Biology teacher, Mrs. Minor, and ...

RSS Matthew on Education Week

  • Au Revoir from Education Futures November 20, 2018 Matthew Lynch
  • 6 Steps to Data-Driven Literacy Instruction October 17, 2018 Matthew Lynch
  • Four Keys to a Modern IT Approach in K-12 Schools October 2, 2018 Matthew Lynch
  • What's the Difference Between Burnout and Demoralization, and What Can Teachers Do About It? September 27, 2018 Matthew Lynch
  • Revisiting Using Edtech for Bullying and Suicide Prevention September 10, 2018 Matthew Lynch

About Us

The Edvocate was created in 2014 to argue for shifts in education policy and organization in order to enhance the quality of education and the opportunities for learning afforded to P-20 students in America. What we envisage may not be the most straightforward or the most conventional ideas. We call for a relatively radical and certainly quite comprehensive reorganization of America’s P-20 system.

That reorganization, though, and the underlying effort, will have much to do with reviving the American education system, and reviving a national love of learning.  The Edvocate plans to be one of key architects of this revival, as it continues to advocate for education reform, equity, and innovation.

Newsletter

Signup for The Edvocate Newsletter and have the latest in P-20 education news and opinion delivered to your email address!

Contact

The Edvocate
5322 Markel Road, Suite 104
Richmond, VA 23230
(601) 630-5238
[email protected]

Follow us

Copyright (c) 2023 Matthew Lynch. All rights reserved.