VR and its Relationship to Teaching and Learning
Though VR has a particularly gaming slant to it currently, there is still a range of applications that take advantage of the captivating technology. From National Geographic enabling VR tourism, to Titanic VR giving us a glimpse into the past… VR undoubtedly has some seriously untapped potential. The experience of using VR is novel, and being in any virtual environment you want is novel. Importantly, novel experience can facilitate rapid brain growth, as discussed in Spark, by John J. Ratey, MD. Not only is this technology exciting simply on its own, the software that can take advantage of it is limitless. Unfortunately, the development of the software is currently hindered by economic prospects as developing addictive games is more profitable. As the industry (hopefully) continues to boom, we should see more and more passion projects take root. What’s going to be the next Minecraft I wonder?
Pros
- Engrossing
Literally putting kids in the action. You couldn’t ask for a more engaging medium to experience any topic you may want to teach.
- Novel
Kids gobble up new things for breakfast. Often, the education system is far behind the curve. It’s a common meme among students that teachers are fossils, holding onto practices and information long outdated. Not to mention that novel experience drastically enhances learning at the neurological level.
- Hands-on (Tactility approaching)
Reaching out and interacting with anything in front of you in intuitive ways can only lead to further engagement. From manipulatives for math to dissections in biology… Tactility is also fast approaching thanks to the new PSVR 2 with Sony’s impressive haptic feedback technology. Furthermore, it turns out that the brain is impressively good at assuming sensations, and simply approximating tactile feedback is good enough to fool the brain into filling in the blanks, simulating a real feeling quite easily.
- Hyper-Visual
Need I say more? 3D animations of chemical reactions, physics, math… Gone will be the days of approximating 3D functions with a Z-axis on a whiteboard.
- Fitness
VR is a great opportunity to encourage movement! My favorite active game for VR is BeatSaber. It seriously gets you moving, I’ve burnt just over 1000 calories in a single hour-long play session. Other games can use omnidirectional treadmills, which can increase cost, but most certainly increases activity!
- Disabilities
VR could help people with certain disabilities by presenting information to them in specific ways, or by giving them some temporary freedoms. Also, it can help able-bodied people have empathy, as displayed in my Tech Presentation where my hands stopped working the way I was telling them to.
Cons
- Technology
The future of VR is at the whims of our technological limitations. We’ve gotten quite far in reducing human friction in VR, but people can still get sick, though it’s becoming increasingly rare.
- Economy
VR is at the mercy of the economy. It’s prohibitively expensive to develop the hardware as well as the software. If VR doesn’t continue to be a money maker, investors will pull out and we will be sitting on a dead platform with a barren software ecosystem.
- Barriers for entry
Some VR can be cost-prohibitive. Also, the technology can put some older people off. How many times have we been told by our parents that holding our screens too close to our eyes will make us go blind? The fact is that this is a budding technology and there aren’t many standards yet. We have to wait and see what it grows into.
- Some disabilities can make VR difficult to use
VR needs movement to be useful. Even though someone without motor function could benefit from looking into a VR headset, the benefits exist mostly for those with motor function.
Risks
- Privacy
This is a bit of a deep dive, but the technology is developing rapidly. New headsets are incorporating the ability to track facial features so that they can map your expressions onto your VR avatar. Furthermore, eye-tracking is being incorporated to increase the efficiency of rendering, as well as mapping eye movements onto an avatar. Unfortunately, this opens the door for advertisers to have the most intimate information on where our eyes are drawn, and what makes our pupils dilate. These technologies could be a serious risk to the privacy of consumers.
- Injury
As funny as it seems on Youtube, accidents happen. Some people get too engrossed and cause damage to their surroundings and/or to themselves. The Quest 2 alleviates this risk somewhat, as it is wireless and it has a “caged” play area, which notifies you if you are entering an area with obstructions, or if something enters your cleared play space. My darned cat always walks by, triggering warnings in my headset, and pulling me out of a game experience. Better safe than sorry I suppose.
Strategies, Best Practices, and Tips
Research before you buy! It’s important to know the hardware and software inside and out. Many YouTube channels and Reddit pages exist that are very helpful, but first-hand experience can’t be beat. The amount I learned researching the Quest 2 before I purchased it is dwarfed by what I’ve learned while using it. The best way to learn about this technology is to experience it and play around with it yourself. I suggest checking out some VR arcades to see if you are physiologically compatible with the technology. There is a great establishment in Creston where you can experience VR in a welcoming and safe environment.