Virtual Reality for Learning: How VR Games and Virtual Classrooms Can Change Student’s Everyday Life

The invention of technology has revolutionized the world. In our day to day lives, we use different technologies to handle specific tasks. Technology has created awesome tools and resources that have enabled us to access useful information any time anywhere.

Michael Gorman
September 25, 2019
GROWTH

Virtual Reality For Learning -how VR Games Can Change Students Everyday Life

A survey report released by

Technology has been applied in our daily lives in every sector, industry, and settings. These days, regardless of age, almost everyone is aware of the technical and multi-functional devices including smartphones, smartwatches, and more.

Overall, we can say that technology has changed our lives for better and for worse. Surprisingly, technology is emerging swiftly and there are no chances that the speed at which it is growing will slow down.

As new technologies continue to emerge, the two most popular directions are AI and VR. The latest developments in artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality (VR) have impacted the operations of most business operations. Moreover, companies that stay up-to-date with new technological advancements have better chances of staying ahead of the game.

AI and VR Applications

AI and VR technologies are being used in various industries. For instance,

Some few years back, Thomas Cook, a trusted travel agency launched a VR campaign known as Try Before You Fly that impressed travelers and generated more than $17K on fares and hotel bookings within three months of the campaign launch.

Some hotel chains and platforms like Expedia are considering offering customers the opportunity to check different rooms by downloading videos of the hotels through on their platform.

Other industries being transformed by VR include automotive, gaming, healthcare, real estate, education, recruitment, sports, and many other industries.

On the other hand, AI is being used in industries such as healthcare, marketing, finance, banking, gaming, space exploration, and more.

Online learning is among the top trends that have picked up swiftly in this digital age. Its growth is tremendous and not showing any signs of relapsing. Commonly referred to as e-learning, this type of distance learning does not occur in the conventional classroom where a physical teacher moderates and regulates information.

Whatever form of education all have greatly optimized on this window of opportunity.

Online learning benefits include flexibility, more independence, better time management, and improved self-motivation. On the other hand, the cons include more work for students, and it requires a lot of self-drive and lesser social interactions.

Online learning trends are rapidly gaining speed on the upwards side. Most countries and institutions have relatively and mature online education sectors that can be emulated in other places.

Having said that, in this article, you will learn how VR games can change students’ everyday life.

How VR Games Can Change Students’ Everyday Life

VR gaming has gaining popularity in schools these days. Well, just some few years back we used to hear how VR could transform the way people teach and learn and the entire education sector.

Since education is the foundation for a prosperous society, people are consistently finding ways to make it easy to transfer knowledge faster, more effectively, and easily.

In today’s world where digital devices have become more accessible than ever, people have greater opportunities to embrace technology for better learning. And VR gaming seems to be a useful tool for this.

Below are the ways how VR games can change students’ everyday life, especially in education.

1. Skills Training

Employers prefer AR and VR for practical training.

In a bid to make students apply the skills they learn in classrooms in their everyday applications, stakeholders in the education sector are finding ways to make this happen in more convenient and effective ways. That’s where VR technologies become more useful. These technologies provide a room for students to practically apply the skills in actual settings.

For instance, law students can experience VR representations of actual trials. Other sectors including writing services have put more emphasis on their blogs about how VR technologies have helped students improve their skills whether through actual settings or with writing what they learn in classrooms.

2. Group learning

It’s not a question: The knowledge students gain does not solely come from what they are taught by their lecturers. They obtain most of the knowledge through VR innovations improve students’ motivation and boost group learning.

That’s because VR allows students to collaborate with each other, thus making the learning experience social and collaborative.

3. Distance Learning

With VR, educators and learners are no more far apart. Students are brought together with their educators through distance learning tools in the sense that they feel like they are in the same room, although they are digitally represented.

A study done by researchers from Penn State University has shown that VR innovations can boost learning outcomes, especially for Google Expeditions to make boundary-less classrooms. This app is available to smartphone users.

Of course, VR technology will not substitute actual field trips and travels, but it enables students to experience virtual field trips that would never have happened.

5. Language Engagement

To learn a new language, students must listen to and speak that particular language every day. They must be fully immersed in the language to learn, understand, and speak it.

But here is the challenge: Not all students can afford to travel to another country to learn a particular language, that’s where virtual immersion comes in. Through VR simulations, the student’s brain is meant to think that the experiences are real and that’s why new language learning apps that use VR continue to be introduced.

One example of the language learning apps is Unimersiv. This new language learning app can be used with the Oculus Rift headset and enable students to interact with others around the globe by playing games in a virtual world.

Final Thoughts

It’s no doubt that VR games have and will transform students everyday lives. And while many experts have argued that VR technologies affect the eye-brain connection, VR innovations have significantly improved students’ collaboration and learning. Overall, we cannot deny that VR will transform their world and is here to stay.

What Can Virtual Classroom Software Do And Why It May Be a Huge Contribution to Humanity

When you hear the word “classroom,” what is the first thing that pops into your mind? You’re probably taken back to your high school days when you had to squeeze yourself into a tiny desk along with 30 other students, sit quietly, and listen to the teacher holding a monologue.

Luckily, things are changing. Advanced technology has brought about modern solutions and improved the way that many receive their education.

Yes, I’m speaking about e-Learning and the introduction of virtual classroom software. Latest reports show that a third of all US students take at least one college course online, and many more attend online classes exclusively.

You may be thinking that this simply means many students are listening to lectures from their homes, using a video app.

This couldn’t be farther from the truth.

Virtual classroom software has a lot to offer and can bring you many benefits. So, let’s take a look at what exactly virtual software can do and how it can help you.

What Can Virtual Classroom Software Do?

Maybe an easier question would be, what can’t it do? Essentially, everything that you can do in a well-equipped classroom, you can do through virtual classroom software.

This software is designed to mimic the real-world classrooms, and it’s actually improved them quite nicely.

While you can have standard lectures with the teachers, join in through video, and listen to them in real-time, this software offers so much more.

Some of its main features include:

Audio and video conferencing
Interactive whiteboards
Live chat
Immediate feedback
Teacher tools and controls
Smart learning materials

You can record lessons, collaborate with fellow students, join discussions, and, most importantly — learn at your own pace.

If there’s a topic that you’re struggling with, you can go over it as many times as needed, and you’ll often get useful hints from the software along the way.

If you’ve already mastered a topic, there’s no need for you to waste time on it. Skip ahead and move on to more challenging things.

LMS software allows you to optimize your learning process and realize your learning goals faster.

Where Can Virtual Classroom Software Be Used?

Let’s first talk about the actual physical location. Wherever you have an internet connection and an internet-connected device, you can use virtual classroom software.

This can be at your home, on vacation, in a foreign country, in the waiting room at the doctor’s office. As long as you have some spare time and an internet connection you’ll be good to go.

This has much broader implications than you could imagine.

Think about it this way — about 1 in 5 school-aged children around the world are not in school. While college enrollment rates have gone up, many young adults don’t go to college.

Those who don’t pursue education have varying reasons, and sometimes they’re simply unable to do so, be if because of their financial situation, disability, or just their physical location.

Virtual classroom software can overcome some of these obstacles. Bed-ridden students can attend classes, those living in rural areas can go to some of the top colleges without ever leaving their homes.

This isn’t just useful for completing primary, secondary, or tertiary education. It’s especially beneficial to companies that want to offer their in-house and remote employees a chance to build their skills.

How Can Virtual Classroom Software Be Beneficial to You?

Although it’s named virtual classroom software, it’s not merely meant to help you learn the things that you could in school.

LMS software as a whole can be very specialized, helping you improve any skill imaginable — whether you need to finish a college course or learn a skill necessary for furthering your career.

Now let’s take a look at all the things you can do with virtual classroom software.

1. You Can Connect with Experts from Around the World

Are you interested in learning from top-notch experts that are potentially located on the other side of the world? This would generally be a difficult thing to accomplish.

Through virtual classroom software, you can communicate, collaborate, and learn from experts regardless of where they’re located (and where you’re located).

If your company needs to collaborate with other, foreign businesses to exchange their expertise, this is easily achievable.

You can create much more than a virtual classroom with a teacher. You can create engaging new learning content, take educational quizzes, and even develop a virtual workshop.

Collaboration is made easier and more accessible.

2. Learn on the Go

Traditionally, companies would have to hire experts, create designated learning spaces on their premises, and come up with a schedule that works for everyone if they wanted to organize skill-building activities for their employees.

Thankfully, many business leaders are aware of how inconvenient this is. No wonder then that today, over 77% of US companies use online learning through LMS software.

As mentioned earlier, to access a virtual classroom and start your education, all you need is an internet connection (and an internet-connected device).

This means you can build your skills during your commute, while you’re on a business trip, or even during your lunch break.

You don’t have to go out of your way to make it to your classes on time, and your schedule doesn’t have to match anyone else’s. You learn when you have the time for it.

3. Save Money

It doesn’t matter if you want to learn a college course, or if you have to work on skill-building for your job. Using virtual classroom software is much more affordable.

Primarily, you get to save on travelling. Since you can attend classes from wherever you are at the given moment, this means that you don’t have to travel to school in a different city or go across the country to catch an important seminar. All the necessary information is right at your fingertips.

Secondly, you don’t have to invest in expensive textbooks and school/ educational supplies. All the learning materials and all the equipment or tools are virtual.

Everything is already incorporated into the virtual classroom software. You just need to sign up.

Lastly, your company doesn’t have to build a physical classroom. Employees can learn from their desks or offices, and even from their homes. It’s a win-win.

4. Work on Self-Improvement

There’s no need for you to be employed or to be enrolled at a school if you want to learn new things. Virtual classroom software is available to anyone.

You can easily sign up for interesting new classes and work on self-improvement and self-development. Whether you want to master digital marketing, mathematics, or you just want to learn how to tie a tie properly, you can do it through LMS software.

5. Develop Your IT Skills

Speaking of self-development, if you use LMS software, you’ll naturally pick up some useful IT skills. The topics you learn don’t even have to be connected to IT.

Since virtual classroom software is inherently digital, and you need to use an internet-connected device to access it, you’ll undeniably sharpen your digital skills.

Moreover, virtual classroom software is highly sophisticated. Some LMS software is even based on artificial intelligence.

As you progress and improve through your LMS software, you’ll learn more about how the software itself works, and you’ll be able to operate on many similar types of this software as well.

6. Learn at Your Own Pace

It was already mentioned how learning at your own pace is an important benefit of using LMS software. This gives you complete freedom of how you approach learning.

Take, for example, the situation with academic majors. Over 33% of students change their majors in college. Sometimes this is because they realize they’ve made a mistake with their first choice.

Other times, it’s because they think it’s too difficult and they cannot keep up.

It’s too difficult because the learning content isn’t personalized to suit their learning style.

With virtual classroom software, you can easily customize the learning materials, skip over topics you’ve mastered, or go over the more difficult topics multiple times.

Learning at your own pace will make learning much easier, and you’ll be able to build your skills much faster.

7. Master Various Topics at Record Speed

There’s no denying that we forget many of the things we learn in school or at work. As soon as the exam term (or your trial period) is over, all the information you’ve learned simply vanishes.

Virtual classroom software can ensure that this doesn’t happen. Studies have shown that eLearning can increase your knowledge retention rate by 25% to 60%.

This will allow you to learn new topics faster, and you’ll become a much more efficient learner.

Online learning in the digital age

Whatever form of education all have greatly optimized on this window of opportunity.

Online learning trends are rapidly gaining speed on the upwards side. Most countries and institutions have relatively and mature online education sectors that can be emulated in other places.

The Bottom Line

Virtual classroom software has undeniably revolutionized learning, and it’s well on its path to revolutionizing the educational system.

It’s already brought many benefits to our society. To recap, with virtual classroom software, you can:

Connect with experts from around the world
Learn on the go
Save money
Work on self-improvement
Develop your IT skills
Learn at your own pace
Master topics at record speed

This means you can build more skills faster, and you can devote yourself to mastering as many fields as you’d like.

When learning becomes convenient, it doesn’t matter where you study, what you study, or how you study. You’ll be able to improve your learning process and improve your quality of life.