Augmented And Virtual Reality Differences And Application In School Programs

Augmented And Virtual Reality: The Differences And The Application In School Programs
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Summary: In the fast-changing world, the educational sphere now undergoes a number of changes as well. Nowadays, there are many techs that have taken their roots in it and Augmented and Virtual Reality are among them.

Applying Augmented And Virtual Reality In School Programs

With the introduction of innovative educational tools, teaching methods are being shaped as dictated by the modern students' needs. For example, the software utilizing AR and VR engages schoolers in many ways that cannot be reproduced with traditional teaching tools such as textbooks and printed materials. Since modern youth is surrounded by screens, so why not focus on these technologies in order to engage students in the educational process, which—until quite recently—seemed like fiction?

How Augmented Reality And Virtual Reality Differ From Each Other

Before one can say how these two concepts differ from each other, it is important to understand their nature. Virtual Reality (VR) utilizes computer-created, 360-degree pictures to reproduce the virtual world in front of schoolers wearing headsets. This tech allows them to feel as if they are wandering around the virtual locations and interacting with them from the first-person perspective. By using mobile devices, educational software, and VR headsets, students can discover different places while staying in their classrooms.

With the help of a high-powered camera and a processor that is found in most mobile devices nowadays, Augmented Reality (AR) creates three-dimensional digital elements in a real environment. These pieces can be explored by students from different angles. For example, this tech can be used for projecting a human body with interactive organs for a deeper insight into the provided materials. The main difference between these technologies comes down to their aims. While VR is used for immersing students in a virtual media, AR is utilized for generating digital objects within the existing reality.

VR In A Classroom

There is much VR software used by educators to teach students various historical facts as well as to improve their cultural awareness. With the help of this software, students can be transported to any part of the planet and to any civilization.

Many students are visual learners; therefore, VR is very helpful for them. This technology allows them to learn through observing the things rather than reading about them in textbooks. For example, it is challenging for some medical students to understand how body systems function and interact with each other, and VR can help them to overcome this problem by projecting various medical situations.

Like medical students, students of the degree programs involving technical drawings can also greatly benefit from VR. For example, future architects can see in the real-time how their designs would work or wouldn't in the real world so as to be able to make some corrections in their drawings.

Except for viewing virtual environments, students can create their own ones by utilizing specific educational apps. With this software, many students tend to spend the spared time for developing their own virtual worlds by using numerous tools and elements. Once their creations are done, they can discover them through their tablets and VR headsets.

AR In A Classroom

Just as instructors can involve VR journeys into their lessons, they can utilize AR apps to improve STEM education. Teachers can use these tools to create 3D models of cells, living beings, chemical elements, natural phenomena, and so forth with their students. Since these models can be rotated, zoomed, and explored from any angle, schoolers get an invaluable opportunity to discover everything to the smallest details for a deeper insight into the subject.

Like in the case with VR, where students can create their own virtual models, they can use AR tech to project their own three-dimensional digital elements. Projecting and interacting with such elements provides the learning opportunities that are hard to overestimate. Since both concepts continue to grow with prominent software developers, they are likely to take an even firmer stance within the education sector in the nearest future.

With technology integration, modern classrooms become advanced places for teaching and gaining knowledge. VR and AR proved to boost students' engagement into the learning process inspiring them to create and change their virtual and digital models.

Meanwhile, not all depends on techs. With their implementation, the role of educators is changing. Today, instructors should be concentrated more on creating proper conditions for students to be able to gain knowledge rather than delivering ready-made educational materials. They should work hard to adopt innovative techs inside the school settings so that every student can benefit from them equally. It is their responsibility to make education available, accessible, and affordable for all.