Abstract
<p>This essay presents and discusses the developing role of virtual and augmented reality technologies in education. Addressing the challenges in adapting such technologies to focus on improving students’ learning outcomes, the author discusses the inclusion of experiential modes as a vehicle for improving students’ knowledge acquisition. Stakeholders in the educational role of technology include students, faculty members, institutions, and manufacturers. While the benefits of such technologies are still under investigation, the technology landscape offers opportunities to enhance face-to-face and online teaching, including contributions in the understanding of abstract concepts and training in real environments and situations. Barriers to technology use involve limited adoption of augmented and virtual reality technologies, and, more directly, necessary training of teachers in using such technologies within meaningful educational contexts. The author proposes a six-step methodology to aid adoption of these technologies as basic elements within the regular education: training teachers; developing conceptual prototypes; teamwork involving the teacher, a technical programmer, and an educational architect; and producing the experience, which then provides results in the subsequent two phases wherein teachers are trained to apply augmented- and virtual-reality solutions within their teaching methodology using an available subject-specific experience and then finally implementing the use of the experience in a regular subject with students. The essay concludes with discussion of the business opportunities facing virtual reality in face-to-face education as well as augmented and virtual reality in online education.</p>
Highlights
Virtual and augmented reality technologies have made their appearance within the education sector
First are students as recipients and digital natives—individuals that embrace the use of new technologies, influenced by the technological progress of society; customers, and as such, very demanding in their requests, thinking that technologies like these should be readily available in the existing portfolio
Taking a common definition per the American Heritage Dictionary, virtual (n.d.) means "existing or resulting in essence or effect though not in actual fact, form, or name." it can mean "created, simulated, or carried on by means of a computer or computer network" (“virtual,” 2005) Other definitions can be found in the scientific literature to complement the dictionary, such as “the action to induce a targeted behavior in an organism by using artificial sensory stimulation, while the organism has little or no awareness of the interference” (LaValle, 2017)
Summary
Virtual and augmented reality technologies have made their appearance within the education sector. The challenges to be addressed are mainly focused on improving students’ learning outcomes The educational element they have put in motion has been experience as a vehicle to get the student to acquire specific knowledge. The ultimate goal focuses on the improvement of student outcomes throughout the educational process in which they are involved. Today people speak of virtual and augmented reality, but tomorrow they may talk about holography or any other outstanding technology. In the end, these are tools, and the increase of student knowledge will continue to be the common and constant goal in this sector throughout all time
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