New Technology in Education

Joanne StrandEducation and computersProfessor pancerRutgers universityVirtual Reality:New Technology in Education

Virtual RealityGoogle wants British school kids to use virtual reality technology in the classroom, November 2016http://www.mirror.co.uk/tech/google-wants-british-school-kids-9262567

Highlights10% of British homes are expected to have a virtual reality deviceby Christmas 2016Google wants to bring VR technology and training to 1 million UK school pupils and thousands of teachers by the end of Spring 2017The aim is to give children a more engaging and immersive way to learn, and inspire them to think about future professionsVirtual reality can spark students' imagination and help them learn about topics like how blood flows through the human body, etc.

HighlightsGoogle created a program called career Expeditions, which inspires students to think about their future professions by taking a virtual trip to work environments such as a hospital Google has received feedback from thousands of teachers in the UK and they believe that Expeditions can improve literacy and writing skills, and help create excitement to complement traditional teaching methodsThe Google Expeditions team will be visiting numerous places in the UK in the next couple of months, to give students the opportunity to try the technology out for themselves

PitfallsAlthough virtual reality devices can play a great role in education, students may misuse them for entertainment and gamingThere are negative physical effects (motion sickness)Many people suffer from nausea after spending a period of time in a virtual environmentwhich is due to the effects the shift in perception has on balance

PitfallsHaving a screen inches from your eyes all the timeHealthcare professionals don't tend to like the idea of suspending a display an inch or so from your face for hours The brightness can really strain your eyesYou can't see anything around you, including your TV or your familyMotion-sensing VR systemsinvolve standing, ducking, swinging your arms, and even walking, all with a headset that blocks vision and soundYou can accidently walk into a wall or table and even trip over a wire

My ThoughtsThe benefits of virtual reality outweigh the negativesHighly visual way for educating childrenTeach students about the opportunity of various professions through virtual tours of different jobs

My ThoughtsWe live in a technological society where children have grown up with technology from a very early ageThe advantage of virtual reality is that it enables large groups of students to interact with each other as well as within a three dimensional environmentIt is able to present complex data in an accessible way to students which is both fun and easy to learnPlus these students can interact with the objects in that environment in order to discover more about them

How to Use Virtual Reality in the ClassroomCan show virtual demonstrations such asDissecting frogs in science classWalking the streets of Paris in French classStudents can learn about the solar system and how it works by physical engagement with the objects withinIn medicine, virtual reality can be used to developsurgery simulationsor three dimensional images of the human body which the students can explore. This has been used in medical schools both in the UK and abroad

Something to Think AboutWhat do you think of virtual reality?Is it helpful in an educational setting?Do the negatives, such as tripping or falling, outweigh the benefits? Or vice versa?Do you have any other ideas on how to use virtual reality in a classroom setting?

Please discuss with your classmates!

Thank you!