Wallington, New Jersey
When you think of virtual reality, what do you think of? gaming? What about education? As we look to the future, education is rapidly evolving alongside technological advancements. Virtual reality headsets are one aspect of technology that many classrooms have recently incorporated. In many colleges and high schools across the United States, virtual reality has become a new and innovative tool, especially in the studies of engineering and architecture.
NJIT recently hosted a couple of events where we had the opportunity to test out their new virtual reality equipment. In the context of architecture, it was explained to us how students use the headsets to visualize the designs they have created in the headsets’ newly uploaded 3-D visualization software. This innovation revolutionizes architectural education by enabling students to bring their works and designs to life in a previously unimaginable manner. Students can tour the buildings they have designed in person, as if they were real, without the need for any construction.
Engineers can use the headsets to teach students the safety skills required to work with specific tools and devices. Virtual reality provides a safe environment devoid of the risks associated with real-life experience. Students can gain experience with a guarantee of safety. I was able to use virtual reality in a lab-based application under an engineering program. We put on the headset and watched a program that explored the anatomy of a human being. Using the remotes, we were able to zoom in and out of different parts of the body. For instance, we could focus on the arm, the arm's bone, and the bone marrow. Students in university classrooms could use this program to conduct a variety of labs that would not be possible otherwise, given the current limitations.
Other classroom settings are also utilizing virtual reality to expand their educational horizons. Virtual reality provides a setting in which students can see and experience new things that they wouldn’t normally be able to. Students can travel the world without leaving their classroom, providing accessibility to students who may not usually be able to afford large-scale school trips. Students can experience new cultures and sites that may be geographically distant and inaccessible. Proponents also argue that students' imaginations are sparked by virtual reality, as it significantly differs from mundane school lessons, and these innovations provide students with an experience that is not available in a traditional classroom setting. Education can also utilize virtual reality to explore sites that are no longer in existence. In the context of history, it can be very helpful in immersing students in the past and shaping their understanding of different cultures.
As technology progresses, educators are in a race to keep up and improve in innovative ways. Virtual reality provides insight for students into a whole new realm of education, one that allows students to witness everything from ancient sights to human anatomy to their architectural designs come to life. As technology continues to advance, there is surely more to come.
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