Education is never limited within the four walls of a classroom. Educators often provide students with a better learning experience through field trips. However, the hassle of handling bus fees, waivers, and rowdy children, field trips can be much work to administrators, parents and teachers. The great news is that the latest advancements in virtual reality (VR) technology permits an easier implementation of field trips.
However, using new technology requires considering both advantages and disadvantages, especially when it comes to testing it out on school-aged children.
Advantages
VR has been mainly used to enhance experiences in entertainment, but different sectors, including the field of education have expanded the new technology's reach. The use of VR offers a cheap method of exposing learners to new educational experiences. It also decreases the chances of being exposed to the dangers of immersive educatioin a commentary in Tech.
Science experiments often deal with combustible and dangerous materials. Thus, the need to have protective eyewear should not be underestimated. ViR can greatly reduce the risk of having accidents brought about by misuse of dangerous materials. Students can experience every experiment on the books without fearing potential accidents such as gauged eyeballs or chemical burns, in a commentary in Universiv.
Disadvantages
Even with the benefits of VR, real world experience can never have a better substitute. Students have to experience getting out of their VR headset and have hands-on experience on actual experiments.
Obstacles that relate with regulation and partnership with parents are problematic for educational systems that have difficulties. This widens the educational gap in poorer areas in the country.
Technology has its perks. However, testing this with children can make it scarier. The real mission of education is for a person to be prepared for the real world. Humanity's progress is better summarized with the use of technology.
