Virtual Reality has been around for quite some time but it wasn’t as popular as it is today. But before we delve into the educational applications of virtual reality, let us understand the technology behind it.
Virtual Reality, as the name suggests, is a virtual environment that is created to completely immerse the user within its confines. An apt analogy would be watching a video where the viewer can control and interact with various elements inside the video. Most of the times, these VR sessions provide a very immersive and interactive experience in high fidelity. And to achieve this, a combination of tools and peripherals – such as VR headsets, omnidirectional treadmills, special controllers and motion sensors would be required.
VR might be the next paradigm shift over traditional learning because of its sheer immersion. For instance, NCERT Solutions for Class 6 Science tells us about the various organisms and their habitat. A textbook can describe the features and characteristics of animals and their respective habitat, but there are details that cannot be recreated in a textbook. Imagine learning about the deep sea biome. In real life, it can be very difficult and dangerous to visit such a place as there are many constraints ranging from cost to safety. But in VR, these factors do not exist as students can explore the depths of this biome in a safe, virtual environment.
Similarly, textbooks do not really give us a sense of the scale of the universe. In VR, a student can easily discover how big the sun is, explore the depths of Europa’s oceans and understand how infinitely dense a supermassive black hole is.
Dinosaurs last walked the Earth 65 million years ago and the landscape was very different back then. The continents were not as we know them today, instead, there was a single supercontinent and one gigantic ocean. On a textbook, information like these might appear lackluster and monotonous. But when the same is recreated on a VR platform, the levels of immersion ensures that the student will remember what they see. Imagine walking alongside the biggest land animal that ever walked the earth – Argentinosaurus, or hiding from the largest carnivore ever – Spinosaurus, or observing the prehistoric landscape. Learning experiences like these impart more information than any textbook. Even in chemistry, VR is very useful. Students can explore the structure of an atom in detail, as the same cannot be accurately represented on a textbook.
So why hasn’t VR taken over the education yet? We know that VR has the potential to make learning more effective and engaging, but the technology that is needed to implement it on a large scale is prohibitively expensive. Furthermore, it cannot be accessible by all and has some negative effects physiological effects such as dizziness, headaches, and disorientation. But there is scope for improvement as science and technology change constantly. Right now, it may not be the most feasible tool for education, but it is definitely one of the best in terms of effectiveness and immersion.
In the meantime, check out our NCERT Solutions For Class 6 to find the most detailed and elaborate answers on My NCERT Solutions website. These solutions are prepared by our most experienced professionals in the field of education. Solutions are explained step-by-step, and in a simple language which can be easily comprehended.
