Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) are completely revolutionizing education by creating more engaging and immersive environments for all levels of students. The chalkboard has retired, and even paper and pencil aren’t always the best way for students to learn and show mastery.
AR and VR allow students to use technology while interacting in hands-on lessons and learning in virtual worlds or enhanced real-world environments. From exploring historical landmarks to conducting virtual science experiments, these technologies foster deeper engagement and understanding. Discover how these cutting-edge tools transform the classroom and make students and educators more excited about learning.
Immersive Learning Environments
AR overlays digital elements onto real-world environments, while VR immerses users entirely in virtual worlds. These technologies create engaging, interactive spaces that enhance students’ understanding of complex subjects. Instead of opening a textbook or going onto a learning platform on a Chromebook, for example, students can immerse themselves in virtual experiences.
Instead of reading about MLK Jr.’s I Have a Dream Speech, they can watch it through a headset and be in the crowd. These augmented or virtual experiences add emotion and excitement to a lesson while increasing comprehension and memory recall, especially for those visual and kinesthetic learners.
Here are a few examples of other subject areas and how they can integrate an immersive learning environment with AR and VR:
- Math: VR tools can help visualize abstract math concepts like geometry by allowing students to manipulate 3D shapes and interact with complex equations.
- Geography: VR takes students on virtual field trips to places like the Amazon rainforest, Mount Everest, or even outer space, enhancing geographical understanding.
- Art and Design: Using AR, students can view famous artworks in 3D, manipulate objects in space, or build digital sculptures, helping them grasp artistic techniques.
- Science: Biology students can explore organs, systems, and cells in detail in a 3D human body model or perform virtual dissections.
Getting the same in-depth experience is impossible by simply reading or watching a video.
Personalized Learning Paths
Educators can leverage AR and VR to tailor educational experiences to individual student needs and learning styles. The technologies allow lessons to be geared toward specific learning styles and for academic and developmental needs.
First, students can work at their own pace. In a perfect world, every student would get their own VR headset and be able to go with the flow, dive deeper into areas of interest, or get extra support where needed.
Next, AR and VR create a more accessible environment for those with disabilities. For example, an article in zSpace shares that Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses and similar AR-powered devices offer AI-driven features like voice-activated calls, texts, and real-time translations, benefiting users with disabilities. AR glasses, such as the Arges from CELLiCO and XRAI Glass, provide tailored support for students with low vision or hearing impairments by enhancing vision or displaying real-time subtitles. These advancements can significantly improve accessibility and inclusion in education for students with disabilities.
Lastly, educators can differentiate lessons for students of different levels. These are examples of how this looks in the classroom:
- Reading Comprehension: Using AR, younger or lower-ability readers can interact with 3D pop-ups of story elements or animated characters, while older or more advanced students can dive into more challenging analysis tools that highlight themes or help visualize settings, adapting to each student’s reading level.
- Language Learning: AR apps can create immersive language experiences by overlaying translations in real-time on objects or providing interactive conversations with virtual characters. Students at different fluency levels can practice at their own speed with tailored vocabulary and sentence complexity.
This flexibility makes learning more engaging, adaptive, and meaningful for every student.
Enhancing Practical Skills
The future is now, and AR and VR simulations provide hands-on training in fields like medicine, engineering, and the arts.
Examples of ways industries and educational fields are utilizing AR and VR are:
- Medical students can perform virtual surgeries with lifelike precision.
An actual real-life example: The University of Oxford uses VR simulation for medical students and doctors working in the John Radcliffe Hospital. Rather than integrating VR in a defined simulation space, the faculty implemented mobile VR trolleys to transport their equipment wherever needed.
- Engineers can build and test complex structures in immersive environments.
The University of Massachusetts Amhurst offers an entire course called Augmented and Virtual Reality Design for the students of the College of Engineering.
- Artists explore boundless creative possibilities in virtual studios.
The Savannah College of Arts and Design (SCAD) offers students AR/VR resources, a green screen, a motion media lab, and more than 800 computers networked to reduce render times. In “The Shed,” immersive reality classrooms and labs host the latest technology for creating groundbreaking visual experiences.
These are only a few of the dozens of ways that colleges and universities use AR and VR technologies.
Breaking Down Geographical Barriers
Virtual field trips and global classroom collaborations break down barriers and connect students with distant cultures, histories, and environments like never before.
Not only can they take virtual field trips, which have been available to students for some time, but they can collaborate with peers from around the world, sharing insights, learning together, and gaining a deeper understanding of diverse perspectives.
For example, using platforms like Mozilla Hubs or AltspaceVR, students from different countries can meet in virtual environments to work on global challenges like climate change, poverty, or sustainability. For instance, students from a school in Japan might collaborate with a class in Kenya to design eco-friendly housing models in a shared virtual space, combining knowledge of local conditions with global insights.
Through platforms like Labster or CoSpaces, students worldwide can work together in virtual science labs. For example, a group of students in Germany and India could collaboratively conduct a virtual chemistry experiment, sharing results and learning from each other’s approaches to scientific inquiry.
Thankfully, there are various ways students can connect with cultures and collaborate with others to explore novel environments.
Boosting Engagement and Retention
AR and VR positively impact student motivation, memory retention, and overall engagement in the learning process.
This hands-on approach keeps students deeply engaged, helping them retain information longer and stay excited about learning. The thrill of exploring virtual worlds or manipulating digital objects in real-time captivates their curiosity and sparks a passion for knowledge.
For instance, a March 2019 report from EdTech highlights a study in which students in a mixed-reality biology class outperformed their peers in terms of scores. Additionally, AR and VR have been shown to boost memory retention—EdTech cites a recent study revealing that students learning in immersive environments like VR experienced nearly a 9 percent increase in retention.
Allowing students to explore with multiple senses increases engagement, comprehension, motivation, memory retention, and recall.
Conclusion
AR and VR technologies are unlocking new, immersive ways for students to learn, collaborate, and engage with content like never before. From personalizing learning paths to breaking down geographical barriers, AR and VR transform education by making it more interactive, inclusive, and exciting for all learners. Whether exploring new worlds, mastering complex skills, or collaborating with global peers, these tools empower students to reach their full potential in ways we could only dream of.