EDUCATION
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VR has the potential to transform education, but as with any technology, there are challenges – the first of which is financial access. Headsets can be expensive (the Meta Quest 2 starts at £199.99), making them a considerable investment for educational institutions – which are generally lacking in budget. The second challenge is the availability of reliable internet with remote learning, as not all students share the same at-home set-up. Those issues aside, video-based remote learning and VR are two modern examples of TEL’s capability of providing convenience without sacrificing the core value of education. INTELLIGENT INSTRUCTION Despite an increase in hybridisation, brick-and-mortar education institutions remain the norm. These learning spaces provide students and instructors crucial social and academic opportunities, bolstered by technology most people don’t have at home.
experiential learning. It can also be useful in specific disciplines requiring intensive training, such as in medical fields. That said, students of any subject can benefit; artists can visit virtual galleries, historians can travel back in time and biologists can interact with species from any ecosystem of their choosing. As VR increases in popularity, new products will continue to pop up. The headsets currently in circulation vary in price, comfort and AV quality; among them are the ClassVR, Meta Quest 2 and Destek V5 VR headsets. Designed specifically for the education sector, the ClassVR headsets come in standard (16GB) and premium (64GB), with ClassVR’s own portal containing thousands of VR resources. These consist of lesson plans, how-to guides, as well as a library of immersive content. The Meta Quest 2 is a well-established wearable featuring great graphics and cinematic audio, while the Destek V5s are an affordable yet effective option.
While not as commonly adopted, VR headsets are making their way into education, providing students with an immersive learning experience”
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