A Virtual Reality Classroom by Antonio

A Virtual Reality Classroom by Antonio - February 2018 Scholarship Essay

In economics, innovation in education can increase the overall economy of the nation because of a highly skilled human capital for the nation. Such innovation can answer questions like: “how can students be more motivated to learn?”, and “what can increase the efficiency of learning?”. An innovation in technology that will be used in education can answer these questions. By 2038, one possible advancement in technology would be the use of virtual reality in education.

Before the internet and online videos were introduced to society, students would have to journey into the deep depths of the library to find any information they needed to complete an essay or answer a question about science or the past, an inefficient way to complete an assignment. When students were given access to the internet, it was simpler to complete an assignment and allowed for students to find information that may not have been found in the bookstores or libraries that are physically near them. Furthermore, the introduction of online videos and video sharing sites, like Youtube, gave creators the opportunity to create educational videos. Many students and teachers use those videos, free of charge, in order to learn more, while supporting the content creator. Despite these amazing advancements in technology, no video can truly provide the experience of whatever is being taught. Therefore, if virtual reality is implemented, which is possible by 2038, students would be able to feel like they are in what is being taught. In History, students can experience George Washington’s inauguration by actually attending it, and in Biology, students can be inside the actual cell and see all of its components. These are only a few examples of what virtual reality is capable of. Although a project of such a scale would be one of the most difficult projects the government can invest in, in a society of constant changing technology, it can be done.

It isn’t difficult to understand why virtual reality in classes would be successful; in today’s societies, lectures are still the norm. In a common classroom, the teacher would either stand and lecture about a topic the whole period, while students fall asleep, text, or daydream, or the teacher would instruct students while also providing visuals they draw or find on the internet, while students are still completely bored. Can it truly be said that students will be able to retain the knowledge learned from boring lectures? Students rather be entertained, and that’s what virtual reality can provide. Even if it’s still learning the same content, a “field trip” within VR to learn about such a concept is meaningful and entertaining. Some may ask, “Well, how would VR be effective in a class like Mathematics or P.E?”. VR would not be effective in those scenarios due to the nature of the course, but nowadays, mathematics contain the constant use of math skills that were learned before, and P.E. is generally entertaining to many. The benefits of VR outweigh the negatives.

Although it would be difficult for the Department of Education to accept such a proposal for education, there are clearly benefits to it. Although the costs would be tremendous, the end result would be what the majority of students would most likely enjoy and benefit from. Education is crucial in society, so why not make it better?