50 years from a pandemic by Sarah

50 years from a pandemic by Sarah - May 2020 Scholarship Essay

From the current state of condition our world is in today, I think it would be a fair estimate to include virtual classes in the running of popular technology used in education 50 years from now. Seemingly overnight, the quiet draping of a global pandemic swept everyone into their own homes, and we were forced to find creative means of communication with the outside world. Learning how to communicate via a screen as the new face to face or “water cooler” talk has been a blessing and a curse, as the circumstances grow direr.
Education needs communication and what I hope to see our education system pick up on is the ability to change seamlessly towards virtual classes and simulations of reality to further enrich the learning experience. I am currently a nursing student at Portland Community College, and although we have transitioned to online-only, I fear that the hands-on lab skills I once had the opportunity to practice on campus are lost. I want to see virtual reality embedded in future curricula to sustain the desire of learning and encompassment that occurs with these types of programs.
We have evolved to use technology in such a way to continue fabricating our worlds, even enhancing them with self-led exploration. Developers have made great lengths towards making virtual reality a more realistic experience for everyone, recreationally and educationally. I once heard of a virtual application for surgeons to use while in medical school, a way to practice without causing harm through a virtual simulator. I would love to have that same opportunity, and I think if incorporated system-wide, an affordable option would be available to more public schools in the future. I think in 50 years there is a very real possibility of combining virtual reality and education across many schools and educational institutions for future students’ development.