Augmenting the Reality of Learning with ARVR in Higher Education
With the increased use of augmented reality and virtual reality (AR/VR) in industries, it’s not a stretch to think that higher education could benefit from this technology as well. With advances in immersive technologies, higher education institutions are able to digitize their course materials and make them available to students on any device with an internet connection. For example, imagine a student who is studying for an exam about ancient Rome and has a hard time visualizing what life was like back then. What if they were able to go through the experience themselves? In fact, some colleges are already experimenting with these new technologies by placing students inside 3D models of ancient buildings or allowing them to virtually walk around different parts of Rome. And though there are still many questions about how this technology will be used in education, one thing is certain, AR/VR will have a huge impact on how we learn.
Higher Education Needs to Adapt
University institutions are increasingly leveraging AR/VR solutions in classrooms and remote-learning environments — a necessity in these pandemic times (“Making AR and VR a reality in higher education,” 2021). Due to the pandemic, all educational institutions from K-12 and higher education have had to improvise, adapt and overcome the barriers that remote learning has brought about in order to meet all our student learning needs. Many institutions lacked robust online programs, sufficient instructional design and technology staff, appropriate course-development processes, and/or adequately structured student support mechanisms (“Beyond COVID-19: What’s next for online teaching and learning in higher education?,” n.d.). Change is inevitable and for higher education institutions to go back this year and rely on muscle memory, doing what they are comfortable with, will only put them at risk of not offering students adequate instructions and learning experiences. It is time to look at alternate ways of delivering instruction such as augmented and virtual reality.
Augmenting Innovation is A New Reality
Universities can benefit from AR/VR in many ways but most importantly to provide immersive experiences that inherently change the thought process of the student in a way we were not capable of doing before. Two-dimensional (2D) experiences like video and even experiential learning experiences like field trips are outdated and lack intrigue for the technologically minded student. In today’s culture of technological innovation, the more immersive the experience, the more engaged the student will be. Tapping into multiple senses while eliminating the use of others creates the need neurologically for students to make much-needed connections to the content that they haven’t had to make before. This is critical for students in higher education being that they are the next professionals in their chosen field. The use of immersive technologies gives the student advantages that have not been available to those before them. AR/VR technologies can change the way we envision higher education. It is forcing the academy to move from more antiquated ways of looking at the overall body of knowledge in a field to a more dynamic, rapidly unfolding, and ever-evolving open-mindedness that was lacking. Moreover, the professoriate must adapt which it doesn’t do well. Change is usually quite slow in academia but not embracing the innovative capabilities of AR/VR will eventually eliminate the need for these types of static institutions. Professors with deeply rooted ideas of maintaining the old stereotype or status quo of the sage on the stage will become outdated. AR/VR equips and empowers students to take charge of their own learning. Professors must learn to accommodate experiences that help students meet the learning outcomes in a meaningful way. Accessing the content knowledge is simple for the student to do alone but dissecting the content and scaffolding learning so that students retain the information will become more of the professor’s role. The teacher in some ways must become the student and research more about how using AR/VR is affecting the current quality of learning.
Change Is Inevitable
University institutions are increasingly leveraging AR and VR solutions in classrooms and remote-learning environments — a necessity in these pandemic times. Due to the pandemic, all educational institutions from K-12 and higher education have had to improvise, adapt and overcome the barriers that remote learning has brought about. Many institutions lacked robust online programs, sufficient instructional design and technology staff, appropriate course development processes, or adequately structured student support mechanisms. With the increase in students seeking higher education through online programs comes a growing need for high-quality educational content. And this has resulted in an increasing demand for AR, VR, and 3D technologies for use in both classroom instruction and distance education courses.
Change is inevitable but going back this year will only put students at risk of not offering students adequate instructions without evolving with innovation such as augmented and virtual reality. Using ARVR in the classroom is leading to an increase in student engagement, access to content knowledge, deeper learning opportunities, assessment of understanding in a more dynamic way that was just not possible before. The use of AR/VR technologies in higher education is an effective way to provide immersive learning experiences that can lead to a deeper understanding of content. AR/VR technologies like augmented and virtual reality help build a connection between theory and practice since they allow students to experience the processes by which things work, rather than just learning about it in a classroom setting (My EdTech Life, 2021).
Interview with Dr. Muhsinah Morris
References
Beyond COVID-19: What’s next for online teaching and learning in higher education? (n.d.). EDUCAUSE Review | EDUCAUSE. https://er.educause.edu/articles/2021/5/beyond-covid-19-whats-next-for-online-teaching-and-learning-in-higher-education
Making AR and VR a reality in higher education. (2021, January 29). The Next Platform. https://www.nextplatform.com/2021/01/24/making-ar-and-vr-a-reality-in-higher-education/
My EdTech Life. (2021, September 11). Augmenting the Reality of Learning in Higher Education [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4E6LF50k1Q
Alfonso Mendoza Jr., M.Ed. Instructional Technologist, Instructional Designer, Doctoral Student, Podcaster, and Google Innovator that is passionate about education. Visit www.myedtech.life connect with me on Twitter @MyEdTechLife
Muhsinah Morris, Ph.D. Program Director of Virtual Reality Project at Morehouse College, Academic Program Director & Assistant Professor, Chemistry, Affiliate Professor, Center for Excellence in Education at Morehouse College
