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Imagine walking into a chemistry lab, beakers and chemicals laid out on the table ready for the day’s experiments to begin. Beyond your table are 30 identical tables with the same setup. You pick up a beaker and add two chemicals that, when combined, create a toxic gas. But despite this error, no one gets hurt and there’s absolutely no threat to others. This is because you’re in a virtual chemistry lab, wearing a virtual reality headset and experimenting in a digital environment that doesn’t carry the risks of an actual chemistry lab.
This is the future of teaching and learning, one higher education institutions are increasingly investing in. VR headsets, controllers and styluses paired with the latest software that places users in virtual worlds create safe and controlled learning environments that allow students to get a hands-on feel for technical concepts, with little to no risk.
Virtual Reality Offers Multiple Apps, Both In and Out of the Classroom
Of course, such virtual environments aren’t meant to replace the real thing. Tinkering with a real air conditioner to hone HVAC repair techniques will likely produce better results than interacting with one virtually. But for situations where faculty are looking to replicate certain environments without the cost and risk of using real equipment, VR technology is ideal.
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The potential for virtual experiences goes beyond the practical applications of VR environments in the classroom. VR can bring students to different countries to experience new cultures. Students can interact with peers an ocean away or explore museums and historical sites they may not otherwise have access to. Prospective students who can’t travel to a university for a visit can take a virtual tour of the campus without leaving home. Students who are undecided about their majors can try their hand at different specialties to see what piques their interest.
A successful VR environment also goes beyond the headset. At CDW, we’ve partnered with hardware and software providers whose applications enable these virtual worlds. Tactile controllers allow users to pick up and manipulate objects within these environments and VR pens let students write on virtual canvases. We can work with institutions to design, configure, deploy and manage these environments and ensure they’re customized to each school and course.
Scalability and Customization Addresses Cost and Skepticism Barriers
When investing in a new technology, cost is always a concern. But VR is scalable, and institutions don’t have to go all in with a headset for each student at the outset. Virtual environments can be replicated in augmented reality, which means while some students are using headsets, others can follow along on laptops. Once you’re able to prove the value of the technology, it’s easier to make the budget case for additional investments.
DISCOVER: Virtual environments help students access experiences beyond the classroom.
These technology investments can also serve as recruitment, enrollment and retention tools, which will ultimately help the bottom line. Virtual tours can attract out-of-state students who might not have considered your institution without the option to take a tour from their computers. Students interested in the trades might opt for one school over another when they hear about the virtual learning environments. Even faculty are more likely to be attracted to employment at institutions that prioritize innovative technology investments.
Costs aside, many higher ed leaders are still skeptical about this technology. After all, isn’t the real thing always better? Maybe, but the real thing isn’t always feasible or accessible. At CDW, we can demonstrate how virtual environments bring students experience and opportunities that they may never have otherwise. The potential for VR in learning environments is limitless, and new applications are being developed every day. We can work with colleges and universities to tailor a combination of hardware and software that can meet each institution’s unique needs.
Our network of original equipment manufacturers allows us to bring multiple solution providers together to customize VR environments for a range of needs. From creating classroom lab environments to customizing personalized learning plans, we can offer a combination of partners to create what you need. These relationships also give us the know-how to educate institutions about what VR can do for them. Those use cases are getting more advanced by the day, and we can help you stay on the cutting edge of VR technology.
This article is part of EdTech: Focus on Higher Education’s UniversITy blog series.
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