VR, or virtual reality, is a tool that allows students to be put into a simulation that imitates a real-life scenario. It can be used for many different games and videos that the teacher may want to use in the classroom. 

How VR Can Enhance Teaching and Learning

The teacher can only teach so much when teaching about certain topics, like geography or the human body. When seeing a picture of whatever you are learning about, it can be difficult to actually understand that concept. For example, when learning about the human body, it can be difficult to see where things are in relation to other things in the body. However, using a simulated video or game through a VR headset can help students really understand what is going on. Students will actually feel like they are there, and be able to see everything that is happening. A lot of students are extremely visual and hands-on learners, and need that VR experience to be able to remember certain concepts.

Educational Technology Issues Addressed Using VR

When VR first started being used and tested by researchers, headsets were large and clunky, and could be very expensive. They caused problems such as strain injuries, simulator sickness, disorientation, and hallucinations. Now, however, technology has gotten better, allowing for smaller and cheaper headsets. This means that schools can buy VR headsets in bulk without worrying about spending their whole budget for students to have these headsets.

Pros and Cons of VR

VR is a fun way to pull students out of the classroom without having to go anywhere. Virtual field trips are a huge plus to having VR headsets in the classroom. It has also become an inexpensive tool, yet there are still some cons to using this equipment. Most VR headsets found in the classroom require students to own or have access to a phone. Some students are not able to bring their phone to school or don't have one altogether. This can create a problem for those students. You could pair the students up with a partner who has a phone, but this will cause a problem where students will not be able to look in the headsets at the same time.

Functions and Tools Related to VR

Functional software that can utilize the VR well are simulations, instructional games, and problem solving. These three software functions can be used together to create great learning tools for students to use in the classroom. There are games that can be played with friends, simulations that can teach students about things like animals and geographical locations, and problem solving skills can be developed in a game or simulation. Instructional tools that can be used with the VR headset are research and reference tools, as well as content area tools. Students can view geographical locations using the VR, taking a virtual field trip of different locations. This can help students gather information they may need for a research project. The VR headset can also be used for certain content areas, like science, in which the student can view simulations of science experiments or view nature and natural organisms from a different perspective.

Using VR in the classroom can be a very engaging and fun experience for students and teachers alike. This lesson was designed to give us another interesting way to get students more interested in class using technology. Although this is not the only way to get students interested, and it may not be the best way for every classroom, it can still be a good tool to utilize and use as a support for teachers.

ISTE Standards

An ISTE standard that relates to this VR lesson is Standard 2: Leader. As a leader, teachers are responsible for searching for new and engaging ways to interest students in the classroom, as well as advocate for equitable access to technology to meet the needs of students. VR headsets may have been created years ago, but they have only recently started surfacing in classrooms. This shows that teachers should always look for new things to bring into the classroom that seem like it may help the students to learn.

InTASC Standards

Standard 1: Learner Development is a standard that relates to this lesson. Teachers must understand how each of their students develop and must adapt their teaching methods to fit the needs of each student. As such, most students that I have met are visual learners, myself included. I find it easier to learn something if I see it being done. Many students are like this, and the VR headset is a great way to adapt lessons to these kinds of learners.

CAEP Standards

The standard that best relates to this lesson is Standard 1: Content and Pedagogical Knowledge. When a teacher is using a VR headset, they are also responsible for teaching students how to use it and what software they need to use. Teachers should be knowledgeable in how to use the headsets so that students can learn. Teachers must also select the most appropriate software that is both compatible with the headset and related to the content area that the teacher is trying to teach.