Overview
XR (or Extended Reality) is an immersive learning technology that integrates different forms of representing information, including virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR). Virtual reality is a technology that immerses the learner in a simulated environment. The learner can experience things as if they were there. This type of immersion has been shown to help students learn/retain information better because they are more engaged with what they are learning. AR is an extension of the real world where digital elements are overlaid on top of what you see in real life. It can be used for teaching purposes by providing additional information about objects or concepts. MR is a more generic term in which the real world is blended with computer generated displays.
XR is a relatively new technology that has been found to help people learn
more effectively. It can be used to create immersive and interactive environments in which people can explore, interact with objects,
experience new environments, and visualize processes.
Some of the use cases of XR are:
– It helps students understand complex concepts by visualizing them in 3D environments.
– It helps teachers to teach subjects like physics, chemistry, and biology as well as business and technology courses by showing examples in a three dimensional and interactive way.
– It helps health care instructors teach medical procedures by letting their students experience what they would have seen if they were performing these procedures themselves. See anatomy and cardiology in Oculus device.
While the use of technology in the classroom is not new, internet-based learning is gaining traction. The rise of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) is making it possible for students to learn in ways that they
never have before. It allows them to explore new interest areas and participate in active learning, innovation, and disruption.
Augmented reality allows students to interact with the world around them
and get more engaged with their learning experience. VR also offers a different way for students to learn and explore because they are fully immersed into an environment that they are unfamiliar with.