![\"VR](\"https:\/\/vs-static.virtualspeech.com\/img\/blog\/unimersiv_dinosaurs.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nAdvances in hardware like the Meta Quest 3S, a more affordable yet high-performance headset, have made immersive learning increasingly accessible. Alongside this, the growing integration of AR features into everyday smartphones ensures that learners no longer require expensive setups to engage in meaningful virtual experiences. VR allows students to visualise concepts that are taught in textbooks and videos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We’re going to be covering everything, from the current state to online learning, to the role social VR will play, to the future of an online education system integrated with virtual reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Current state of online learning<\/h3>\n\n\n\nWhat is online learning?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
In a traditional classroom or lecture, you learn by listening to your teacher and talking to classmates. There is usually a specific time and location for these classes. With online learning however, you can be anywhere in the world and still receive the same high quality teaching as someone who is there in person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Online learning is typically conducted through the internet, as a series of courses you can access anytime, anywhere. Socializing and asking questions is done through discussion forums or via email.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why is online learning growing?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Online learning offers a number of advantages for students wanting to learn new skills or educate themselves<\/a> \u2013 the key one being that they can access this educational material from anywhere, at any time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Although many people still consider traditional universities, schools or classes as the best way to educate themselves, online learning proves to be a great alternative or supplementary tool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There is plenty of positive information about an online education with some very obvious advantages. However, most students are still choosing traditional classes – why is this? There are still several big drawbacks to online education in comparison to traditional classroom education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Few online classes are accredited by established institutions, which is important if people are taking these online classes for a potential new job or resume \/ CV boost. However this is gradually changing, with large sites offering their own certificates of completion (FutureLearn<\/a> and Coursera<\/a>) and companies starting to see students who have completed online courses as a positive, even without accreditation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Online courses usually have deadlines for assignments, quizzes, commenting on lectures, etc. The problem is the time management and organization skills necessary to stay on top of your work, allot an appropriate amount of time to complete each task and balance your coursework against other priorities in your life. Students who tend to procrastinate find online courses hard to work through and complete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Due to the low cost of online courses and training programs, there is less incentive to complete them and large course sites have noticed\u00a0very few students\u00a0actually make it to the end. Besides cost, few of these online courses have accreditation for them, further reducing the incentive to finish them. Some students might indeed only need to learn about certain topics on the course and therefore never intend to complete the whole of it, but for the majority of students this is not the case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Online courses require the self-discipline to set aside time to complete your studies. It means you have to make online studying a priority and not let other activities interfere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The social aspect of regular classes is an important part of learning and improving soft skills. Getting stuck on problems and asking classmates, group work and other group based activities help people learn more efficiently and provide a collaborative environment similar to a company workspace. It\u2019s hard to recreate this social aspect with online learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Virtual reality is the term used to describe a three-dimensional, computer generated environment which can be explored and interacted with by a person. That person becomes part of this virtual world or is immersed within this environment and whilst there, is able to manipulate objects or perform a series of actions to determine what happens in the environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Virtual reality usually has these characteristics:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Read more about VR in our Complete Guide to Virtual Reality<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Experiential learning\u00a0is a process of learning through first-hand experience. It\u2019s a method of gaining expertise and skills through the practical application of concepts, theories and problem-solving techniques instead of just reading or hearing about them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Hermann Ebbinghaus forgetting curve<\/a> roughly says that during a traditional lecture, if your absorption rate is at 100 percent on day one, there is a 50-80 percent loss of learning from the second day onward, which is reduced to a retention rate of just 2-3 percent at the end of thirty days. Experiential learning increases this retention rate considerably.<\/p>\n\n\n\n VR lets you learn experientially by immersing you to any world imaginable \u2013 walk with dinosaurs in the Jurassic Period, live through Stalingrad during WW2, practice a heart operation<\/a> on a virtual avatar, talk to a press room full of journalists \u2013 the use cases are endless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are some of the benefits of experiential learning with VR:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Just like traditional online learning, VR can be used anywhere with an internet connection. You can practice public speaking, experience walking through Ancient Rome or teleport inside a brain cell \u2013 all form the comfort of your own home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Whether it\u2019s getting the job, building your network, or just interacting with customers, knowing how to interact with the people around you is an important element to success and can be improved by spending time with other people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lack of contact with other people can also harm your intellectual development. A BBC article<\/a> about the impact of antisocial shift work on the human mind shows that when you\u2019re in isolation and working long hours, you can lose memory, speed of thought and wider cognitive ability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is big negative of traditional online learning, there are discussion forums where you can e-meet and talk with other people, but you still miss the connection of a face to face interaction. Virtual reality goes some way to changing this \u2013 you can meet other people\u2019s avatar<\/a> in a virtual world, where elements such as eye contact and body language are still important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Benefits of learning in a collaborative VR environment compared to traditional online learning include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Social VR allows you to meet other students virtually, in much the same way you would in real life. You can do homework together (Bigscreen<\/a>), travel around the world during the holidays (Facebook Horizon<\/a>) and even attend classes together (Engage<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Combining the social aspects of current VR applications with educational programs lets students get a somewhat similar experience to actually attending classes and completing group work with other students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are some examples of how VR is currently being used in the educational industry. Companies are using VR as a standalone learning experience and also combining VR with traditional online learning courses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This sales pitching course combines traditional online classes with virtual reality for an enhanced learning experience. You\u2019ll learn fundamental sales pitching skills and then practice what you’ve learnt in VR and receive feedback on your performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Online](\"https:\/\/vs-static.virtualspeech.com\/img\/blog\/online_preparation.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nKey benefits of online learning include:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Barriers to learning online<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Benefits](\"https:\/\/vs-static.virtualspeech.com\/img\/blog\/adult_learning_courses_vr.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n1. Lack of accreditation<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
2. You need to be self-disciplined<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
3. Low retention and completion rates<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
4. Require good time-management skills<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
5. Lacks the social aspect of regular classes<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
What is virtual reality?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Overview<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"Online](\"https:\/\/vs-static.virtualspeech.com\/img\/blog\/online_education_with_vr.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n
How can online learning benefit from VR?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Learn experientially for effective learning<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"Online](\"https:\/\/vs-static.virtualspeech.com\/img\/blog\/educational_vr_apps_experiences.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n
![\"Dangerous](\"https:\/\/vs-static.virtualspeech.com\/img\/blog\/3D_repo_training_vr.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nPractice and visualise virtually anything, from anywhere<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Social VR is very important<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The importance of social and collaborative learning<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"Social](\"https:\/\/vs-static.virtualspeech.com\/img\/blog\/social_vr_in_online_learning_education.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n
The current state of social in virtual reality<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Examples of VR currently being used in learning online<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Sales Pitch and Closing course<\/h4>\n\n\n\n