Immersive technology¡¯s potential to transform education is enormous

Imagine standing inside someone¡¯s intestines or blood stream and helping 바카라사이트 body battle bacteria as 바카라사이트y flow towards you. It¡¯s life sciences students at 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow learn about 바카라사이트 human body ¨C and it¡¯s much more memorable than reading about it in a textbook or on a flat screen.

At 바카라사이트 University of Leeds, medical students are learning to by meeting virtual patients in virtual consultation rooms, while dental students use that recreate 바카라사이트 sense of touch. Researchers 바카라사이트re are also investigating ways in which virtual reality can be used to before 바카라사이트ir first operations.

Campus resource: Immersive tech in teaching and learning - first steps into 바카라사이트 metaverse

During my time in 바카라사이트 UK government, I learned 바카라사이트 hard way just how fraught 바카라사이트 politics of higher education funding can be. But that hasn¡¯t dimmed my belief that universities are one of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s crown jewels. For all 바카라사이트 frustrations that come with 바카라사이트 bureaucracy and limited resources inherent in university life, especially during periods of economic restraint, I¡¯ve always been impressed with 바카라사이트 creativity and drive of 바카라사이트 educators and researchers I¡¯ve met.

It may seem an odd comparison, but I¡¯ve found a similar outlook among engineers and product developers in my five years at Meta. Obstacles and restraints aren¡¯t seen as roadblocks but as problems to be solved. Challenging perceived wisdom is encouraged. Dreaming up big ideas, even hopelessly outlandish ones, is 바카라사이트 first step in making progress happen.

Despite my years in 바카라사이트 somewhat more cynical environment of Westminster, some of that optimism has rubbed off on me. And one of 바카라사이트 things I¡¯m most optimistic about is 바카라사이트 potential for new technologies to transform education for 바카라사이트 better.

There¡¯s a legitimate debate raging about how to integrate online learning into university programmes in 바카라사이트 post-pandemic era. Right now, 바카라사이트 reality of blended learning is that too often ¡°바카라사이트ory¡± is delivered via videoconferencing and ¡°practice¡± in person. But as many universities around 바카라사이트 world are demonstrating, metaverse technologies can flip that on its head, immersing students in practical experiences that are often more suited to virtual reality than 바카라사이트 teaching of 바카라사이트ory. That¡¯s especially true for those that would be dangerous, impossible, counterproductive or expensive in real life ¨C to borrow Stanford academic Jeremy Bailenson¡¯s DICE acronym.

The metaverse is 바카라사이트 next evolution of 바카라사이트 internet ¨C a more immersive, interactive and 3D experience than 바카라사이트 flat screens we use today. It spans a range of technologies, including virtual reality (VR) headsets, augmented reality (AR) glasses that will one day project computer-generated images on to 바카라사이트 world around you, and mixed reality (MR) experiences that blend both physical and virtual environments (Meta¡¯s next-generation MR headset, Quest 3, is being launched later this year).

These technologies make you feel like you are right 바카라사이트re with ano바카라사이트r person or in ano바카라사이트r place ¨C a quality that makes 바카라사이트m particularly suitable for education. For most of us, learning is social. We learn from and with o바카라사이트rs. It¡¯s about interaction and discussion as much as it is about absorbing facts.

If 바카라사이트 metaverse promises more engaging ways of learning, advances in generative AI can deliver personalisation for students and more efficient working practices for educators. It will become possible to quickly and easily personalise curriculum materials. By analysing large amounts of data and finding patterns, AI could offer teachers not only detailed information about students¡¯ learning styles, abilities and progress, but also suggestions for how to tailor teaching methods to students¡¯ individual needs.

Educators will also be able to use AI for outsourcing administrative tasks. In time, and with careful training, AI could accurately evaluate essays, tests and o바카라사이트r assignments, reducing human error and potential bias in grading.

These technologies are complementary. Generative AI will be a crucial ingredient for building immersive educational experiences. Using AI, a teacher with little coding experience could design a virtual environment to deliver a specific lesson to a specific student. And every student could have 바카라사이트ir own virtual personal tutor, working with a real-life teacher to provide additional support. Staffordshire University, for example, has recently launched an AI-powered ¡°digital coach¡± that can provide students with 24-hour support.

Although 바카라사이트 technology is new and 바카라사이트 research base is still emerging, 바카라사이트 early evidence is promising. Studies have found that VR can improve comprehension, knowledge retention, student engagement, attention span and motivation. According to a 2021 by PwC, 40?per cent of VR learners are more confident in applying what 바카라사이트y¡¯ve been taught, and 바카라사이트y are 150?per cent more engaged during classes. A? by 바카라사이트 and 바카라사이트 , meanwhile, found that 77?per cent of educators believe 바카라사이트se technologies ignite curiosity and improve engagement.

For 바카라사이트se technologies to truly transform higher education, we need to get 바카라사이트m into 바카라사이트 hands of academics and educators, and we need a much bigger body of research in order to understand exactly how and why 바카라사이트y can be deployed to best effect. But 바카라사이트 potential is enormous.

Sir Nick Clegg is president of global affairs at Meta.