Virtual Reality (VR) revolutionizes education by providing immersive and interactive learning experiences that traditional methods cannot match. In the classroom, VR can transport students to different times and places, enhance their understanding of complex concepts, and foster greater engagement and enthusiasm for learning. With various VR apps, educators can find tools tailored to multiple subjects and educational levels.
This guide highlights some of the best VR apps to incorporate into your classroom. These apps offer innovative ways to inspire and educate your students. Whether teaching history, science, language arts, or any other subject, these VR apps can transform your lessons and enrich your students’ learning experiences.
What is Virtual Reality?
Sitting in a classroom as a student, teacher, or administrator, I’ve often thought, “If I could just see or touch it, this would mean so much more.” Virtual reality in the classroom brings that idea to life in many ways. VR is especially valuable for students from low socio-economic backgrounds, allowing them to see the world and experience new things without leaving the classroom.
Virtual reality creates an immersive digital environment, providing a 360-degree experience that feels incredibly real.
Benefits of Virtual Reality Apps in the Classroom
Virtual reality’s benefits shine through in its immersive experiences. Imagine a student not just watching a pig dissection but actively participating, cutting open a virtual pig and examining its organs with a Dissection Simulator. Or picture a student standing in a Jurassic-age forest, constructing a Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton from the bones using the T-Rex Skeleton Crew.
Teachers can make lessons about the Colosseum in Rome more impactful by allowing students to explore the building virtually, adding depth and relevance to their understanding.
VR can be transformative for students who have never traveled far from home. A world history teacher can take a student to a virtual museum to hold one of King Tut’s masks with King Tut VR. Though virtual, the experience immerses students in history, providing unparalleled meaning and relevance.
Why Use Virtual Reality Apps in Education?
Virtual reality apps have emerged as powerful educational tools due to their ability to simulate real-world scenarios, enhance spatial understanding, and foster experiential learning. By immersing students in virtual environments, these apps promote active participation, improve retention rates, and cater to diverse learning styles. Moreover, they enable educators to supplement theoretical lessons with practical, hands-on experiences that captivate and inspire students.
Incredible Virtual Reality Apps to Try in our Class
Explore these top virtual reality apps for your classroom:
Dissection Simulator – Engage students with virtual animal dissections, enhancing their understanding of anatomy interactively and ethically.
T-Rex Skeleton Crew: Immerse students in a Jurassic forest to build a Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton, making paleontology unforgettable.
Google Expeditions – Take students on virtual field trips worldwide, from the Great Barrier Reef to outer space.
King Tut VR – Transport students to ancient Egypt to explore artifacts and tombs, bringing history lessons to life.
Tilt Brush – Encourage creativity by allowing students to paint and create in a 3D space.
Star Chart – Enhance astronomy lessons by exploring stars, planets, and constellations in a virtual night sky.
VR Chemistry Lab – Safely conduct interactive chemistry experiments and learn about chemical reactions.
Anne Frank House VR – Provide an immersive experience of the Anne Frank House, deepening historical understanding and empathy.
These VR apps will make learning interactive, engaging, and meaningful for your students.
In Mind VR 2 (Science and Social Skills)
Many VR apps focus on science or history, but this one uniquely combines social skills with science. The app centers around a boy named Tim. Participants help Tim become an actor, scientist, policeman, or senator and guide him in learning to control his emotions by shaking his head. This experience transitions into understanding the roles of brain chemicals like dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins. It simultaneously teaches biology and the effects of our emotions—a true win-win!
Future Trends and Considerations in VR Education
Technological Advancements and Accessibility
As VR technology continues to evolve, advancements in graphics, interactivity, and accessibility will enhance the educational potential of VR apps. Lower costs and improved hardware will make VR more accessible to schools and educators, expanding opportunities for immersive learning experiences.
Ethical and Safety Considerations
Educators must prioritize the ethical use of VR technology, ensuring that content is age-appropriate, culturally sensitive, and aligned with educational standards. They must also address safety concerns related to prolonged VR use and provide guidelines for responsible use of immersive technologies in the classroom.
VR Lesson by Thinglink
Picture a student sitting in the French Alps or exploring a jungle in Northern Australia’s archipelago, able to interact with various aspects of the ecosystems around them. VR Lessons by Thinglink makes this possible, offering an immersive experience that is incredibly impactful for students who have never left their environment. The app includes features like the sound of the wind, owls howling, and detailed annotations explaining different parts of the ecosystem, making the learning experience highly interactive and engaging.
King Tut VR
Every world history class inevitably covers Egyptian culture and power. This VR app transports students to Cairo, where they can explore artifacts such as the Death Mask of Tutankhamun. It also allows viewers access to normally restricted areas like the tomb itself. Experiencing this virtual journey helps students grasp the significance of studying this pivotal era in world history.
Anatomy
Take a virtual journey through the urinary system, circulatory system, gastrointestinal tract, and more with Anatomyou VR. Ideal for Anatomy and Physiology classes, this app allows students to explore the human body in unprecedented detail. Witnessing students’ reactions as they navigate through different body systems is particularly enlightening. Imagine the enhanced understanding gained from experiencing the journey of food through the body firsthand rather than just memorizing its sequence.
Learn Language VR
The most effective way to learn a language is through complete immersion in its language and culture, ideally by living in a foreign country. However, extended field trips abroad are often beyond most schools’ budgets. Learn Language VR offers a solution: students can immerse themselves in the language they are learning if they wear virtual reality goggles. The app covers many languages, including Chinese, Dutch, French, English, Japanese, Swedish, and more. It’s an excellent opportunity for students who have yet to haven’t the chance to visit these places to learn a language in a deeply immersive way.
National Geographic VR
Our World Geography teachers will be thrilled with the National Geographic VR app. Just as Hawaii boasts the ability to ski and surf on the same day, this app allows us to transport students to both the North and South Pole within a single class period. It’s an incredible opportunity to introduce students to places they may never have experienced.
Titans of Space VR
Imagine taking a journey through the Solar System with Titans of Space VR. This app allows students to explore planets, see stars invisible from Earth, and learn about celestial objects from the comfort of their classroom. It’s an excellent way to introduce elementary students to the wonders of the solar system and space. The app offers an immersive experience like a comprehensive tour of planets and moons. It also effectively conveys the vast scale of these celestial bodies compared to Earth or your virtual spaceship.
Anne Frank House
Two unconventional yet precious apps stand out, particularly for English and history teachers. One of them is the Anne Frank House VR experience. Each year, over a million visitors tour the house where Anne Frank hid from the Nazis. Teachers can bring this significant historical site directly into their classrooms, enriching their students’ understanding of the book and the era it depicts.
Gadgeteer
Lastly, Gadgeteer offers a physics-based puzzle app where students can construct intricate machines and contraptions using various parts and gadgets. This STEM lab provides options to use pre-made setups or enter sandbox mode for more creativity and exploration. Imagine the excitement this would bring to children like my eight-year-old at home, who loves setting up domino tracks and LEGO structures—now, they can do it all virtually without the cleanup!
While I couldn’t cover all the useful apps in this article, VR’s potential in education is vast as technology becomes more affordable and advanced. It’s crucial to remember that, like any classroom technology, VR can enhance lessons and streamline teaching, but effective use requires teachers to integrate it into their curriculum.
Frequently Asked Question
What are virtual reality apps for classrooms?
Virtual reality (VR) classroom apps are designed to provide immersive and interactive learning experiences using VR technology. They allow students to explore virtual environments, interact with simulations, and engage with educational content in new and impactful ways.
How can virtual reality apps benefit students in the classroom?
Virtual reality apps can benefit students by enhancing engagement, improving information retention through experiential learning, and providing opportunities for interactive exploration that go beyond traditional teaching methods. They can make abstract concepts more tangible and bring learning to life, particularly in science, history, geography, and language learning.
Which subjects can virtual reality apps be used for?
Virtual reality apps are versatile and can be used across various subjects, including science (biology, chemistry, astronomy), history (historical sites, cultural experiences), geography (exploration of different landscapes and ecosystems), language learning (immersive language practice), and more. They cater to a wide range of educational needs and learning styles.
Are there specific virtual reality apps recommended for different subjects?
Yes, there are several virtual reality apps tailored to specific subjects. For example, apps like Dissection Simulator and Anatomyou VR are ideal for biology and anatomy classes. At the same time, National Geographic VR and Titans of Space VR are excellent for geography and astronomy. Language learning can be enriched with apps like Learn Language VR, offering immersive language practice.
How can teachers integrate virtual reality apps into their curriculum effectively?
Teachers can integrate virtual reality apps into their curriculum by aligning them with learning objectives, using them to illustrate complex concepts, and facilitating discussions and activities based on virtual experiences. Teachers should also provide guidance, debriefing sessions, and follow-up activities to ensure that students maximize their learning from VR experiences.
What considerations should teachers keep in mind when using virtual reality apps?
Teachers should consider factors such as their students’ age and maturity level to ensure that VR experiences are appropriate and safe. They should also be mindful of technical requirements, accessibility for all students, and the need for proper training and support in using VR technology effectively in the classroom.
Conclusion
Integrating virtual reality apps into your classroom offers an exciting opportunity to transform learning experiences. These apps enhance engagement and comprehension and bring subjects to life in ways that traditional methods cannot. VR opens new avenues for interactive and immersive education across various subjects, from exploring distant planets to dissecting virtual organisms.
As technology advances and VR becomes more accessible, the potential for enhancing teaching and learning through these innovative tools is limitless. Embracing virtual reality in education empowers educators to inspire curiosity, deepen understanding, and prepare students for a future where immersive technologies play an increasingly integral role.
