Virtual reality (VR), once the domain of video games, is now becoming a key tool in education and professional training. Its ability to simulate complex environments and procedures is changing the way we teach and learn, opening new possibilities in various fields from medicine to engineering. VR, originally focused on entertainment, has evolved into a powerful educational and training tool. The use of VR in military training, astronaut preparations, medical simulations, and vocational education has revolutionized traditional teaching methods. This transformation demonstrates how technologies once regarded as entertainment are becoming key tools supporting personal and professional development.
Benefits of VR in education and training:
- Interactive experiences: VR allows users to participate in interactive and immersive experiences, which can significantly improve understanding and retention of information. In a safe, controlled simulation environment, students and employees can practice skills, which is especially valuable in fields requiring complex or dangerous practices.
- "Learning by doing": VR enables students to practically experience and experiment in a safe VR laboratory, increasing their interest and understanding of physics (Frontiers).
- Gamification: Incorporating game elements into the teaching process through VR can significantly increase students' motivation to learn. Gamification in VR education not only engages students emotionally but also boosts their motivation through competitive elements and rewards (Frontiers).
- Speed of learning: PwC research has shown that employees trained with VR complete training up to four times faster than in traditional classrooms. This time-saving is crucial, considering the cost of employees' time (Strategy & Business).
- Increased retention and understanding: Studies have shown that students learning through VR can better remember information and understand complex concepts thanks to the immersive nature of VR and the ability to repeatedly go through material in different scenarios (SpringerOpen).
- Personalization of learning: Thanks to VR technology, educational experiences can be tailored to individual students' needs, enhancing teaching effectiveness—these technologies can adjust instructional material and the pace of learning in real-time (Frontiers).
- Speed of learning and confidence in applying acquired knowledge: PwC studies have shown that employees trained with VR complete training four times faster than in traditional classrooms, and VR training participants were 275% more confident in their actions after training compared to traditional methods (Strategy & Business).
- Emotional engagement and focus on tasks: Participants in VR training were on average 3.75 times more emotionally engaged and up to four times more focused than their colleagues from e-learning or traditional classes (Strategy & Business).
- Cost savings: Virtual reality (VR) offers significant cost savings compared to traditional training methods, especially in fields where there is a risk of damaging equipment or the need to use expensive materials. Using VR allows for intensive practical exercises without the risk of damaging real equipment, which is crucial in industries such as medicine, aviation, or engineering.
- Build muscle memory: In technical professions, where precision and repeatability of movements are crucial, VR allows for intense training that builds muscle memory. For example, welding simulators in VR enable students to practice welding techniques in diverse, controlled environments, positions, and techniques. Learners can make mistakes without fear, which facilitates faster absorption of knowledge and skills. Similarly, in assembly, VR allows for complex simulations of component assembly, contributing to more effective and accurate teaching of production processes.
The virtual reality (VR) market in education is experiencing impressive growth, driven by technological innovations and increasing demand for interactive and immersive learning methods. The global market value is expected to rise from USD 4.4 billion in 2023 to USD 42.4 billion in 2032, representing an annual growth rate of 28.5% (Fortune Business Insights). Other analyses suggest a similar growth, predicting the market value of VR in education to increase from USD 25.85 billion in 2024 to USD 67.02 billion in 2029 (Mordorintelligence). This growth is driven by several factors, including increased interest from schools and higher education institutions, which are increasingly implementing VR as a teaching tool, and investments by major technology companies like Google and Facebook, which are developing educational VR applications (GlobeNewswire).
The VR market in education is one of the fastest-growing segments of educational technology, offering promising prospects for both educational institutions and technology companies. This growth is supported by continuous innovation and increasing adoption of VR as an effective educational tool worldwide.
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