Students as designers with: Virtual Reality

Abstract

This chapter delves into the role of Virtual Reality (VR) in Technologies education, emphasising its potential to engage students as proactive designers of their educational experiences. The narrative traces the evolution of VR inventions to their contemporary, more accessible forms and, through this historical context, sets the stage for understanding the challenges and growth of VR in educational settings. Aligning VR's capabilities with Constructivist and situated learning theories, the chapter illustrates how VR's interactive environments foster a deeper, hands-on comprehension of complex subjects, where VR enhances learning by enabling students to construct and navigate through historically or scientifically accurate simulations and models. The chapter critically evaluates various VR content creation tools, from simple 360° video platforms to sophisticated game engines such as Unity, focusing on the pedagogical integration of these tools in educational curricula, emphasising the necessity for VR environments to correspond with educational objectives and the need for sustained educator support to leverage these technologies effectively. Lastly, the chapter advocates for the future integration of VR with Artificial Intelligence (AI) to craft more adaptive, personalised learning experiences. This synthesis aims to improve educational methods and practices, transforming students from passive recipients of information to active, engaged participants in their learning journeys.