Closing the Technology Gap: How Virtual Reality Will Revolutionize Learning

Imagine being able to explore through a forest to discover how fungi play a key role for humans and the biosphere while standing in a Virtual Reality (VR) Lab in South Florida—or working through physics experiments, like Doppler Effect or Light Refraction, in VR. This is the reality for Broward high school students.  


This past spring, St. Thomas Aquinas High School introduced a VR Lab inpartnership with Xennial Digital. STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) professors worked with the Xennial Digital team to develop learning experiences that support the curriculum. The VR content caused an immediate impact, as it, along with the VR Lab, played a key role as the school secured a STEM Certification from AdvancED. 


From video games to movies, young people are accustomed to being entertained by immersive experiences. Yet, these new technologies have been slow to enter the education space.  

As VR technology has become more mature and headsets more affordable, companies like Xennial Digital have stepped in to create game-like learning experiences that improve engagement. As researchers from the University of Maryland found out through their first in-depth analysis, people remember information better if it is presented to them in a VR environment. 


By providing immersive experiences, VR can bridge the digital learning gap as well as: 


Eliminate distractions: A study in the Journal of Medical Education found that students spend a fifth of their time on their mobile devices doing activities not related to the lesson while in a classroom. It is impossible for students to be on a cell phone and have a VR headset on at thesame time. 


Increase information retention: The average person can remember 90% of the information they experience – compare this to 20% when heard and 30% when seen. VR allows for first-hand interaction with lessons being taught in the classroom and is especially helpful with challenging or more conceptual subjects. 


Break language and learning barriers: VR learning modules overcome language and learning challenges by providing a hands-on educational experience. Physical limitations, injuries, or learning disabilities no longer have to be a challenge when VR is incorporated into the curriculum. 


Eliminate risks for the students: Running chemical or nuclear reaction experiments, along many others that may cause physical risks to students, disappear with VR. Now students can truly learn by doing, without the fear of being burned or having a chemical reaction explode on their hands.


Long gone are the days of the textbook or esoteric experiments. VR technology is here to stay and how we leverage it will make the greatest impacton how this and future young generations learn. 

xennial@xennialdigital.com