Virtual worlds are intriguing, fascinating environments where students may gather online for regular class activities such as lectures, debates, case studies, projects, papers, examinations, and laboratories. Tools like the live class, learning management software, VR/ AR, and gamification of content can be used to make learning engaging and effective in the virtual (online)world. Classes consist of both synchronous and asynchronous activities. But what about virtual learning that has gained popularity in recent years? In this blog, we will discuss learning in the virtual classroom and how it’s changing the face of education.
Need for learning in a virtual world
The goal of education should be to teach students how to study, think, and create. Learning can be a process of discovery and reflection. The traditional teacher-centered, site-bound paradigm should be replaced with a more holistic approach.
Traditionally, students are passive in teacher-centered classrooms. Learning is successful only when learners connect what they already know to what they will learn. Students must be able to connect their information to real-life situations and engage with others for learning to be relevant.
Virtual learning provides teachers the scope to conduct student-centric classrooms. This type of teaching can help students internalize their knowledge and apply it in different contexts. In this regard, teachers should consider the cognitive ability and information base of their students when determining what to teach.
The case for virtual environments in learning
Classes conducted through learning management systems are frequently referred to as virtual classes, but in reality, the scope of virtual learning is vast. For example- initially, there was a tight distinction between games and virtual worlds, but they have merged over time. Minecraft: Education Edition is a wonderful illustration of this. When a player enters Minecraft: EE, they have the option of playing in survival mode or constructing mode.
Amazing benefits of virtual environments
Let’s look at some of the characteristics that make virtual worlds such a great learning environment:
Encourage higher-level thinking:
Students can use virtual environments to explore, analyze, evaluate, and create material, all of which are higher-order tasks according to Bloom’s Taxonomy. Furthermore, VEs enable the students to advance to the highest echelon of the SAMR framework, redefining student success. Finally, the four C’s (creative ability, communication, collaborative approach, and critical reasoning) are readily fostered and analyzed inside virtual settings.
Enable construction and production:
Virtual worlds’ capacity to allow users to construct and create is one of their most enticing features. Virtual simulators, such as a virtual hospital for training medical personnel or a virtual battleground for military missions, are among the options. Users may also construct or reinterpret pieces of art and digitally recreate ancient architecture such as medieval buildings, the Roman Coliseum, or coloniaColosseumes.
Promotes self-expression:
Almost all virtual worlds also include customized avatars that allow users to express themselves in the digital domain by selecting clothing, tools, hairstyles, and so on. Furthermore, virtual classes allow students to experience real-life experiences and go on virtual trips that are usually not possible in the real world due to geographical distance or lack of resources.
Make true collaboration possible:
Most virtual worlds also provide incredible collaboration potential for groups of students to develop together. Because socializing is an important part of the experience, they frequently feature chat applications for interaction, and some even incorporate voice tools for enhanced cooperation. Also, virtual learning can enhance the teacher-student relationship for a better learning experience for students.
Promotes learning in a fun way:
Students can acquire information more efficiently when they become active participants in the learning process. As a result, including interactive sessions in the classroom is a fantastic way to help students understand a material rapidly. Gamification of lessons includes challenging puzzles, logical thought-provoking games, problem-solving tasks, and other activities that can be executed through virtual learning.
Do virtual world classrooms supplement on-campus or online course administration systems? No, this form of learning is not to replace traditional classroom scenarios as a whole but to act as a supplementary education (at least for now). So, will you employ learning through the virtual world in your school?
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