Introduction: What is Virtual Reality (VR)?

A child wearing a VR headset.

Virtual Reality (VR) is a technology that produces an immersive simulation of a real-world experience through the use of a headset. It offers an opportunity for people to experience a situation they may never have the chance to encounter in real life, such as exploring the inside of a cell or launching a space shuttle. Many people may be familiar with VR, because of movies like the Matrix, Ready Player One, Total Recall, or Tron. However, VR is not just a tool for entertainment; it is also an indispensable tool for facilitating learning in schools. In the same way that VR was used to bring Keanu Reeves into the Matrix, students can be brought into any world that you want them to see:

Students can explore ancient Greece and walk through the center of Athens.
Students can go on a field trip to anywhere in the world.
Students can even get a bird’s eye view of the universe.

Almost anything students can learn could be taught through VR; it presents immersive experiences, authenticity, and versatility that regular lessons simply struggle to compete against.