DIGITAL LIBRARY
THE USE OF VIRTUAL REALITY AS AN EDUCATIONAL TOOL
1 Marmara University (TURKEY)
2 Halic University (TURKEY)
3 Kultur University (TURKEY)
About this paper:
Appears in: INTED2009 Proceedings
Publication year: 2009
Pages: 438-446
ISBN: 978-84-612-7578-6
ISSN: 2340-1079
Conference name: 3rd International Technology, Education and Development Conference
Dates: 9-11 March, 2009
Location: Valencia, Spain
Abstract:
Virtual reality, the world’s most advanced learning technology, is an innovative new way to teach and engage students. It allows students to step through the computer screen into 3-D. By putting on a special headset and glove, students enter a world of educational adventure.
Virtual Reality labs extend school boundaries in an economical manner. Schools that could not afford luxuries like science and language labs now see students experimenting and exploring in Virtual Reality labs at a fraction of the cost. Because Virtual Reality is based on the same PCs already in schools, it is within the means of every school to greatly increase student achievement.
The important factors are time and locally savings in Virtual Reality Labs.
Using virtual reality as an educational tool, students exploring their schoolwork immersed in virtual reality, gaining a deeper understanding of their subjects.
A real-time, virtual learning environment, this lab features simulated scenarios to enhance students’ problem solving and analytical skills. Students will solve problems through research and collaborative experiential activities. Scenarios will be developed in line with existing Mathematics and Science syllabi using digital modelling and games.
Students can meet here to virtually interact and exchange opinions and experiences. It enhances language skills by encouraging and engaging students to participate in debates, public speeches, broadcasts and live audio communication.
For example a physics class experiments with a simulated virtual reality lab where they control the properties of objects, and observe them from any angle. In another part of the school, a social studies class uses virtual reality to travel back in time into the Battle of 1945 (the II World War). A Turkish language class visits the time before 5500 years that the Turkish language is spread over a large geographical area in Europe and Asia; recent studies show that this language goes back 5500 years,and perhaps even 8500.
With using of Virtual Reality Labs, students can have feedback from their studies. And in the future studies, this brings the students get less mistakes. Time is so important in education technologies, because technology factor grows so fast in the world. When students have more time and feedback, they can work again and again. Also locality is important nowadays. Because schools have limited areas for technology classes. The only thing that changes this disadvantage to advantage is Virtual Reality Labs.
In this project our first survey was the necessity of hardware objects in Virtual Reality Labs, and then we determined which lessons are appropriate for virtual reality, lastly orientation of students and teachers.


Keywords:
virtual reality, digital modeling, 3-d, educational tool.