Virtual reality and education don’t really seem like two terms that mesh well with each other, doesn’t it? As technology and AI advance at a rapid pace, it might not be too long until VR gets incorporated into our education system. The blog below will discuss the benefits and drawbacks of immersive virtual reality in education.
When I first heard the term virtual reality, my imagination ran wild. Futuristic headsets, gaming rooms and bedrooms with some super cool looking panel that offers customization. I had all kinds of misconceptions in my head due to my avid consumption of sci-fi movies. Yet I never imagined it would become something that could shape the way we learn. The more I explore it, the more I realise that VR is slowly stepping into the world of education. Slowly but surely, as if testing the waters before taking a much bigger role. I found that exhilarating. Education and VR are two totally different fields and bringing them together feels like watching two worlds slowly learn to understand each other.
At Constructor University, I discovered VR in an unexpected manner. I was walking to the IRC (library) with a friend one afternoon when he suggested that we stop by the VR club room. I had passed the door a few times before but never actually considered going inside. Since we were not in a rush, I followed him. The room was dim and quiet, with only the soft buzzing of the equipment and a couple of students setting up headsets. My friend picked one up and told me to try Beat Saber with him. I had no idea what to expect, but I put on the headset anyway.
The shift was surreal. One moment I was standing in a plain room, and the next I was surrounded by glowing lights and floating blocks moving toward me in rhythm. I could hear the music pulsing through the headphones, and when I started swinging the controllers, it felt strangely real, even though I knew I was just standing on a carpeted floor. My friend mocked me as I impressively managed to somehow miss every block coming my way, but it didn’t matter as I was so immersed in the colorful world of the VR world.
That moment stayed with me because it showed me how immersive VR can be. It was not just about visuals. It was the feeling of being pulled into a different space entirely, even if it was only for a few minutes. Sure, it is disorienting at first, however what lies ahead is definitely worth the momentary discomfort.
The club itself is a very relaxed space. People wander in to try simulations, some work on small projects, and others simply explore out of curiosity. It is one of the few places on campus where students from every major end up interacting with each other. Computer science students talk about building small VR environments, psychology students explore VR experiments, and there are people like me who just drop in occasionally simply because the equipment is fascinating. It feels like a playground for ideas. And being in that space made me think about the benefits of VR in education.
One of the most obvious advantages of VR is the way it transforms subjects that usually rely on imagination. Take history for example. Most of us have spent years reading descriptions of ancient cities or battles without ever fully visualising them. VR turns those distant descriptions into something you can step into. Imagine walking through the streets of old Rome or standing inside a medieval cathedral while learning about its architecture. The lesson becomes an experience instead of plain sets of details to memorize.
For example, in fields like medicine, VR allows students to practice operations without any real risk. This is revolutionary in itself, isn’t it? Instead of staring at diagrams or watching videos, they can see organs in a virtual space and learn by interacting with them. Engineering students can test structures and machines without needing expensive equipment. Imagine how engaging language learning would be when you find yourself standing in a simulated marketplace or airport, forced to use the language in a natural way.
Moreover, VR is not only about practical skills. It also helps those of us who struggle to stay focused during long readings. When the lesson surrounds you from every angle, instead of just purely on paper, your mind has fewer places to wander. It becomes harder to drift into daydreams. There is something about being present in a simulated world that keeps your attention in place. I felt this during my own experiences with VR. Even though I entered out of curiosity, I ended up staying because I found it hard to drag myself out of this new world.
However, there are undoubtedly some limitations. To start off, the equipment is expensive, and not every school can afford it. Some students feel disoriented after wearing a headset for too long, and others might find this method too distracting or overwhelming.
Education is something that requires patience, understanding, and at times even boredom. I think it’s pretty obvious that in today’s world, technology has shortened our time to remain attentive significantly. Technology should support learning, not replace the parts of it that help us grow.
Another challenge is that VR still requires technical knowledge to create meaningful content. For it to be used widely in schools, teachers would need proper training. It is not ideal to hand someone a headset and expect them to seamlessly integrate it into their lessons.
Despite these issues, I believe VR holds a promising space in the future of education. It is not something that will be implemented overnight. Instead, it will slowly find its place, much like how online learning started small before becoming an everyday part of student life. I can imagine a future where students from different parts of the world attend the same virtual lecture and feel as if they are sitting together in the same room. Laboratories that allow students to experiment in environments that would otherwise be too expensive or dangerous. VR would allow learning to become more equal and more accessible.
My experiences at the VR club made me realise that education is not limited to paper, lectures or classrooms. It is a field constantly evolving, ever more so after the COVID lockdown. VR may still be in its early stages, but there is definitely potential surrounding it, especially nowadays as technology continues to advance at a rapid pace.
In the end, I believe exploring VR in education is not about overhauling the methods of teaching entirely. It is about recognizing the potential of a tool that encourages curiosity, creativity, and immersive engagement. It creates learning experiences that stick with you, not because they are perfect, but because they feel personal and unique. Perhaps that is what makes VR such a fascinating addition to the world of education. It turns learning from merely understanding a concept to a whole experience.
