These days we’re starting to see more traditional education institutions offer online courses for those who want to learn a new subject but don’t have time to go to school in person, live in another country, or who are looking for a more affordable course than paying for a full diploma or degree.
However the disadvantages to online courses is that students are generally isolated, meaning that they won’t have the same classroom experience compared to if they attended class in person. However Full Sail University wants to change that and have teamed up with Doghead Simulations where they will use virtual reality (VR) to help online students feel less isolated.
As you can tell from the video above, this lets online students be in a virtual classroom with other students that are represented with their own avatars. In a way it’s almost like being in an MMORPG except for education. Of course this will require students to own a VR device in order to participate.
According to Isis Jones, CIO and Executive Director of Education at Full Sail University, “We are very excited about the next level of engagement that rumii will bring to our education. Beyond facilitating collaboration, VR education allows for concentrated monotasking learning, which we believe will enhance the retention of information.” Jones adds, “In today’s world where technology and screen time can be distracting, VR allows you to be in the moment and engaged with the subject at hand.”