Let’s have some fun here and take a look at what the classroom of the future may look like!

A Classroom set in Augmented, Virtual, or Alternative Reality?

The introduction of virtual reality headsets holds immense potential for the future of learning.

Previously, students had been restricted to viewing flat images in textbooks – a diagram of the heart, for instance.

Looking at two-dimensional images of the organ gives students a feel for how it may look in real-life. Labels assist their imagination.

They can develop a sound knowledge of the inner workings of the heart, but this knowledge lacks depth and dimension.

Now, students can view the heart and other images in full using an augmented reality headset.

They can scrutinize it from all angles. They can move closer, looking at each ventricle and vessel with a new sense of depth and clarity.

Their tour can be guided by voice assistance, a digital guide talking them through every detail.

If students wish to embark on a field trip to a local biology museum, months of planning and preparation would have hitherto been necessary.

Now, they can place a virtual reality headset over their eyes and away they go.

Walking around a simulated science museum, students may soon be able to attend lectures hosted by digitized speakers and roam freely, all without leaving the classroom.

The invention of augmented reality provides a wealth of educational opportunities.

The End of Formal Education?

Until now, it has long been necessary for students to study for years, attain good grades and attend college if they wish to fulfil a particular vocation later in life.

These ideals are being re-imagined.

The college degree is losing its hold over high-school graduates.

Many young people of today would prefer to pursue their educational interests with online courses and resources instead of forking out thousands on a diploma.

Technological development underpins these decisions.

Course platforms like Udemy and Khan Academy allow students to learn a wealth of information in less time than it takes to complete their degree.

What would otherwise create decades of debt and 3-5 years of learning could soon require little more than a laptop and internet connection.

The rise of technology could facilitate the reshaping of formal education.

Furthermore, high-school graduates may no longer need to uproot and move 300 miles to attend university.

Courses could be accessed remotely. Seminars and lectures could be digitally accesses, allowing students to study from home in different cities.

This would allow families with a lower household income to provide their children with degree-level education without spending on accommodation fees and travel costs.

Conclusions About the Future of Education

While possible, it is unlikely that educational institutes will crumble under the weight of technological advancements.

However, in order to stay afloat, successful educators will certainly have to rethink their models of teaching entirely.

The days of pen and paper are quickly dwindling into darkness.

To keep students engaged and interested in formal education, teaching strategies will have to match the progression of the digital world.

Interactive whiteboards, computer clusters and smartphones are fast becoming an integral feature of the modern classroom.

These methods underpin the rapid revolutionization of teaching methods.