How VR and AR are changing the Indian higher education landscape

VR and AR technologies are gradually transforming the education world's learning experience. Though, for such new and modernized technologies, India is not far behind in obtaining its advantages. Today, VR and AR technologies are remodelling the whole education system in schools and universities. Students are joyfully engaging in 3D technologies to get a more engaging learning experience with their applications.

Immersive technologies transforming the Indian higher educational landscape

In the present times, educational institutions are replacing traditional classrooms with modern classrooms. Even though online learning offers convenience and flexibility in the learning process, it also comes with its fair share of challenges. One of the major troubles with remote learning is the amount of distraction faced by the students due to the other content available in abundance on the devices they are using to study. The shift in studying from books to digital devices has also led to a reduction in the attention span and engagement levels of the learners. Furthermore, physical classes offered entertainment along with in-person interaction with the peers and close nurturing by teachers. The replication of practical-based learning required for technical courses such as engineering, medical, architecture, etc. is also a major roadblock that online classes face.

In such a scenario, technological disruption acts as a blessing in disguise. New-age technologies such as immersive ones like VR and AR are helping in transforming the Indian higher educational landscape. They cater to all the challenges faced by the new-age remote learning process and help revamp teaching-learning experiences. They made studies interactive, engaging, and immersive.

With this case, the role of VR/AR in the pedagogy system will redefine India's teaching-learning space. Consequently, this will want ed-tech organizations to make an extensive range of applications in the AR/VR field that can further expand the education sector.

Scope of VR and AR and how it is going to impact education in India

VR and AR can make the teaching-learning process more interactive and engaging by improving participation and involvement.VR comes into use to help higher education students understand many things, from history to science's human anatomy. With the aid of virtual tours, students can fully engage themselves in the subjects. Therefore, getting them involved in the learning process can be more efficient and productive.

VR and AR applications digitally build interactive real-world ecosystems and visualizations utilizing images, sounds, text, and additional informational input. In education, VR applications also range from engineering to medicinal science to defense. Therefore, rather than understanding typical subjects in a classroom setting, the students can go through a virtual world to learn concepts better.

AI, VR, and AR are the certainties of the planned teaching and learning system. Classroom learning is going to be drastically remodelled with the headway in these new fields of technology. Though the technology is already advancing and several learners are benefitting from it. It is one of the most significant things in modern times that directly influences the Indian education system by including digital transformation in the higher education and K-12 sector.

VR is hence poised to become much more popular in its usage and influence in the future. The teaching-learning community in the country will witness stronger tools for augmented prototyping of real-world experiences.

VR and AR can make the education program more informative and engaging. Technology has radically transformed the interior wiring and the thinking mode of millennials. Today's students are less enthusiastic about reading books. Instead, they would love to watch videos and visual presentations of what is being taught in the classroom through those books and seek knowledge through more interactive educational experiences. Technology is a significant factor that has brought this standard change in education delivery.

The present scenario of VR and AR in the Indian educational market

The Indian market is at the nascent stage of adopting virtual and augmented reality technologies. Various start-ups in India are presently working on discovering solutions for the Indian higher education area with AR and VR technology. In India, some State governments are also pro-actively aiding VR and AR start-ups by providing a mentoring guide for incubation.

Educational experts predict that the market demand for AR/VR solutions to engage learning will develop with time. Industry reports highlight a similar trend and state that the K12 education sector is expected to exhibit six times growth and is projected to be valued at $1.7 billion by 2022. They also point out educational institutions will be adopting the hybrid formats of learning and will be leveraging immersive technologies to extend high-end educational experiences to the students.

Future Aspects

VR and AR are emerging sectors that have immense potential to influence education positively. They can generate deep learning experiences that facilitate learning by doing, which conclusively intensifies learning effectiveness.

Advancing further, AI-driven private tutors that can keep track of your learning choices and behaviour, counsel progress, and suggest solutions to build customized learning modules may not be a distant reality.

As per ABI Research’s recent report, the global education sector will expectedly spend more than $6billion annually on AR and VR technologies by the end of 2023. It also states that the market will hit $5.3 billion mark in 2023. According to another study by Industryarc, India’s AR and VR educational market is already booming and is expected to witness exponential growth in the times ahead.

These reports further depict that India being an emerging market will increasingly adopt these new-age technologies so as to upscale the Indian higher education scenario. Innovation in the immersive technology domain, rising demand for personalized learning experiences along with the increasing use of connected devices in the education system are the major driving factors majorly contributing the growth.

Summing Up

Technology is going to change education in the fourth industrial revolution massively. Moreover, it has already influenced every aspect of our lives. Also, education is a fundamental part of that organic development. In a nutshell, the future endures a huge promise for the areas that are equipped to acquire change and adopt the technology. The Indian education field will be an interesting and entertaining space to watch out in the subsequent decade.

By Uttam Kumar Pandey, Founder and CEO, Perceived Design