Here’s How to Incorporate Immersive Technology Into Your School for the Long Haul

 

Written by Alicia Baertsoen, Lumination
Shai Coggins, Learning Design Lead, Lumination will present at National Education Summit Melbourne

Enabling immersive learning across the curriculum has never been easier 

Not long ago, the very idea of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) teaching tools in the classroom would have been the stuff of science fiction. In recent years, however, these tools are becoming commonplace, with educators, students, parents and stakeholders of all kinds seeing the benefits of VR and AR teaching tools in the classroom.

Exploring the Benefits 

Facilitating immersive learning in your school can lead to student benefits like: 

  • Bridging the gap between education and employment

  • Developing key skills

  • Improving engagement with key learning outcomes

  • Shifting from passive to active learning

  • More opportunities for collaborative learning

  • Enabling student agency through content creation and visualisation

  • Building accessibility and supporting equitable learning

  • Growing empathy and understanding, and so much more

What Does the Research Show?

Research from the National Training Laboratory suggests students using VR and AR experienced 75% knowledge retention rates, compared to 5% for lectures and 10% for written knowledge delivery. A qualitative survey found that 90% of students strongly agreed that virtual reality helped them retain information in specific areas of mathematical education, including understanding 3D vectors and visualising mathematical problems.

Statistics released by PwC also found learners were 275% more confident when applying the skills they learned after training, thanks to the immersive and stress-free nature of these solutions. On top of this, they trained 4x faster than in a traditional classroom, were almost 4x more emotionally connected to the content and 4x more focused than e-learning peers.

Immersive Learning That Lasts 

We’re big believers in the power of AR and VR technology here at Lumination and have seen firsthand what this tech can do for students in the classroom. But how did we get from this conceptual idea of VR and AR in education to something practical and long lasting? 

This is where the Lumination Learning Lab comes in. Let’s explore what a Lab is and  how you can benefit from it at your own school.

What is a Lumination Learning Lab? 

A Lumination Learning Lab is an automated, multi-purpose and immersive smart classroom supporting students and schools in achieving exceptional results using immersive learning. The Lab is designed to transform a physical space into an opportunity for AR and VR learning, collaboration and engagement. To achieve this, we combine software and technology, giving students the tools they need to get the most out of this immersive space.

When it comes to implementation, you’re not alone. Our Operations and Technical teams work with you to identify where the Lab will go in your school, and lead the design, construction and fit out. Take a 360 virtual tour of a real Lab at Underdale High School to see this for yourself. 

On the software side of things, we have LeadMe. Our bespoke application puts teachers in control of the Lab, enabling them to launch VR experiences and create learning environments inside a classroom with the touch of the button.

When your Lab is ready, you are fully supported by our Education team of teachers with decades of classroom experience, our Technical team and will get access to onboarding, training and personal development resources. 

We also provide access to the Lumination Education Centre, giving you lesson plans and learning resources as part of our ongoing support service. The idea is to empower teachers to use VR and AR across the curriculum as an integral part of future-focused learning.

Real Schools, Real Results 

With schools across Australia rapidly adopting this technology, more and more students are benefiting. Exploring an Egyptian tomb, traveling the world, navigating through the human body, creating a 3D work of art and so much more … they are taking an active role in their education. 

Preliminary research shows deploying Lumination solutions in teaching environments is benefitting student learning. One four week study explored the effects of immersive virtual reality on student engagement. The goal of the study was to transform the way students learn about geography and increase engagement by using immersive technology in comparison to traditional classroom methods.

In just four weeks, there was a 155% increase in students who agreed it was ‘very true’ that “Geography is fun,” with 96% of students saying they preferred to learn in the Lumination Learning Lab over the classroom.

Another 10-week study demonstrated increased empathy among school-age learners. Utilising the Perth empathy scale, students exhibited a 12% increase in empathetic tendencies, the Lab helping to nurture better levels of collaboration in schools and institutions.

Ready to incorporate AR and VR into your school? 

Learn more about what our solutions can help you achieve with your students. Browse our case studies to see the Labs in action or reach out to our team today to discover more.

Lumination is also a Classroom of the Future Workshop Sponsor and exhibitor at the National Education Summit Melbourne on 16 -17 June 2023. Shai Coggins, Learning Design Lead, Lumination will also present a FREE session on ‘The Future Classroom is Here: Immersive Learning in the XR Age ’.



 
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