Technological progress in today's society is a constant, and the effects that these innovations bring have been felt in all areas of life. Therefore, the learning of subjects in the ICT society tries to be in line with the progress that we have commented previously. Furthermore, in the field of training, the tools are increasingly sophisticated and technical, with the aim of responding to these changes.
The considered “the next big technological leap"has arrived and has a name and surname: Virtual reality. This new type of technology is called to modify the traditional way of having fun, being entertained and learning.
The virtual reality It aims to immerse the user in an alternative and virtual world, involving them in the story and allowing them to interact with the environment, being able to move or make decisions in real time. The proposal for the consumer is clear: to be able to experience the sensation of being physically in another place, with the highest degree of realism achievable. Surround sound and 360-degree images.
Passenger mode or consolidation?
Virtual reality is emerging as one of the most notable trends this year. The lowering price of technology has been key to its momentary consolidation, producing a greater approach to the consumer. When there is a technological advance of this magnitude, it opens up a range of benefits and opportunities to enjoy, but we have to be careful since it is still a very immature and changing market. Within its largest market niches, some experts point out that mobile is the largest potential market. On the contrary, others point to him as the main detractor of new emerging technologies.
Virtual Reality pedagogy thinks:
But, let's analyze it from a pedagogical vision, what benefits can we find in this?
- Immersion, thanks to the capture power it possesses, the user experiences in first person participating in the action that takes place on the screen.
- Interaction, The world that is captured is not static but responds to the user's commands such as movements or gestures; It happens in real time since the device is capable of detecting the inputs made by the user and reacting to them, instantly modifying the virtual world. Decision making plays a fundamental role here.
- Imagination, because the simulation system is nothing more than a medium, or an interface with the user, although it must also solve certain real problems in fields of practical application.
- Inclusive education with the approach of users with dependencies, eliminating possible barriers and minimizing the circumstances that make training impossible. Its central objective is not to offer accessibility to these, but it does have elements and innovations that favor their inclusion.
- Pluridisciplinarity and the possibility of relating various themes so that the learning process is more stimulating and motivating.
In short, for this reality proposal to be useful, it must respond to the premises of comfort and design that current consumers of this technology demand so much. For it to have a deep impact, it must reach people and for them to find meaning in it and make it part of their daily lives; Although I fear that this time may take longer than we are thinking due to some sectors of society that are reticent about technological developments.
