IMMERSIVE EDUCATION The things we have to learn before we do them, we learn by doing them Aristotle Authors: Balan Venkatramani Michael John Swift BEXLEY COLLEGE

2 Definitions  Education: …. is the application of pedagogy, a body of theoretical and applied research relating to teaching and learning.  Teaching : activities that impart knowledge or skill  Learning: the cognitive process of acquiring skill or knowledge  Pedagogy : the principles and methods of instruction

3 Classrooms VICTORIAN MODERN

4 Traditional Teaching Tools ANCIENT MANUSCRIPTS BLACKBOARD, CHALK,CHARTS, MODELS, SLATE

5 Modern Teaching Tools CD, DVD INTERACTIVE BOARDS PC, TABLET, PDA

6 Spot the Difference?

7 Short Term Memory Or Working Memory HUMAN MEMORY Sensory Memories i. Iconic – visual ii. Echoic - aural iii. Haptic - touch Long Term Memory i. Episodic – Events & Experiences ii. Semantic – Structured record Attention Rehearsal Depends on level of interest or need ‘Scratch-pad’ i. Huge Capacity ii. Slow access time iii. Slow loss

8 Human Information Processing  Human Interaction = information input & output  Human input occurs through senses 1.Sight 2.Hearing 3.Touch 4.Taste 5.Smell  Human output through motor control of the effectors i.e. limbs, fingers, eyes, head and vocal system etc

9 Average Retention Rate

10 Spot the Difference?

11 MONTESSORI METHOD  ….. education is not what the teacher gives  ….. spontaneously carried out by the human individual  ….. acquired not by listening to words but by experiences upon the environment  ….. will have the clarity of vision to direct and shape the future of human society MARIA MONTESSORI, MD( )

12 EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING Experiential Learning is the process of making meaning from direct experience Experiential Learning is the process of making meaning from direct experience

13 VIRTUAL REALITY Welcome to the world of VIRTUAL REALITY

14  Virtual Reality: a hypothetical three- dimensional visual world created by a computer  VR encapsulates all previous media, like: books, slides, pictures, audio, video and multimedia  Typical contribution: ‘immersion effect’ DEFINITION

15  The most profound technologies are those that ‘disappear’  Machines that fit the human environment …..  ….. weave themselves into the fabric of everyday life  ….. permeates our physical environment and hence invisibility UBIQUITOUS TECHNOLOGY

16 VR MODEL FOR EDUCATION REAL ENVIRONMENT SOURCE KNOWLEDGE METAPHORICAL PROJECTIONS VIRTUAL REALITY SYSTEMS INTERFACES USERS STUDENTS DESIGNERS TEACHERS LEARNING MODULE Source: Design of Virtual Reality Systems for Education: A cognitive Approach; Alvaro Sanchez et al

17 THE KIT

18 THE TWO SIDES GOOD SIDE  Perhaps the only ICT technology that will CREATE more employment  Works of a standard PC platform  Permits continuous monitoring and recording  Enables all levels and types of learners to work at their own speed and comprehension  Learn as You Go FLIP SIDE  Expensive  Quality of Graphics  Slight but perceptible time lag  Kit needs refinement  Long term effect on human eye – unknown  Psychological effects of time in Cyberspace  Complaints of chronic fatigue, lack of initiative, drowsiness, irritability and nausea  Importantly Health & Safety issues

19 THE NEED  “Skills, Skills, Skills” ……..BBC on Leitch Report  UK.. “on track to achieve undistinguished mediocrity”, Leitch Report December 2006  Technology driven customer demand – pda, laptop,mobile computing, internet, Wi-Fi, interactive gaming…..  Provide the customer with what they want and not with what we have  Reinvent the excitement of learning

20 THE NEED OF THE HOUR MAKE VIRTUAL REALITY A REALITY