In the inquiry-based learning (IBL) students are those who construct the knowledge because they are more engaged and more interested in. In most of the cases IBL requires field trip activities, i.e. visiting places physically outside the classroom with main purpose observation for education. One of the top latest technology hit are virtual reality (VR) devices which provide new media experiences and bring VR content. IBL can benefit from this new technologies by using its highly immersive multimedia, the students will be able to go ”outside” the classroom and they will be able faster to collect IBL-data they need, to enjoy the learning process, and to acquire new knowledge in very engaging way. Research with three different devices which offer three different type of VR experience have been done. Some brief actual conclusions about the devices' advantages and disadvantages have been pointed out. Based on this brief VR research, the paper presents a few possible applications of VR technologies in class, which expects new, enriched IBL process. Planned future steps are designing of IBL with VR devices, i.e. development and testing of VR scenarios. These steps aim VR adoption in the classroom with main purpose improvement of students' learning outcomes. Inquiry-based learning; virtual reality; VR.
Inquiry-based learning, ориентированное на вопросы обучение, виртуальная реальность, VR.
Inquiry-based learning (IBL) researches can be deeper and more extensive if they are done outside
the classroom. They often take a place outdoors, in specially equipped places, and not rare in a very special
environment where not everybody is allowed to enter (e.g. medical operations [
This article is divided into three main parts. First part presents three VR approaches and do comparison of three VR devices each of three approaches uses. Second part suggests VR successfully can be applied in IBL process and VR can be applied in education, recent good practices for using VR in class are presented. Third part outline some main VR challenges. In the end of the article are made conclusions and plans for further researches.
There are three approaches to providing VR according to L.E.K. [
Based on the comparison described above in Table 1, easily can be concluded at present moment
most affordable approaches providing VR are medium VR and casual mobile VR.
own learning. He must create a rich physical environment in which children learn how to organize and
manage materials [
Grabbing and using these high-tech technologies in class can take students on the field trips “outside” the classroom, the IBL process may become more lively and attention-grabbing right in the classroom.
Integrating technologies to class could add to the learning experience, could add value to the activities. VR can be integrated with: Literature - field trip to the writer’s homeland; Biology - field trip under the water; Physics – field trip to the Space; Math - visit the Great Wall of China to calculate how long it would take to walk the length of the wall Foreign language - to describe landscapes; Etc.
VR can be integrated with almost every subject in school or university. We tested Casual Mobile VR approach and Medium VR approach, respectively in subjects Biology and Interior Design, and how these approaches can be used in class. Below are the examples:
1. Integration with Biology - by using appropriate tablet (Figure 2) it is tested Casual mobile VR
approach. What Happens Inside Your Body? - VR 360° video [
With this application users are able to create home design and interior décor, make photorealistic HD 3D renders and visualizations on desktop and later to run them in VR environment with VR viewers Google Cardboard (Figure 3, 4).
Google Expeditions is a very good example put into practice for VR application in IBL process because enable teachers to bring students on virtual field trips to places like museums, underwater, and outer space. Expeditions are collections of linked VR content and supporting materials that can be used alongside existing curriculum. These trips are collections of virtual reality panoramas — 360° panoramas and 3D images — annotated with details, points of interest, and questions that make them easy to integrate into curriculum already used in schools. Google is working with a number of partners to create custom educational content that spans the universe.
Expeditions are group experiences (Figure 5) with a guide leading (teacher) and the explorers
(students) following along. Google recommend a tablet for the guide and phones with Cardboard, a virtual
reality viewer (Figure 4), for the explorers [
At this point, there are some difficulties and possible obstacles in using VR devices in the
classrooms. They are based on the research with the three approaches for providing VR, and are listed
below:
need of a powerful device - PC (for using Oculus Rift, for example [
VR takes more time to load due to slow internet connection, so strong and stable Internet
connection is highly recommended or availability of offline materials;
Cybersickness - examples of cybersickness symptoms include nausea, eye strain, and dizziness
[
In the presented brief scenarios and in the Google Expeditions in section 3, the teacher and the students use ready prepared VR content. Since now the variety of educational content is still rather narrow. A very important fact is that the future of VR technology depends on VR content, content that creators are going to develop for this new virtual world.
Now it is the right time educators and researchers to think and to plan how to manage with the obstacles and the present challenges about VR adoption in the classroom, how to harness VR technologies for making the education more engaging, more enticing, and very important much more effective. VR technologies are going to enter our lives more, and more, they are going to affect mostly to the lives of today’s digital generation students. Hence adoption of VR technologies in the classroom means also applying them in the IBL process, simultaneously improving it. This could lead to increase students’ interest in studying.
We thank Robert Budzynski, specialist in Multimedia Education Center at Warsaw University of Life Science, for the assistance in the research by providing us with VR devices - Oculus Rift DK2 for the initial research.
References About the authors: