Digital tools have changed education a lot in recent years. Things like calculators, computers, tablets, and video chat software have become important for teaching and learning. These days, we also have something called the metaverse, which includes Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR). These technologies are helping teachers find creative ways to get students excited about learning. Some teachers are already using VR and AR to make learning more interesting.

The metaverse is like the future of the internet. It includes things like special glasses that make you see computer images in the real world and VR headsets that take you to different places. There are also experiences that mix the real world with the virtual world. These technologies make you feel like you're really with someone else or in a different place because they create a 3D world that surrounds you.

These new technologies that make you feel like you're really there with others are giving teachers new and better ways to teach. Even though it's still early for these technologies, They already seeing some good things happening. A recent report by PwC found that 40% of people who learn using VR feel more confident using what they learned, and they pay 150% more attention during class. The XR Association (XRA) and the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) found that 77% of teachers think these immersive technologies make students more curious and interested in learning.

A study on a VR math program called Prisms found that students who used VR scored 11% higher on tests compared to those who didn't. The study also showed that VR students felt more confident, engaged, and could explain math concepts better. At Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, where they've been using VR early on, students who learned in VR scored an average of 85 on their final tests, while in-person learners scored 78 and those using traditional online methods scored 81. They also noticed that students attending in VR were more active and engaged.

Meta likes to get more teachers and students to benefit from these technologies. That's why, as students start the new school year, we're launching a new partnership program to help college students in the US use VR for learning. They are also working on making it easier for Meta Quest users to find educational materials in the Meta Quest store.

US University Program:

Meta is working together with 15 universities in the United States that are really excited about using immersive technology for teaching. These universities are using virtual reality in their classrooms to see how it can make education better. Here's a list of some of these universities:

Stanford University
Arizona State University
New Mexico State University
University of Iowa
Purdue Global
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Nova Southern University
Miami Dade College
Morehouse College

Education Shelves in Meta Quest Store:

On Meta Quest, there are lots of apps related to education covering various subjects like science, engineering, technology, math (STEM), history, languages, and more. To make it simpler for parents, teachers, and students to find the right educational content as they go back to school, we're exploring ways to highlight these apps in the Meta Quest store.They are testing out special sections in the store to make it easier to discover educational apps during this time.

Growing Momentum for VR Education Tools in Europe:

Europe is also home to a growing sector of companies developing education apps and software for metaverse technologies.

In Germany and Austria, GoStudent is revolutionizing language learning through virtual reality.

In Italy, Itaca Education works with teachers to develop virtual learning experiences for subjects like natural sciences and physics.

In the UK, Noun Town is an award-winning education app using gameplay to remove the grind from learning new languages, including Japanese, Korean, Spanish, French, Italian, German and Chinese. 

Meta is very hopeful about how metaverse technologies can change education for the better, and they are already seeing some positive effects. However, for everyone to make the most of these great opportunities, it's important for governments and other organizations to support and use these technologies in public education systems. The most crucial thing is to make sure that skilled teachers have access to this equipment because they are the ones who can motivate students the best. Overall this inspires students in fresh and exciting ways.

Source: Meta