Support Contact Book a Demo Request a Quote Sign In

Select Country

Implementing VR & AR for Student Success

The use of Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) in education has seen significant growth in recent years, creating truly immersive experiences where students can reach their full potential. Complementing traditional teaching techniques, VR/AR provides access to deeply engaging content that brings lessons to life in ways that were previously out of reach.

Effectively leveraging VR/AR creates impactful learning environments that support student progress both academically and socially. Whether you are already on a VR/AR journey, or looking for inspiration to get started, this blog will show you how to integrate immersive learning across the curriculum and give your students the best foundation for future success.

Table of contents

Engaging introductions

VR/AR can be used to significantly transform the way lessons begin, especially when starting new or complex topics. The immersive nature of VR/AR provides captivating introductions that instantly set the tone, engage students, and leave them eager to learn more.

Using VR/AR at the start of a lesson serves as an effective hook to pique students' interest. Immersive introductions make topics more relatable and ignite curiosity, encouraging students to ask questions and take part in group discussions. The sensory-rich experiences facilitated by VR/AR in classrooms create memorable starting points that can significantly enhance understanding and knowledge retention.

Take the ‘human body’ in biology, for example. Introduce this topic in an exciting way by giving learners a virtual tour of the human body. Students can immerse themselves in different sections of the body, take in their shapes and colors, and witness their functions in action first-hand. Using VR/AR, students can explore the human skeleton in detail, taking in the intricate details of various bones and how they link to others, or how some bones are structured to protect vital organs – such as the skull protecting the brain.

For many students, being introduced to multiple new topics at once, particularly at the start of a new term or academic year, can be overwhelming. VR/AR allows learners to familiarize themselves with new information in an engaging way, making new topics less daunting. Introduce students to the human body in the morning for Biology, then in the afternoon, immerse them in a pivotal moment of the Civil Rights Movement for a history lesson – all without leaving the classroom.  

When it comes to teaching history, many students struggle to connect with events that took place outside of their lifetime. To overcome this challenge, Crowlands Primary School in Romford, England, used VR/AR to show students what battle was like for soldiers in World War I. Guiding students through an experience of the trenches, students could safely explore the grime, mud, and rain and hear distant battlefield cries and explosions.

“Our pupils were astonished at what the soldiers had to go through,” explains Anthony Isaac, Computing Coordinator.

“Even though we had already covered trench life as part of our topic, they gained a brand-new understanding and empathy for the millions of courageous soldiers that gave their lives.”

Building understanding

VR/AR can also be used to help students develop a deeper understanding of subjects and retain information more effectively. By facilitating opportunities for experiential and immersive learning, VR/AR allows students to connect with concepts in ways that traditional learning methods often can't achieve, having a positive impact that’s been evidenced by research. 

Compared with learners taught with traditional teaching methods, VR learners are: four times more focused, four times quicker to retain knowledge, over three times more emotionally connected to lessons, and 275% more confident when applying their learnings (PwC).

A key advantage of VR/AR is its ability to simplify complex topics by making them more tangible and interactive. This hands-on approach makes students active participants in their own learning rather than passive recipients of information, making it easier for them to understand details that might be challenging to comprehend through textbooks or classroom discussions alone. This is especially true for teaching maths.

Concepts like perpendicular lines, parallel lines, and line segments can be challenging for some students to grasp, especially when applying them to real-world contexts. Using VR/AR, teachers can make these concepts more tangible, allowing students to virtually explore and interact with the lines and angles of famous buildings. After introducing the theory, students can use VR/AR to examine the lines of the Empire State Building or the angles of Big Ben.

Furthermore, VR/AR can deepen understanding following traditional learning. After a lesson, students can use these technologies to explore concepts in greater depth or to review material in a more interactive format. The combination of traditional and immersive learning ensures that students not only understand the material but can apply it.

VR/AR gives students the opportunity to explore subject matter closer than ever. This is particularly beneficial in English lessons, where VR/AR helps students to improve their descriptive writing skills by allowing them to write in greater detail.

Fairview Elementary School in California, USA, used this approach to teach an underwater world topic. After introducing key information and vocabulary, students were immersed in 360-degree videos of deep-sea environments. By virtually observing sea creatures like sharks up close and exploring habitats like coral reefs, students were able to craft detailed descriptions of their encounters and creatively apply their new knowledge.

“My class was very engaged and immersed in this lesson. They were quick to get their thoughts on paper and many students wrote more than they ever had,” explains Laura Obando, Second-grade teacher.

“I truly believe without the VR/AR experience many students would have struggled with this writing assignment. They were able to be creative and very detailed thanks to the VR/AR experience.”

Consolidating learning

VR/AR is a valuable tool for consolidating learning, allowing teachers to assess students’ understanding and retention of topics at the end of lessons. By immersing students in experiences that revisit key concepts, teachers can validate comprehension in real-time. VR/AR makes it easier to identify areas where students may need further clarification or guidance, ensuring that learning objectives are fully met before moving on to new topics.

VR/AR can also empower students to consolidate their own learning by allowing them to repeat concepts covered throughout the topic. VR/AR gives students opportunities to revisit immersive experiences, helping to solidify their understanding and reinforce key information. By engaging with VR/AR, students can round off subjects in a meaningful and memorable way, helping to ensure they finish the topic with a strong grasp of the material.

Countryside Elementary School in Illinois, USA, is using this teaching strategy to great effect. During a nonfiction reading unit, news of the Notre Dame fire hit headlines all over the world. To help them connect their close reading of the news articles to their classroom learnings, students were immersed in a 360-degree video of the famous cathedral, allowing them to explore its historical and architectural significance first-hand.

“VR/AR turned a current events lesson into a culminating experience; it connected students to news events in a way that printed word or an online video could not,” explains Paige Green, Teacher Librarian.

“Adding VR to my lesson also awakened their sense of empathy and helped them to understand this global news event in a more meaningful way.”

The use of VR/AR in education is transforming how students engage with and understand the curriculum. These immersive technologies complement traditional teaching methods by offering interactive, hands-on experiences that enhance student engagement and knowledge retention. By effectively integrating VR/AR, schools can create dynamic learning environments that support both academic and social development. Far from replacing traditional teaching methods, VR/AR enrich them, setting students up for success by making learning more impactful and enjoyable.

To discover more about how schools across the world are implementing VR/AR, you can download our practical guide 50 Creative Ways to Use ClassVR

Request your FREE ClassVR Demo Today!

Interested in introducing virtual reality to your school?

Experience the world’s most awarded VR & AR solution for schools, ClassVR, by booking a no obligation demo today and learn how you can enhance your lessons with this exciting technology!

Related Categories

What would you like to see next in our ClassVR content and resources repository?

We love to hear feedback from schools all over the world, so if you have any suggestions of resources you would like to use or lessons you want to teach, just drop our Educational Services team an email at: community@classvr.com