How artificial intelligence and virtual reality are changing the way children learn

There are several ways artificial intelligence can be applied in education to aid students in their learning—for example, real time assessments, tracking micro and macro KPIs (Key Performance Indices) in every child, making learning experiential via VR and AR ( Augmented Reality) among others.

How Technology is Making Learning Experiential

Most educators would agree that students learn best not when they read about something, but when they get to experience it. Real experiences are limited to the vision and knowledge of the facilitator, and the classroom. But aided by technology, these experiences could take a completely new trajectory. Imagine reading about Antarctica, and then getting to watch penguins plunge into the ocean. Imagine being able to attend a book launch of your favourite author, whose last book you just read, through VR again.

One would think that we are talking about heavy investments, getting a tablet for every child, kind of thing. But we can even do without heavy investments. The above can all be achieved via Google Cardboard Headsets, single cameras and mics in classrooms.

Face recognition can judge the excitement level and responsiveness of every child across topics. Thus being able to make real time assessments a reality. Ofcourse, each system would have inaccuracies at first, but these inaccuracies would soon reduce as the system grows smarter.

Use of AI and VR in education

In the last two decades India has quickly moved from the Right to Education Phase to the New Education Policy Phase. This year, the Ministry of Education float carried the vision of Metaverse.

While Metaverse seems to be a 3D virtual version of reality and beyond, accessible without moving an inch, at a fraction of the amount it would cost to experience the same thing in reality. There is much more to it.

Today, students can get access to the best faculty and the best recommendations based on their real time assessments. They can put up their work as an NFT and earn tokens from it. These tokens can be used to avail scholarships.

While most people are swayed by the VR aspect of the Metaverse, I am personally swayed by the AI part of it, and the access such intelligence would bring.

Many are apprehensive of introducing AI into our education system. They see it as a threat that would replace teachers. We certainly need policies on how AI can be used and how it cannot. However, AI aiding a teacher, would really be a combination hat could propel our education system from offering an assembly line approach to creating a customised one.

E-learning community in Metaverse

Even though the metaverse is still in its infancy, the education sector is moving towards it, keen to improve learning experiences for every student.

To sum up, education is slated for a tremendous change and everyone across the domain, including the government, is now creating an environment to facilitate it, and build upon the Metaverse framework.