The end of 2021 is just the beginning for the implementation of virtual reality and social gaming in schools
As we approach the end of 2021, parents have predicted that VR and social gaming will be the tech that shapes the future of learning.
Fifty-five percent of UK parents and 60% of US parents see this area of edtech being incorporated into the classroom over the next five years, according to new research from edtech gaming company Kuato Studios that spanned across 1000 parents and 600 primary and secondary school teachers.
As we look into 2022, we must harness the lessons from the last 18 months and the benefits of edtech, particularly as 61% of UK and 47% of US teachers acknowledged technology as a critical learning tool – Mark Horneff, CEO of Kuata Studios
A further 77% (UK) and 81% (US) saw games as having a positive impact on learning, compared to teachers who scored slightly less at 74% (UK) and 72% (US).
CEO of Kuata Studios Mark Horneff attributed this distinction to a combination of factors including a gap in technical skills, access to tools, and not having the curriculum properly adapted to the digital environment inside and outside of the classroom:
“We need to address this disconnect head on,” he said. “Games that embed learning through play and reflect the curriculum, lift the weight off teachers and make it easier for them to mimic the environments children are already familiar with in their personal time.”
Post-pandemic learning
Research also found that parents in the UK specifically cited problem solving (78%), creativity (76%), and mental stimulation (58%) as priorities for their children’s learning post-pandemic.
In the US, problem solving and creativity proved the highest priority at 77%, with literary coming in second at 59%.
During the pandemic, the top two challenges for teachers in both the UK and the US were meeting the individual needs of each child and being overwhelmed by the situation the world was in.
The top challenges moving forward were found to be engagement with children, and their protection and safety.
In response to these issues, tech was cited by teachers as having a critical role within education. In order to implement tech successfully in the classroom, the top priorities were access to digital tools and upskilling teachers.
“Teachers have had multiple challenges to overcome,” commented Horneff. “Edtech use is only going to increase and so over the course of 2022, we expect training opportunities for teachers to improve so they can familiarise themselves with new and innovative technologies that help children learn better, faster and more effectively both inside and outside of the classroom.”
Originally published in https://edtechnology.co.uk/covid-19/teachers-see-vr-as-having-a-key-role-in-2022-classrooms/