Getting and holding attention

VR (virtual reality) can and should be a part of every learning solution, the world over. VR offers a unique way to connect with learning content, and an unmatched method of delivery. Unfortunately, the market drivers and influencers miss some very core tenets, and it is from here that we will start. All of what is discussed in these few pages, and on our YouTube channel, is freely available. The name, Sensible-VR, is a directive (an imperative) borne from years of witnessing decisions made on an incomplete set of knowns. The hope is to arm everyone with knowledge commensurate with making good decisions.

Becoming indistractable is the most important skill for the 21^st century

Nir Eyal - Stanford University

What is the core strength of VR in education?

First and foremost is attention. This alone is gold! I would doubt that there is a teacher worldwide who wouldn't love to get student attention for at least some part of the day, or class. Being immersed in a unique environment suspends student affect and creates an open and active mind, ripe for learning. Mix in an engaged student who wants to be in that environment, and the scene is set for some very compelling learning experiences.

Focused concentration for an extended period
Distraction-free environment
Safe, judgment-free learning environment
Autonomus learning
Active learning

Student agency
Engagement encourages motivation
Multi-modal approach to hit all senses
Self-directed and self-paced
Multiple instances

Simply having a VR device does NOT get you all of these benefits

Hence the reason for this site, and the name Sensible-VR. We want you to know what you are getting into, and the importance of having the right mix between device and content. It's vital to get this right because the educational value is that irresistible. You will soon be an expert.

Everything for everyone, is nothing for anyone.

Devices
It would be great if VR devices were like TVs, and you could just buy one and get started. But that's not the reality. There are two camps with respect to devices, 3 DoF vs 6 DoF. In both cases, you are in the scene and interacting with learning content. Both are immersive.

One, 6 DoF, allows/promotes more movement for a greater sense of immersion. But as with all things in life, there is a trade-off, and I will suggest that what you give up for 6 DoF is not worth the move to that device.

Content
Virtual reality deals in a 360° world and as such, the file sizes, particularly with videos, can be very large. Herein lies the challenge. Making VR content used to be quite convoluted, and expensive. It is substantially easier now, but without proper foresight, file sizes can still cause a challenge.

At the end of the day, someone has to own the "burden". Will that be you, or the company that makes content?

About Us

Sensible-VR has a singular mission of ensuring that you learn how to critically judge the various options in the market, and get the most out of your learning dollars. Our mission is to bring real educational value to schools. VR should be about connecting students with concepts, connecting teachers with students, and connecting districts with useful data and analytics. Soon, this will all make sense.

Sensible -VR

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