It will be “the world’s first virtual reality (VR) charter school” and will open its doors this fall, starting in August 2022.
The “Zoom” is something old-fashioned at the Optima Classical Academy school in Naples (Florida, USA), which is preparing to be the first to use virtual reality to teach its students in the face of the situation caused by the coronavirus.
At this virtual college on the Florida west coast, “students receive daily live instruction in virtual reality (VR)” through “a real teacher” who teaches classes “synchronously on a created social VR platform” for this purpose, explains to Efe Adam Mangana, executive director of Optima Domi, provider of the center’s curriculum.
Undoubtedly, the coronavirus pandemic, its consecutive waves and variants, have put teaching to the test and forced schools to accelerate the search for suitable tools to continue teaching, for example with the adoption, like this center, of 3D virtual reality instead of Internet video conferencing.
With avatars to Pompeii
A “metaverse” where teachers and students, explains Mangana, interact through avatars and students follow a “study plan at their own pace” with online projects and tasks and analog (printed) material, which also gives them “the experience of handling pages and studying a physical text.”
In fact, it is “the first virtual reality (VR) ‘charter’ (autonomous) school in the world” and will open its doors this fall, starting in August 2022, with the start of the new school year, for which The registration period is now open on its website.
The students of Optima Classical Academy They will attend live virtual reality sessions in 30- to 45-minute increments, for three hours a day, four days a week, says Mangana, who has 15 years of experience in the field of educational technology.
From their homes, with a 360-degree view of the classrooms, students will be able to see objects in three dimensions thanks to the special glasses (Oculus Quest) that the center provides.
The classes are taught in a “fully immersive” virtual reality environment, with a personalized avatar, so that, for example, “they are transported to a ‘classroom’ in Pompeii, to a prehistoric waterhole or to the depths of the ocean”, highlights this pioneer in the field of this technology applied to education.
The idea in this center is to complement the educational experience of VR technology, from third to eighth grade, with resources such as access to the “great books of classic American education through the virtual online platform.”
Thus, the school will unite tradition and innovation through virtual reality in subjects such as Algebra, Art, Math, Spanish, Music Theory, Science, or US History, among other.
The priority is to interconnect the “more social and collaborative elements of the online school with virtual reality, such as Socratic discussions”, adds Mangana, whose company is the only one that provides virtual VR instruction in the United States.
Increased student attention
Asked if there has been any kind of increase in the attention of students in class through virtual reality, the expert mentioned a recent study that shows that “students learn concepts twice as fast and retain them twice as long” through this technology.
Optima’s technology was designed, he said, around the learning needs of Today’s students: “Digital natives who crave immersive experiences.”
And just as importantly, the response from parents to this VR classroom experience for their children has been “overwhelmingly positive” across the country.
Ultimately, parents “see the potential for their children to excel academically while exploring new worlds from the comfort and safety of their homes,” he said.
Likewise, teachers are looking for a “way to maintain positive and substantive relationships with their students remotely”, away from the “operational challenges” that come with the physical space of schools.
Without turning back
For Mangana, Optima’s virtual classrooms add an “unprecedented level to their studies”, not only “captivating students” but limiting the “distractions of daily life”, by keeping them “focused on learning”.
In the face of “so many distractions that have become commonplace in standard virtual classrooms or learning environments,” Optima’s virtual reality allows for maximum student concentration.
This move toward “e-learning” comes as only 15% of parents in the United States are in favor of their children attending classes remotely, at least until the threat of the omicron variant subsides, according to a study. recently published by the internet site MyElearningWorld.com.
And 45% of parents believe they should be able to choose between in-person and remote classes for their children.
The truth is that virtual reality is opening a gap and the “metaverse” has become an ideal ally to teach classes, when millions of students around the world cannot attend school or university due to the pandemic. (I)
Paul is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment and general news. He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established herself as a respected voice in the industry.
