What is Virtual Reality?

This is dictionary.com’s definition of virtual reality:

 virtual reality- noun

a realistic simulation of an environment, including three-dimensional graphics, by a computer system using interactive software and hardware.

Virtual Reality is also knows as a computer simulated environment and artificial reality.  

In all of my research, virtual reality seems to hinge on the fact that a computer of some kind is necessary, restricting this kind of technology to the early information age and later. As the years go by, better and more advanced virtual reality software is being developed. The first example of virtual reality that comes to mind is Walt Disney World. The technology at Disney parks is actually quite advanced and innovative and they have several attractions that use virtual reality such as Sorin Over California. In this simulation you are in a hang glider in front of a giant movie screen to make you feel like you are actually hang gliding. Movement of the ride vehicle, breezes, and scents add to the reality of the simulation and make it feel like you are really there. That is the purpose of virtual reality.

            In my educational setting virtual reality is hardly being used at all. We do a lot of activities in my classroom that involve imagination and pretending we are experiencing something different. (You might say imagination is the low-tech forerunner of virtual reality.) We also watch a lot of videos and do virtual field trips, but because these just give information and don’t really make you feel like you’re there, I do not think they count as virtual reality. That kind of technology is just not readily available in a school setting.

            I am both for and against virtual reality. I think that if virtual reality creates educational opportunities that would otherwise be unavailable to students, then it is a good thing. However, all educational experiences should not be replaced with virtual reality. We don’t want our actual reality to become completely virtual. With the way our technology is going this has already starting to happen (people would rather text than speak face to face. It’s really cool that students can have a deeper conversation by typing on Cover It Live, but is this inhibiting their ability to have a face to face group discussion?)