Abstract
Immersive learning and technology are instructional strategies that use cutting-edge technologies to create dynamic and captivating learning environments. With this combination, the learning environment should be more immersive and productive, increasing the impact and engagement of education. Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are such innovative technologies that increase opportunities in education. This chapter examined how AR and VR are used in education, particularly during the knowledge dissemination. These technologies offer both teachers and students novel platforms for teaching by providing interactive environments, immersives and simulations that have revolutionised the field of learning tactics. However, to meet the huge demand in education, these technologies are still at their growing stage and require more resources. The chapter also focuses on the differences, and educational benefits of AR and VR, as well as the possibilities for mobile learning environments and future applications of these technologies in education.
TopBackground
Modern technology has contributed to major shifts in society and the economy by integrating and applying cutting-edge instruments and techniques. These include improvements in the field of telecommunications (da Cruz et al., 2018), an emphasis on sustainability, and a rise in technological advancement (Muniz et al., 2020). These changes, which are spreading quickly and widely, led several technical studies to propose the beginning of the fourth industrial revolution, known as “Industry 4.0” (Gilchrist, 2016). Applications of artificial intelligence techniques are increasingly being used including time series forecasting (Stefenon et al., 2021) and classification (Stefenon et al., 2022). These applications are also found in fields like energy (Stefenon et al., 2020), security (Stefenon et al., 2022d), and education (Zhai et al., 2021).
With Industry 4.0 driving constant digitization and the never-ending problem of handling the deluge of information, education struggles to hold students' attention in the midst of a plethora of interactive materials. The teaching profession is undergoing a significant transition to better fit the current global environment in reaction to the complexity of 21st-century education. This change entails the use of fresh teaching strategies that acknowledge and address how people fit into the dynamics of modern society (Cilliers, 2017).
The expanding integration of technology into educational practices is being driven by the rising use of artificial intelligence (AI) and the introduction of new technologies (Vieira et al., 2022; Stefenon et al., 2022b; Stefenon et al., 2022c). Mendes et al. (2021) have shown that this tendency is promising for the application of these principles in the classroom. In response to the need for a more modern educational system, interactive technologies such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are finding their way into instructional applications (Silva et al., 2022).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Augmented Reality: It refers to a technology that projects digital data like pictures, movies, or three-dimensional models in form of real environment. It is usually seen with a smartphone, tablet, or AR headset.
Artificial Intelligence (AI): AI is the branch of technology that develops intelligent machines for carrying out tasks that traditionally require human intelligence.
Mobile Environment: The digital ecology and infrastructure that surround mobile devices, such as smartphones, tablets, and wearable technology, is referred to as the mobile environment.
Virtual Reality: It is a technology in which users may interact with and experience three-dimensional (3D) digital environments as though they were actually there. VR immerses users in a simulated, computer-generated environment.
Technology: It refers to the practical application of scientific knowledge, instruments, and methods, especially in business, industry, education, and other domains.
Immersive Learning: It is a teaching strategy that involves completely engrossing students in a virtual or interactive setting, frequently with the aid of technology.
Education: The process of gaining knowledge, skills, values, beliefs, and habits through organized instruction, hands-on activities, and interactions is referred to as education.