Tech companies are increasing their presence in classrooms across London.

Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) are now being used by several schools and universities in order to create a more stimulating and immersive learning environment.

What students and teachers can really do with the use of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality ?

Augmented reality means that something new is placed into the space you are already in. So for example, you’re ‘goggles’ would show your classroom environment, but add in a frog that is being dissected in biology lesson. This makes teaching safer, more environmentally friendly, whilst still remaining very visual and engaging.

There is a spectrum of products – both in terms of offering and in terms of price. Over thirty London schools are already using some of more affordable VR and AR products. The Education Manager for tech company HP, Jeramie Sutton, says that these products are an innovative method to broaden the imagination of children and inspire new ideas and thoughts.

But Sir Anthony Seldon, a leading education academic, warns that the technologies that have the potential to make the most impact, can be prohibitively expensive. His concern is that AR and VR products might deepen rather than eliminate existing educational divisions. The increasing reliance on technology needs to be monitored and not presumed to be entirely positive.

Sir Anthony does admit that if the education sector can make the right decisions, then he believes we will see the biggest enhancement of human fulfilment the world has seen.