It’s almost unbelievable that EdTech has come so far that teachers are actually considering the addition of virtual headsets in the classroom. In fact, a recent survey by TES Global shows that VR headsets have edged out the use of maker kits in the classroom.

“In the US alone, according to a survey conducted in the last two months from digital education company TES Global, 84% of teachers at the K-12 level are using some form of technology in their lesson plans,” according to Quartz.

“While 35% of teachers in last year’s inaugural survey said internet connectivity in the classroom was a distraction or barrier to successful teaching, only 16% felt that way this year.”

While game-based learning was the most popular response with 24.7 percent of the votes, the surprising number was that the idea of virtual reality headsets entering the classroom was slightly more popular than maker kits with a 10.2 percent vote to 9.4 percent, respectively.

When you think about VR headsets, they are often related to gaming and in some cases film entertainment. Maker kits became a big hit in the world of education, but the tools have fallen behind and now VR headsets are being introduced as another useful tool in the classroom.

“But thrilling possibilities do exist for VR and augmented-reality technology as it relates to teaching and learning. Google Cardboard’s inexpensive platform, for example, offers many compelling learning experiences; a Utah-based startup recently debuted an immersive augmented-reality machine that takes users through heart-pumping, larger-than-life adventures,” according to the report.

“VR experiences, as Quartz’s Anne Quito points out, may give kids the chance to do anything from ‘traveling’ foreign lands to learning human biology lessons up close.”

Augmented reality could help the world become both smaller and more accessible than having to pay thousands of dollars for a field trip. The real thing might be a much more enriching experience, but VR headsets could be a more inexpensive approach for schools.

The survey also found that 19.1 percent of the teachers surveyed want an increase in laptops for the classroom, with 18.7 percent looking towards tablets.

Read the full story here.

Article by Navindra Persaud, Education World Contributor