IMPEDIMENTS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF IMMERSIVE VIRTUAL REALITY IN EDUCATION

Abstract

The level of development of immersive virtual reality (IVR) has grown exponentially over the last decade, being successfully implemented in disciplines as diverse as medicine, engineering, entertainment, aerospace industries or architecture. In the education field, most of today's students are considered digital natives and consequently, are used to different software environments such as video games, apps, internet, etc. Therefore, the use of IVR technology does not pose a problem for them. Moreover, this technology has a high potential to promote learning and the acquisition of specific and soft skills, which are increasingly demanded by a global and digital society.However, there is no clear evidence of the development and implementation of IVR technology in the educational environment. The underlying rationale could be the high investment in economic and human resources required for its design, commissioning and usage in the classes, as well as its subsequent maintenance and updating. In addition, other hindrances to the development and implementation of IVR in the education sector can also be identified, e.g. the limitations that educators and researchers sometimes exhibit in terms of the technical knowledge required to develop IVR applications successfully; the need for large physical space to host the installation of IVR devices; the high demand for time that this educational resource requires for its development and updating, among others. Thus, this article presents a rigorous analysis of the impediments that are currently preventing IVR technology from being developed and implemented in the education sector and the cost linked with them.