Technology is rapidly growing in leaps and bounds in Nigeria, and where has that taken us to? To the seemingly unnatural world of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality. The former is abbreviated to VR, and the latter to AR.
Both are technologies that are going to revolutionize learning in the classroom, and their application is already underway by some VR companies in Nigeria. AR and VR technology captures the senses of the human brain since it immerses oneself into a completely new reality, by projecting images and sounds via the AR/VR headsets.
VR companies in Nigeria are taking bold steps to introduce AR/VR technology into the educational system. What seemed like a tech of the future will now be fairly accessible in a few years by every student.
Here’s how Nigerian tech startups and other major stakeholders are shaping the future of education by using VR technology.
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Unlike many other projects associated with a third-world country, the implementation of VR technology in Nigeria is actually happening at a fast pace.
Everyone must have realized how revolutionizing this educational technology can be and are giving it their full support during its various stages of implementation.
Schools were lending out their classrooms and students for VR companies to test out the use of VR technology in Nigeria, the companies get feedback from the childrens’ reactions and observations.
The VR companies were determining from the tests and pilot programs how best to make AR and VR tech mainstream in education in Nigeria. As a result of testing out this technology out in the field, the integration of VR technology became faster and more efficient in a way we have not seen in ages.
The Federal Government is helping this project get off of the drawing board. It is helping with funding and grants where it can.
Already millions have been invested into AR/VR technology in Nigeria. Various organizations and companies that are into developing educational technology have received a fair amount of cash to begin the implementation of VR and other technologies in schools.
The funds are needed as Virtual Reality is not very cheap, the price of Oculus headset is about ₦144,000.
The greatest advantage so far with the integration of VR technology in Nigerian schools is that Virtual Reality will make classes very interactive and fun to learn in. Virtual Reality immerses the user completely in a whole new world.
Imagine being in 1960 Nigeria when independence was first declared, or watch live as Queen Amina of Zaria ride out with her army of thousands, or imagine seeing the respiratory system right in front of you, you can zoom in on body parts and so on. Virtual reality and augmented reality can take you on a journey that was initially only available in the textbooks.
The VR companies have made learning more intuitive, allowing students to retain more of what they have learned through the use of VR and AR headsets.
“It takes a village to raise a child”
The education of a child takes more than one person, it is a community effort. Fittingly, when technology is about to be introduced into the school system, it usually isn’t done by one person or one company. It is from the combined effort of many educational technology stakeholders and organizations.
They form partnerships with each other to bring the best for the primary and secondary students. The Government usually initiates and broker these partnerships.
This makes the work of implementing VR technology in schools effortless.
The effort by the VR companies in Nigeria is helping to shape how learning is going to be done in the classroom. The future of learning is hopefully going to be more imaginative, more intuitive, and more creative.
Students are going to benefit greatly from the VR technology, it is one of the best tools and resource to have an impact on education in Nigeria.
It may take a few years before it is commonplace in all schools, but at the current rate AR/VR technology is developing in Nigeria, it is possible VR technology will soon be in every computer lab or even every classroom.
By Hafiz Mahmud
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