Stepping into a Virtual Reality Classroom for Teacher Training
Using Virtual Reality (VR), teacher training can be facilitated in a comfortable and individual virtual space where teachers can practice pedagogical approaches and new ways of integrating Information and Communications Technology (ICT) at their convenience and as frequently as possible. It reduces the hassle of high costs associated with training venues, per diems during training periods, travel to training sites or missing school days. While introduction of technology does not completely eliminate the need for in-person and personalized trainings, the VR for teacher training pilot was first envisioned as the project began sketching out a sustainability plan of the existing Connect To Learn Myanmar project, launched in 2015.
Connect To Learn Myanmar is a project headed by Ericsson in partnership with the Earth Institute and with funding support from Qualcomm® Wireless Reach™. It provides ICT solutions to 31 schools with in-person teacher training under the broader vision of increasing quality of instruction and student participation, especially for girls, in secondary schools in marginalized communities. With the project period ending in 2019 and funding support for in-person teacher trainings ending as a result, the project proposed digital content housed through a VR environment, which can continually be used by teachers even after project wrap-up with Ministry of Education oversight.
See the full story here: http://csd.columbia.edu/2018/05/23/stepping-into-a-virtual-reality-classroom-for-teacher-training/