In recent years, immersive reality has emerged as a revolutionary technology with the potential to transform education and professional development. This technology involves creating a fictional environment that appears realistic, providing users with a sense of immersion. By using virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR), immersive surroundings offer interactive and lifelike experiences that can significantly enhance the learning process. 

The advantages of immersive learning are numerous and are likely to continue growing as this technology develops further. Among them, we can highlight feedback and interactivity, personalization, experiential learning, and access to challenging or inaccessible environments.

As a result, it becomes evident that immersive realities stand at the forefront of Learning by Doing and Active Learning, offering authentic experiences to online education, perfectly aligned with the characteristics of the ever-evolving hybrid world we live in.

As advocates of Liquid Learning and practical education at IE University Publishing, we have been actively developing educational materials that harness this technology for several years. A standout example is Eye in the Storm: Your Role in Climate Action, a VR simulator that immerses students in a hurricane experience, enabling them to encounter scenarios otherwise inaccessible, forge emotional connections with the issue, and cultivate empathy while mitigating associated risks. This emotionally impactful experience is complemented by an interactive multimedia role-playing exercise designed to stimulate profound and engaging reflections and discussions. This multimedia part of this material is available in our online catalog.

Learn more about this experience, extensively used in our programs, in the following introduction video:

While VR's most well-known applications in education are typically associated with technical skills, it also offers substantial benefits in cultivating so-called "soft skills." Through training in complex scenarios within controlled, low-stress environments, it boosts real-life confidence by an impressive 275%*

The data provides compelling evidence of VR's positive impact on academic performance, as a study conducted by PwC reveals that VR enhances knowledge retention by an impressive 80% compared to traditional teaching methods. This effect can be attributed to students forming an emotional connection 3.75 times stronger than in regular classes, as people tend to understand and retain information better when emotionally engaged. Furthermore, VR increases concentration by four times by effectively eliminating distractions and multitasking*.

In essence, immersive realities, especially virtual reality, are on their way to becoming a tremendous opportunity for both companies and educational institutions. By creating an interactive, personalized, and feedback-driven environment, it offers benefits such as increased concentration, confidence, and connection for users. Moreover, it can now be combined with Artificial Intelligence tools, making it even more powerful.

Virtual reality has arrived to revolutionize learning methodologies.

*SOURCE: PriceWaterhouseCoopers. (2022, September 15). What does virtual reality and the metaverse mean for training?. PwC. https://www.pwc.com/us/en/tech-effect/emerging-tech/virtual-reality-study.html