EDCI339 Speculative Future Presentation: VR & Environmental Education

[Audio] Speculative Futures. VR and Environmental Education.

[Audio] Imagine We are headed into a time where technology heavily influences our educational systems in ways of learning, teaching, and interactive with each other and our environment. Picture an elementary school even just 10 years from now. In this future, paper use will be limited to arts and crafts projects while activities such as writing exercises will be completed using tablets and bluetooth pens as those motor functions are important to develop in younger students. Teachers will distribute resources in shared online spaces for students, so that they are able to access materials when needed. Students will have the option to go to a brick-and-mortar school or learn online after grade 5. Learning is student centered by engaging in independent and inquiry-based projects with plenty of collaboration opportunities to work on key "soft" skills. And finally, we will use virtual reality or augmented reality to give students educational experiences beyond the classroom that connects them to our Earth's environments..

[Audio] Importance of Environmental Connection Learning about the environment is crucial for a sustainable future. By intertwining environmental education with emerging technologies students can adapt pro-environmental and eco-friendly attitudes that can minimize adverse effects on the natural environment. There are 3 components that build towards pro-environmental behaviour: (1) equal interactions, (2) embedded interactions, and (3) extended interactions. There is a large body of evidence that supports that having a connection to nature supports an individual's well-being and overall health. It is imperative to supply students with opportunities so that they can move on to having healthy, active, and happy lives. Educators have a significant role in empowering students as stewards, such as finding new ways to include emerging technologies in environmental education..

[Audio] Picture This: Live Stream VR A teacher organizes an environmental experience for their class. This experience includes visiting a site that requires bus travel and moderate hiking along a trail to engage in onsite group activities. While there are many students in their class that are excited for this experience and would otherwise not have an opportunity to visit the outdoors, there are also students who are unable to join due to motion sickness, anxiety, having a particular designation, or a physical limitation. With Live Stream VR, students are able to stay in their classroom while sharing the experience with their peers. Previous to the excursion, students would be assigned activity groups and some within the excursion group will carry a 360 camera with an audio capturing and distributing device. Those in the classroom will be able to engage in the hike and contribute to the activities using VR. This technology has an option for subtitles for individuals with hearing impairments. To connect these devices over a large area they would be streamed through satellite technology such as connection via Starlink. This is on scenario where VR can have a positive impact on students that are unable to or choose not to join their classmates on local field trips. However, virtual technologies can bring so much more to environmental education..

[Audio] A closer look" VR and environmental education. Virtually reality or VR will support and enhance outdoor and environmental education while contributing to students' positive well-being by allowing students to interact with a variety of environments using visual and auditory stimuli. Virtual technologies can promote outdoor trips close to home and help students connect with global and local environmental issues. When complex environmental issues require students to engage with multiple places and points of view, virtual technologies can support them. Improved access through virtual simulations may promote empathy and overcome inaction brought on by the psychological distance..

[Audio] The Role of VR In The Classroom For educators Using VR in the classroom results in high levels of engagement, and significant gains to understanding and problem-solving. Teachers can then engage students in self-reflection while highlighting broader issues surrounding social and environmental justice. Additionally, this technology allows educators to organize time and cost-saving experiences for students. For Students these technologies become transformative when students can experience environmental processes that would otherwise be invisible to them due to their scale, location, or the timeframes over which changes occur. Additionally, using these technologies allows students to develop digital literacy skills for future requirements..

[Audio] Advantages in education. Compared to traditional modes of outdoor education, Virtual technologies can include diverse knowledges. When researchers measured the effect of a simulation by comparing student test scores, they found that knowledge of the subject increased by almost 150 per cent and was retained after several weeks. Virtual technologies support students in developing skills like digital literacy, creative thinking, communication, collaboration and problem solving which are more essential than ever as we are currently educating students for jobs that do not exist yet..

[Audio] Accessibility. Many nature locations are inaccessible to students due to distance, safety concerns, economic barriers or ability. This potential limitations should not impeded their connection to their local and the global environments. By using virtual technologies in the classroom students would have equal access to environmental connections and experiences as those who are able to visit in person. Additionally, access to ecologically sensitive areas like coral reefs or wetlands is limited in order to preserve them. VR can provide an alternative way to experience these locations and create deeper connections thus leading to pro-environmental behaviours. Compared to traditional modes of outdoor education, Virtual technologies can include diverse knowledges that are built into the program so students can hear diverse points of view..

[Audio] Privacy and Ethics. Privacy: In the scenario of live streaming VR; where is the data being processed through? Are they keeping a file on it? These, and questions like these are something that school districts need to take into account. A key reason why many school districts across Canada were delayed in setting up online learning platforms was because the data was processed in the US who has different laws on data collection. To abide by Canadian laws, districts had to find local alternatives. Ethics: Who is monitoring what we are seeing with virtual technologies? Are voices being given to all communities equally? An example of this is when using local Indigenous Knowledge. There are VR programs that include Indigenous knowledge of an area however these knowledges "are too often filtered through white intermediaries" (White, 2022). At stake is that Indigenous voices can be lost or distorted. It is vitally important that Indigenous people and other diverse communities are able tell their own stories..

[Audio] Please find a list of the references and resources used in the research of this presentation. Thank you for listening..

Rheingold, H. (2014). Technology 101: What Do We Need To Know About The Future We’re Creating?. Critical Digital Pedagogy https://cdpcollection.pressbooks.com/chapter/technology-101-what-do-we-need-to-know-about-the-future-were-creating/ Selwyn, N. (2021) “Facing up to the dilemma of sustainable digital futures” DigiGen.eu. https://www.digigen.eu/digigenblog/facing-up-to-the-dilemma-of-sustainable-digital-futures/ Sukma , E & Ramadhan, Salsa & Indriyani , V. (2020). Integration of environmental education in elementary schools. Journal of Physics: Conference Series. 1481. 012136. 10.1088/1742-6596/1481/1/012136. University, S. (2018, November 30). Virtual reality aids in environmental education. Stanford News. https://news.stanford.edu/2018/11/30/virtual-reality-aids-environmental-education/ White, S. (2022). Virtual reality can support and enhance outdoor environmental education. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/virtual-reality-can-support-and-enhance-outdoor-environmental-education-183579.