Modeling Reality With Virtual Worlds

The use of virtual technology can be applied to so many different areas than just gaming. One of those areas is the educational system both in schools and most importantly trade schools and hands on programs. The idea of online classes like this class for example might have sounded bizarre a few years ago but with the advancement of technology and the internet , all of that is now possible. Taking that concept to the next step would be to use virtual reality to simulate a real classroom from the comfort of your own home. By connecting with fellow classmates, virtual reality simulations will make class discussions and interaction with the professor so much more realistic than just sending an email. In regards to trade school such as medical schools and automotive technical institutes, rather than just reading about the profession from the textbook and imagining what the field would look like, its always better to experience it hands on. With that being said, equipment like cadavers can be very expensive for some colleges but virtual worlds is a great and cheap alternative to that. This concept applies to other professions such as pilot training, truck driving even for psychologist to help traumatized veterans according to the Forbes article " After Second Life, Can Virtual Worlds Get a Reboot?"

Some of the pros of virtual reality is the fact that it simulates actual environments without any of the dangers that are involved such the case with military training. It allows for people to improve their skills in various professions like mentioned before. The example of helping traumatized veterans can be expanded to other forms of trauma such as depression and anxiety. Another advantage many people overlook is the fact that it can help children with Autism since Autistic kids interact well with technology. One of the cons is the fact that children might end up spending too much time with VR that they loose the sense of reality. They might even end up becoming very anti social and lazy when they can play a sport in VR rather than real life. Another con is the fact that it hasn't been fully magnetizable yet so the cost of producing is somewhat high. Virtual crime might also be an issue as the technology becomes available to many people.

Virtual worlds can foster creativity especially in an educational setting for young children. Games like Minecraft lets you use your imagination and build so many different things. If we replace the same concept to other things like building virtual robots from virtual parts, it might lead to so many other great inventions.  It also creates a world without any boundaries and limitations in their capabilities which will motivate them to have the same mentality in the real world. Guy Posey's piece "The Advantages and Disadvantages of the Virtual Classroom and the Role of the Teacher" states that " with virtual reality both the educator and the student are inspired and captivated, new ideas are sparked, and barriers crumble" (pg.7). The future of VR is very bright since there is so many uses for it. The only problem is the fact that no one is yet to fully monetize on the idea on a large scale but companies like Oculus Rift are changing all of that. Within a few years, the technology should be readily available to everyone to enjoy.