Virtual Reality in Education — A Blessing or Curse?

The use of technology and digital tools plays an important role in education. To teach relevant skills and practical knowledge to students it is important to acquaint them with a virtual world so that they can learn practical aspects with the help of immersive three‐dimensional technologies. The present education system is based on competency and one which sparks innovation. So, in a competency‐based educational system, the student should not cram the facts, but they should learn in such a manner so they can get the required skills that will be utilized in the workplace. Memorizing concepts makes learning short‐term oriented and boring; hence, the need for virtual reality has arisen in order to help students become skilfull. In this chapter, we will discuss the importance and drawbacks of virtual reality (VR). Virtual reality simulates a student's physical presence in a virtual environment, enabling them to interact with the virtual world and objects portrayed therein using digital tools. It will provide students with life‐like experiences which help them in education. Virtual reality has benefitted education in various ways as it enhances the whole learning process, provides experiential learning, and also removes language barriers. It also helps to create a safe environment for learning. As every coin has two sides, similarly, virtual reality also has various drawbacks such as high cost, addiction, lack of sociability, and no real communication. It also has a bad impact on the health of the user. As it has both advantages and disadvantages, we can't choose any one side; it depends upon the user and his intentions as to whether or not virtual reality is a boon or a curse to the education system.