Cyberlearning is the future
Education in the Metaverse, plus 90s VR games and new motion trackers
An intense but brief flash of white light almost blinds me.
As my eyes adjust back, I try to work out where the flash came from.
I turn and look out over Hiroshima and see the mushroom cloud, and my chest tightens.
As the flames race towards me, I watch, horrified at the advancing wave of destruction, my feet like heavy lead blocks, unmoving.
2 children were walking a dog 20 meters in front of me. They're also frozen in fear watching the flames advance, but the dog is barking. As they're incinerated before me the dog's yelp is cut short.
I close my eyes and take off the headset.
It's just a simulation showcasing the horrors of nuclear warfare. It's a new unit in my history studies in CyberSchool. The goal is to expose us teens to the consequences of nuclear warfare to deter future use when some of us may become politicians or business leaders.
I feel like I'm gonna puke, so the unit is definitely effective. I won't ever forget this moment, the sim is seared into my memory. The worst part was the dog. I don’t know why, but the dog’s death just hits harder. Maybe we’re too used to humans killing themselves in war, but dogs are always innocent.
I put the headset back on and switch to math games.
~~~
Our education system needs a serious overhaul in more ways than one, but one of the ways I’m really excited about is for students to learn through virtual experience. Though a simulation of the nuclear bomb in Hiroshima being dropped would be an almost torturous experience, it would undoubtedly be an incredibly effective lesson.
More on VR in education:
Extended Reality In Education is it the future of instruction
xrtoday.com
Even the military is getting in on XR learning
National Defense Magazine
While we’re on this topic a recent study from Stanford says the “age that kids acquire mobile phones not linked to well-being.”
Last, want to learn how to be a flight attendant?
Looks kinda crazy.
🤖 New AI
Both Midjourney and Stable Diffusion have some new versions out, Midjourney 4 vs 3 is amazing, check it out:
🕺 Be your avatar
Sony debuted some sweet full-body trackers
Unfortunately, they’re only coming out in Japan first.
sony.jp
🕹 VR like it’s 1995
Compund is an awesome indie VR game that reminds me so much of the games we played in the 90s. It’s currently available on Steam (and there’s a free demo to try) but is releasing on Quest 2 soon
Road to VR
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