VR Quest for Knowledge: A Virtual Reality Learner-Centered

As technological advancements move along at high rates of speed, students who are at-risk due to geographic location and/or economic disadvantage are falling further and further behind students who do not face similar barriers. While these students should be benefiting from the tremendous technological advancements in information exchange, simulation, virtual reality, and the multimedia explosion, they are actually handicapped even more than before and face greater risk of low educational achievement and/or reduced academic expectations. VR Quest provides schools with an internet-accessible Learning Community (LC) that allows at- risk students and educators to develop an understanding of core academic content while enjoying themselves at the same time. Students thrust into Virtual Reality Learning Communities (VRLC's) would communicate and interactively explore their virtual surroundings. This learner-centered instructional environment would provide teachers and parents a new framework for promoting educational advancement. Subject learning will be coordinated by focused simulation control, where the simulation objectives are designed to promote any core content from any discipline. The VRLC's will improve instruction and encourage students to practice reflection and make viable transitions from what is learned to practical application. VR Quest will be used to promote effective interaction between teachers, core content, and at-risk learners in an environment that stimulates learning based situational contexts, involving students working individually and collaboratively, in small and large groups. VR Quest will help at-risk students think and reason, communicate and share ideas, and develop a love and understanding of the world in which they live, while gaining confidence in their abilities.