Project Morpheus

I'm rambling on today about something I have been excited about for a few years now, virtual reality headsets. PlayStation have recently announced their exciting virtual reality headset called project Morpheus. The headset itself, only a prototype, actually looks quite sleek and trendy and seems to be comfortable to the wearer. However, this is not the thing that excites me the most with project Morpheus. I'm giddy because of the possibilities of this technology not only as a gamer but also the possibilities of this as an educational tool. Imagine for a moment that you could show a class of kids a simulated reconstruction of historical events both major (the streets of London during the Great Fire) and minor (the inside of a fully constructed and populated castle), allowing them to interact and experience that reality from within the classroom, at home or at a club whilst friends, family, teachers and fellow classmates can watch along. Imagine teaching children about a country or natural wonder and being able to pop on the headset and instantly transport them to the foot of a mountain, volcano or waterfall. Used in this way it would change the way education can be accessed and delivered and would open the door, paving the way for new opportunities and experiences for children who often don't get the chance to visit these locations. It would work across the board in many different subjects, not just History and Geography. In maths you could explain the scale of objects, in Literacy you could walk through a forest and experience it before you write it into a short story. The possibilities are endless. It may surprise some people that Sony PlayStation seems to be quite interested in taking steps towards that image, mentioning in a recent video (http://youtu.be/7mOcJ9PdKUE) the possibilities of exploring the international space station or looking up at the Eiffel Tower! Don't get me wrong this kind of technology will only work educationally if it is used in moderation and used in conjunction with modern day teaching practice. Nobody wants to see a society where nobody experiences the real world because virtual reality is, well, too much of a reality. I suppose what I'm saying is this technology, if used this way, will boost hands on experiences for children and allow them access to new and unexperienced areas. I look forward to seeing what the future holds and I hope somebody with the funding and experience can envisage something similar!