Students, anywhere, can have front row seats to the best teachers, experiences and field trips available to all no matter where they live. Students will be able to access a substantially larger course catalogue than a regular school knowing that each is taught by an exemplary teacher. Experiences that are critical to learning, but are otherwise too expensive or too dangerous, will become commonplace. Virtual field trips can be a daily occurrence.

Unlike a classroom experience or online study, the teacher and the class designer can control all aspects of the environment. The experiences can be created to be engaging, while eliminating the distractions of the outside world.

Live lectures are no longer limited by physical space or geography. Students can join a lecture or an experience as if they are there. Students can ask questions, have small group discussions, work with their “seat partner,” and have a side line conversation with a TA all without leaving their home.

With large student and faculty population’s signing in remotely, the opportunity for mass customization and segmentation of class offerings will ensure more students receive the classes that are best for them. Thousands of unique, but exemplary courses, can be offered to students across all conceivable subjects ensuring a student can find a course that matches their skill level and learning style. It also creates opportunities for increasing access to classes not commonly offered at a typically high performing high school. A teacher with a unique passion for an obscure topic, will be much more likely to find a class full of students that share their passion.

A virtual classroom is easy for teachers to manage and provides a safe space for all students. Teachers are able to control all communications between students and monitor discussions. Late arriving or normally disruptive students no longer intrude on the learning of others. Students are represented in virtual reality by an avatar where they can express themselves, but also protect their identities. Students will be empowered to participate in class. Bullying will no longer exist. Students will not have to fear their social standing
because of what makes them unique. They will also be able to find a large community that is just like them through virtual student clubs and activities.

Currently our education system targets the average student, meaning very few overall are receiving a well designed education. Through virtual reality, students will be able to find a class for each subject that meets their needs. For example, if a student is gifted in math, but a struggling reader, classes can be matched to meet both needs. If a city experiences an influx of refugees from a country, these students can be matched with compatriots in other cities that will ease their transition toward learning English and providing continuity of their education.

By taking away geography as a factor, students in California can learn Mandarin from a Chinese instructor, while a student in Hawaii can learning about the biological life cycle from a farm in Wisconsin. Students can also explore colleges and careers that are far beyond their local area. Ensuring that students find their passions and prepare for college and a career that may take them far beyond what their local community can offer.

Students can be intentionally integrated across many attributes to ensure class discussions are rigorous and share multiple perspectives. Students can visit classmates far away and learn about their culture, customs, religion, etcetera. In a world that is becoming increasingly polarized, an education in VR can create some balance.

By early 2023, the cost of the equipment necessary to participate in a virtual reality based school will be less than $200 in equipment plus the cost of an internet connection. Whole new school models can be built around countless unique themes. All without many of the operational challenges of education (e.g. facilities, transportation) that typically inhibit replication of high performing schools

HTC, the Chinese hardware manufacturer, conducted a study of high performing and struggling students. They found that engagement and retention in VR based instruction went up among all students and long term memory for the material taught in VR increased substantially. The greatest beneficiaries were struggling students whose competency
increased from a C average with the in person instruction to an B+ average in the VR environment. In total, a virtual reality based environment will be a substantially better way to educate the next generation of students.