The potential applications of the Metaverse are practically limitless. While there’s no doubt that much of the activity that will take place within the Metaverse will largely be for entertainment purposes, there’s actually a few other possible avenues that we’ve only just begun exploring (or are yet to explore) that may truly demonstrate just how valuable the Metaverse will be. Virtual Reality and immersion can create experiences that challenge participants and demonstrate the consequences of their decisions in a safe environment that emulates real world situations. When it comes to learning and education, the Metaverse may well be the final destination!
Turning Learning Into Experience
A major problem with the way we impart knowledge is that it’s often anecdotal, too abstract or just plain boring. Let’s face it—while there are plenty of programs and courses that claim to make learning “fun,” some stuff really just, isn’t (certainly not for most people). In many respects, the education system as a whole is, broadly speaking, inadequate in that it still works according to a model that was specifically developed for the Industrial Revolution. A lot has changed since then, and the rate at which technology is developing is staggering. With the dawn of quantum computing, automation and AI, we as humans run the very real risk of rendering ourselves redundant in a number of key areas in the next few years.
You can check out this article on Why AI in the Metaverse Will Change Everything right here.
If we ever hope to achieve some measure of Utopia, we need to provide people with new methods that are innovative, immersive and hard-hitting. I’m not saying you can just turf out all the algebra and be done with it, but I am saying there may be a way to deliver content in a more engaging and meaningful way. At the end of the day, hands-on experience and know-how beats book smarts almost every single time. You may understand something on a theoretical level, but practical application is something else entirely.
In the realms of academia, this disconnect couldn’t be any more evident as proponents of various ideologies push their agendas and, thanks to cognitive dissonance and a sense of entitlement, never really move past their ideas, even when strong evidence to the contrary is provided. But I’m not here to talk politics or sociology (even though it’s my forte). I want to talk about how the Metaverse can provide people with much needed practical knowledge and experience to prepare them for the real world and the various challenging tasks that await them.
The Metaverse Will Replicate Reality
We do of course already have some practical approaches to educating people. Obviously practical exams are one such case, but I think the use of simulators to train pilots and other professionals is probably a better example given the subject matter.
I only just discovered that Microsoft Flight Simulator ‘s development began all the way back in the 80s. Now obviously the first Microsoft Flight Simulator was built on legacy technology and featured maybe, I dunno, a whole 4 colors? However, today it’s way, way more immersive and allows aviators to fly a range of different aircraft in a number of different locations. Sadly, they haven’t created a VR edition yet. HA! Just kidding, of course they have!
Now of course you could play Flight Simulator on your PC and have a good enough time, but in VR, you’re actually sitting in the cockpit, and you have a full 360 degree field of view. And now with high fidelity graphics and gorgeously rendered environments, we have something that’s probably closer to a Metaverse experience than one that’s exclusively VR.
So it’s not like simulators are moving in this direction—they’ve already arrived. And of course, with the way Metaverse and VR tech is developing and becoming more available and affordable, it’s only a matter of time before you’ll be able to take a course to become a competent pilot without ever setting foot inside the cabin of an actual plane.
That may sound unbelievable to you now, and that’s fine, because I still think we’re a way off that reality. But while VR is an isolated experience based on a generated environment, the Metaverse will be something that incorporates that as well as other technologies to provide something that would be practically indistinguishable from the real world. Crazy stuff!
And That’s Just the Beginning!
Yes indeed, the Metaverse won’t just allow you to train or take a course to become a plane pilot. You’ll be able to do art classes, explore ancient ruins, dig for fossils, perform open heart surgery and learn how to run your own carnival (complete with bumper cards and weird clowns), all from the comfort of your own home. You’ll be able to start your dream career earlier on and figure out the exact set of skills you’ll need to do the things you love, and with practice, you’ll be able to deal with challenging experiences and gain much-needed knowledge without running into any real consequences.
Still don’t believe me? Well it just happened the other day in Brazil. Check this out:
And remember, we’re still in 2022. Over the coming months and years, tech’s just going to keep getting better and better. I think the Metaverse will play an integral role in preparing people to be more competent at their jobs and reduce the instances of workplace accidents and fatalities. Engineers can build bridges in VR and test them before laying down a single slab of concrete. Oil rig workers can train for emergency situations and learn how to respond in times of crises. The list goes on and on and on…
The Metaverse is literally going to save lives and make the world a better place. Prevention is better than cure, and the Metaverse will be able to help us learn about the severity of consequences before they ever come to fruition in reality.
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