As parents prepare to send children back to school, things will look different this coming September. Many social distancing measures are still in place, and schools are much more limited than normal in helping children settle in, especially students starting a new school or young children starting school for the first time. 

For example, children transitioning from infant school to junior school would normally have a gradual adjustment period at the end of the previous school year, with lots of visits to their new schools, meeting teachers, and playing on their new playgrounds, to make the transition as smooth as possible. Children entering reception usually have at least a chance to visit their classrooms and meet their teachers ahead of starting their school careers.

Easing the transition with virtual tours

However, this year, schools have had to severely limit the numbers of people on their premises, and transitioning students have missed their end-of-year procedures already. Offering virtual tours can help recreate the experience that these students have missed. Guided tours can be accessed at home via a web browser, using a VR headset. 

Participating in an interactive video tour is the next best thing to visiting the facilities, and gives students a picture of the physical features of their new classrooms and the wider school, and also the layout of the facilities, so they have an idea of how they will get around. Teachers talk to the students and explain to them what will happen in the classroom setting, what procedures are in place, and what their day will look like. Staff can also talk to children and parents about new distance learning measures being developed for safe learning as the world continues to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic.

Video and VR in future education

Technology has helped immensely in staying connected with others and keeping education running at some level during the lockdown. Now it plays a vital role in moving into the next phase of the pandemic recovery. Video and VR create a link between the need for physical interaction and safety offered by distance. Whether life slowly gets back to normal or we find our way into a “new normal”, technology will continue to be there to support us.

To find out more about VR technology and virtual tours, contact us at iRoam Tours today.