Education can\u2019t just stay the same forever. To ensure that our young learners are truly prepared for the world of tomorrow, we must reverse the troubling trend of disengagement by integrating new and innovative technologies like AI and extended reality. At the same time, we can\u2019t just let ourselves be content with teaching basic digital literacy. In an increasingly tech-driven society, new skills will need to be fostered to ensure our children thrive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are no shortage of examples about how the world of education plans to step forwards, but truly embracing technologies like AI and VR at scale will require massive investments and hands-on participation across the entire sector. At the same time, we need to make sure these benefits are felt around the world \u2013 not just at prestigious schools in rich countries. If we truly want to prepare our children for tomorrow\u2019s job market, we need to make sure they have all the information and tools they need, no matter their background.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEducation is the basic tool for the development of consciousness and the reconstitution of society\u201d \u2013 a timeless quote, wouldn\u2019t you agree? However, the man behind the quote, Mahatma Gandhi, surely could barely imagine its prescience in our modern era. More than ever, we must depend on the education system to prepare our children to live in a world constantly reckoning with new societal and technological disruptions. However, there are signs it is struggling to meet the challenge. Consider, for example, the recent study conducted by AI safety firm Anthropic, which found that schools are failing<\/a> basic AI literacy. For the study, researchers trained an AI system to manipulate human oversight rather than provide useful or truthful responses. By and large educators fell for it, leaving their students exposed to misinformation and manipulation by the system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Of course, it\u2019s easy to sympathise \u2013 navigating the education landscape amid relentless technological advances and disruptions is undeniably a massive challenge. Rapid developments in AI, automation, and digital connectivity have redefined the skills necessary to thrive in a tech-driven world. With today\u2019s curriculum, the gap between what children learn and what they need to succeed is widening. At the same time, the constant influx of new tools requires educators to adapt quickly, which can lead to inconsistencies in teaching methods. Meanwhile, students face unique challenges, such as information overload and balancing screen time with meaningful offline learning experiences. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Ensuring educational advancement during these transformative times calls for a collaborative effort: harnessing innovative technologies responsibly, empowering educators with professional development, and fostering critical thinking and adaptability in students. It\u2019s not just about keeping up: it\u2019s about preparing young minds for a future that is simultaneously unpredictable and full of potential. In this blog, we\u2019ll do a deep dive into the rapidly-changing educational landscape, examining key technologies ranging from virtual reality (VR) to AI. We won\u2019t just assess how these technologies can help \u2013 we\u2019ll scrutinise their shortcomings and shed light on how they can be deployed safely and to the benefit of students. <\/p>\n\n\n\n While many schools are successfully teaching basic digital literacy skills, progress varies by region \u2013 and few are going as far as they need to.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Before we go any further, let\u2019s stop and do a temperature check on the state of technological integration in schools today. Of course, progress levels will fluctuate from region to region depending on the state of economic development, but there are signs of solid progress implementing the basics. A recent survey by the National Center for Education Statistics found<\/a> that 98% of US schools use computers in the classroom, with a further 75% reporting they use iPads and Chromebooks. Additionally, 57% of students use digital learning tools every day and spend at least half of their time in class interacting with devices. Beyond the basics, there are some noteworthy developments: a 2024 study by UK education nonprofit Internet Matters found that roughly a quarter of children aged 4-17 are already using<\/a> AI to assist with their schoolwork. Between the ages 13-14, this number rose to around half. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In developing countries, the level of technology integration in schools is decidedly more uneven. In Mexico, for example, schools rarely use the internet \u2013 even though students use it all the time for recreational purposes. Meanwhile, in India, government data for the years 2023-2024 reveals<\/a> that only 57.2% of schools have functioning computers and 53.9% had internet access. That\u2019s not for a lack of enthusiasm, though: a separate survey of 3,000 parents from various educational boards found<\/a> 87% in favour of technology integration both as a tool for learning and a subject. Unsurprisingly, China performs well<\/a> in terms of the basics. By the end of 2020, all K-12 schools in the country were connected to the internet thanks to a national initiative. Efforts to educate children on cutting-edge technologies are also picking up momentum. In March 2025, it became mandatory for all schools in Beijing to provide an education in AI.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n For schools to truly prepare their students for tomorrow\u2019s job market, however, a more radical approach to technology integration in the classroom may be required. Tools like AI, virtual reality, and digital collaboration platforms all have the potential to reshape education, offering personalised learning and expanding access to resources. However, challenges such as equitable access, teacher training, and sustainable funding remain. To get ahead, schools must focus on aligning technology with educational goals, fostering adaptability, and preparing students for a tech-driven future. But for their students to truly thrive, they can\u2019t just use these technologies as a learning device \u2013 they need to teach students how to excel with the technology itself. So, let\u2019s take a closer look at those technologies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Extended reality solutions like AR and VR can reverse the trend of declining student engagement and inspire them about the world of technology.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Of the numerous technologies that are a must for the modern classroom, VR and augmented reality (AR) are likely to be the most viscerally exciting for the students themselves. These technologies don\u2019t just serve as an additional tool in the teacher\u2019s belt, they have the potential to reverse the trend of declining student engagement. While smart devices have plagued classrooms for decades, things have taken a marked turn for the worst in the wake of the COVID-19 lockdowns. A 2024 survey of students aged 12-27 \u2013 in other words, Gen Z \u2013 by Gallup and the Walton Family Foundation found<\/a> up to 54% did not have eight engaging experiences in school (i.e. feeling that what they are learning is interesting) per semester. This isn\u2019t just a problem for K-12 teachers, either. A March 2025 study by the University of California which collected<\/a> over 800,000 student survey responses from 22 public research universities found that student engagement across all areas had declined, including a 17% drop in students assisting faculty with research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Admittedly, none of this data is terribly encouraging. Fortunately, VR and AR technologies have the potential to swing this troubling trend in the opposite direction. The fully-immersive virtual environments of VR, for example, allow students to explore and interact with their learning materials in new and vivid ways. History students could witness the cataclysmic eruption in Pompeii up close, then fast forward to the modern day to embark on a virtual tour of the ruins. K-12 science students could tangibly experience the scale of interstellar travel by placing themselves in the middle of a digital replica of the solar system. It is little wonder, then, that the VR in Education segment is expected to balloon<\/a> from $17.18 billion in 2024 to $65.55 billion by 2032.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYoung learners often struggle to understand conceptual ideas. By projecting 3D models in AR it enables students to observe and interact with models differently compared to just viewing them on a screen.\u201d<\/p>\nRocco Avantis, education specialist at Avantis Education<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n While VR excels in sheer immersion, AR works best as a tool for contextualising abstract concepts by overlaying digital elements into the real-world environment \u2013 either through specialised glasses or the user\u2019s smartphone. For example, a biology class could use AR to study the anatomy of animals with 3D holograms overlaid over a real-life model. As you move around the model, the hologram does too, allowing students to grasp the complexity of animal biology without continuously referring to dryly-written paragraphs in a textbook. In the case of language classes, students could use AR apps that translate text in real-time \u2013 say, in a supermarket or a novel written in a foreign language \u2013 rapidly accelerating the process of active learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It should be noted that there are several fairly appreciable hurdles around implementing AR and VR in education at scale. Firstly, the cost of hardware and software is significant, making it difficult for schools and institutions with limited budgets to afford, maintain and update such technologies. Uneven distribution of the technology could therefore also deepen existing inequalities in education. There is also a steep learning curve for both educators and students. Teachers may require specialised training to integrate AR and VR effectively into their curricula, and this can be both difficult and costly to lock in. At the same time, many teachers may be resistant to adopting unfamiliar technologies. Finally, prolonged use of these technologies raises health and safety concerns, such as eye strain, motion sickness, or overexposure to screens, especially for younger students. Addressing these challenges will prove crucial to unlocking AR and VR\u2019s transformative potential in education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Having acknowledged some of the challenges around implementing AI and VR, we should address the fact that a growing number of educational institutions have leveraged the technology to yield positive results. At Arizona State University, for example, students are learning biology<\/a> in a unique virtual environment, interacting with creatures in an intergalactic wildlife sanctuary the size of a small city. The goal? For students to crack the mystery of why the creatures are dying. The university describes the course, titled \u2018Dreamscape Learn\u2019, as being \u201cstraight out of Hollywood\u201d. According to its findings<\/a>, students that participated had \u201cdramatically higher\u201d lab grades and better engagement than their peers who took the conventional lab course. \u201cWe were amazed by the results, which far exceeded our expectations and proved our initial assumptions that the interactivity and compelling storytelling of Dreamscape Learn would indeed lead to better student outcomes,\u201d said Lisa Flesher, chief of Realm 4 Project Acceleration at Arizona State University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Of course, kids love anything resembling a video game, so it is only natural that VR proves useful in K-12 education. For years, pupils at Reddam House School in Berkshire, England, have been using VR headsets<\/a> to experience a variety of interactive lessons. These range from getting up close and personal with a woolly mammoth to manipulating the planets of the solar system. The success of the project at Reddam House drove the project\u2019s orchestrator, the Inspired Education Group, to create an entire \u2018Metaverse School\u2019 \u2013 in other words, a digital replica of Reddam House itself, a 19th Century Victorian mansion. This \u2018digital twin\u2019 of the school was stitched together from thousands of images taken on-site, and allows students from around the world to participate in the school\u2019s VR-based learning tools. Indeed, many of the VR lessons take place in front of the computer-generated mansion.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHow advanced are today\u2019s schools, really?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Take a seat in the virtual classroom<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Trailblazers in extended reality education<\/h3>\n\n\n\n