On the risks of using virtual reality technologies in education

Abstract

The article is an overview of the latest research on the risks of using virtual reality technologies (VR) in education. The issue of the impact of virtual reality on the physical and psychological health of students is one of the very important areas in the study of the virtual reality learning environment (VRLE). The relevance of the study is due to the growing interest in the use of VR technologies in the educational process. However, the quantity and quality of research on their impact on the health-saving component is still insignificant, especially in the Russian-language literature. The analysis of foreign literature on the research problem was used as the main method. The study is based on a survey of a group of users by the authors of the article. The study group included teachers, students, and their parents. During the study, unpleasant symptoms of loss of human qualities or individuality (depersonalization) and a feeling of unreality of the environment, especially as a symptom of a mental disorder (derealization), were identified and described. Some subjects showed symptoms of cyber-sickness (VR-sickness) or signs of aggressive behavior in virtual reality games. The issues of the influence of virtual reality on the physical and psychological health of students considered in this article are not exhaustive. continuation of such studies to identify risks in the use of virtual reality in education will provide a more detailed picture of this aspect.