IB Digital Society in Action

IB Digital Society students explored how virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are already being used in everyday settings and what their wider impacts might be.

AR overlays digital information onto the real world, for example with labels, animations, or step by step guidance. A familiar example is in museums and exhibitions, where AR can bring artefacts to life through reconstructions, interactive timelines and additional context that would not fit on a display label. VR, by contrast, places the user inside a fully simulated environment that can be explored from multiple viewpoints.

To build first hand understanding, students used VR headsets to experience a range of software and games, then evaluated what felt realistic, what felt persuasive and what could be misleading. The most powerful learning came from commercial applications that go well beyond entertainment. Students saw how VR can be used to practise skills in a safe and controlled way, especially in scenarios that would be too dangerous, expensive, or rare to train for in real life. For example, VR simulations can support disaster preparedness by rehearsing evacuations and decision making under pressure. In workplaces, VR can simulate high risk environments such as factories, allowing staff to practise procedures, identify hazards and build confidence without exposure to real harm.

Alongside the benefits, the students also discussed possible drawbacks and limitations of using the devices, such as motion sickness and eye strain for some users, the cost and access barriers of the technology, and questions about privacy if headsets collect data on movement, gaze, or voice. Students concluded that VR and AR can be powerful for learning, safety and engagement, but only when used thoughtfully, ethically, and with clear purpose.