How Can Virtual Reality Boost Confidence in Children?
Forgotten in the classroom
We all know that child who no one quite remembers from school. They were shy and retiring. Often polite. They followed the rules and did as they were told. They looked like they did everything right.
However, these children, even though they look good in a classroom, often massively underachieve. Why? It is simple. They fly under the teacher’s radar and never get noticed unless the teacher makes the effort to notice them.
Unfortunately, more often than not, especially with newer teachers, they become the forgotten children and bad behaviour from other pupils pulls the teacher’s focus in another direction.
The naught 10% get 90% of the teacher’s time.
So why are they so quiet?
There is a myriad of reasons why a child might be quiet and unassuming in the classroom. They may be tired, struggling to keep up, intimidated by their peers or unmotivated.
These issues may be seen throughout a child’s education or be brought on later — triggered by a tragic life event or a change in perception of the world, such as their beliefs and feelings surrounding their body image or self-worth. All of this can normally be linked back in some way to a lack of confidence.
What is confidence?
Most people would say confidence is your belief in your ability to do something or how likely you think you are to succeed. The Cambridge dictionary defines confidence as:
“The quality of being certain of your abilities or of having trust in people, plans, or the future.”
All of these definitions have in common the fact that confidence is a belief born from the person themselves. It may be based on past experiences or the words of others, but the final result is placed firmly in the person’s mind.
Of course, high confidence is a good thing.
It makes us believe that we can tackle the challenges in from of us. However, any lack of certainty a child has about their abilities in a classroom can make them want to hide in plain sight, avoid challenges which are an opportunity for growth and taking risks. This lack of confidence negatively affects their progress and achievement. In fact, an article published by Science Direct states that:
“Confidence is better predictor of academic achievement than self-efficacy, self-concept and anxiety.”
So, if confidence and achievement are so closely linked, what can we do to quickly and effectively raise confidence and therefore grades in the classroom?
Perhaps the world of Virtual Reality (VR) can provide us the answers?
Virtual Reality and confidence — is technology the answer?
There have been many studies into VR and confidence over the last 8 or so years, but I am going to focus on one recent study launched in 2020 by Oxford VR; a VR company based in the UK.
The team at Oxford VR created an intervention called Social Engagement TM. The intervention uses virtual reality to immerse users in social settings that might cause anxiety or social avoidance. Participants are guided by a virtual coach who helps them deal with different scenarios. Just like in a game, as the user progresses, the challenges become harder. This technology is now being used by patients as a part of treating and managing mental health illness within the National Health Service.
What if we could adapt this technology to help our children in our schools?
We could build scenarios that would allow them to test their boundaries within a fully immersive and safe environment such as VR with a trained professional to help guide and support them.
The lower risk of failure would allow them to take risks and then transfer this experience confidently into the classroom.
June Dent, director of clinical partnerships for Oxford VR, stated that:
“The immersive nature of VR provides a powerful new way to engage users and helps them to regain confidence, feel safe and overcome trigger situations.”
Would it not be better to target confidence at a grassroots level?
When our children are still mouldable and able, and often willing to change. Would it not be better to address this issue to help children reach their potential and go on to succeed in life?
I strongly believe so.
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