The decline of the study of humanities has presented a tremendous opportunity for the elearning market.
Savvy companies are taking advantage of this opportunity to fill the gap and bring humanities back to a place of priority in education.
As education has made a shift toward an over-abundance of standardized testing, the study of the humanities has commonly fallen by the wayside. A results-based society has moved away from the importance of music, art, philosophy, and the other humanities disciplines.
Along with the veer from what was considered “the classics” in education, the role of technology has exploded onto the scene.
While it may seem to be the case, the answer is no.
The standardization of nearly everything in today’s educational climate would seem to suggest that there is no longer a place for the study of those things that were once part of a well-rounded academic philosophy.
But, the advent of elearning and the growing use of 3D simulations is breathing fresh life into the dying study of the arts.
A whole new world of experiences in humanities learning is opening up, thanks to the popularity of serious games, video games, and 3D simulation.
In general, elearning has taken learning to a deeper level by encouraging critical thinking skills and making the student an active participant in their own learning experience. Students learn best when they are engaged and excited about what they are learning.
For the study of humanities specifically, 3D simulations can be a game-changer. In a 3D environment, the possibilities for exploration are enormous. Rather than read about an event, learners can virtually put themselves into the situation.
For example, a student studying the Civil War can take on the role of a soldier through the use of a serious game. They will be faced with decisions and events that causes a deeper level of thinking than simply reading about the event can produce.
3D games can allow a learner access to times and places that no longer exist. Students are given the chance to emulate people and situations that are vastly different from them and their life-experiences. This type of learning is not only relevant to the study of history. It’s also valuable in the study of fine arts, philosophy, literature, and language.
A student can put themselves in the shoes of a performer or an author. 3D simulations allow the learners a chance to look at virtually anything from a first-person perspective. The difference in how they process and comprehend the information is profound.
Elearning is allowing the humanities to be taught and understood in a fresh way. The innovation of 3D simulations changes the way students view the arts, history, and other humanities disciplines by shifting their focus away from reading about events and situations, to being an active participant.
“Doing” is infinitely more valuable to the learning process.
