Visualizing Math with VR

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One day in AP Calculus, I remember learning about the washer and shell methods for finding volumes of revolution. The process required us to look at a graph, imagine it rotating around an axis, and then sketch the resulting three-dimensional shape. For many of us, including myself, this was incredibly difficult. We weren’t just solving an equation; we were being asked to mentally construct a 3D object from a 2D image. I still remember my teacher saying, “I wish I had something better to help you visualize this.” Looking back, this would have been the perfect opportunity to use virtual or augmented reality in the classroom.

As technology continues to advance, it is becoming increasingly integrated into our daily lives. Whether we see this as positive or negative, it is undeniable that students today are growing up surrounded by technology. Because of this, I believe educators have a responsibility to design learning experiences that connect with students’ everyday lives. VR has become a powerful tool with the potential to transform how students engage with complex and abstract concepts, especially in mathematics.

Mathematics often requires students to visualize ideas that are not easily represented on paper. Concepts like geometry, 3D shape properties, and calculus. VR can bridge this gap by allowing students to interact with mathematical objects in an engaging environment. Instead of imagining a rotating graph, students could see and manipulate the rotation in real time, making the learning experience more intuitive and meaningful.

Research supports the potential benefits of VR in education. A study conducted in Indonesia found that incorporating VR into the classroom enhanced students’ overall learning experiences and increased their creativity. This is especially important in mathematics, where creativity is often overlooked but essential. As students’ progress into more advanced courses, there will be various ways to go about solving problems, thus developing sufficient problem-solving skills are necessary. VR can encourage this kind of thinking by allowing students to explore mathematical ideas in new ways.

Sources:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2451958824001611

https://edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2019/12/schools-face-barriers-vr-adoption-classroom

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