Online learning backed by video-conferencing platforms and sophisticated devices, gained ground as a necessity amid restrictions on movement. But even as schools are reopening cautiously, high-tech solutions are most likely to become a mainstay in classrooms during the new normal.

High resolution screens, AI to monitor attendance and smart systems to safeguard children are indicating a futuristic shift for institutes in the UAE. Continuing this journey towards digitisation of learning, a school in Dubai is transporting kids to space and helping them understand nature, within the walls of their classrooms.

At Gems Metropole, students can get a closer look at planets and observe the functioning of organs in the human body, thanks to augmented reality. Unlike virtual reality, AR doesn't require a headset to enter a separate realm, but instead uses devices like tablets or phones to project images into the natural environment.
This even enables children to study animals from any part of the globe or creatures residing in the depths of the ocean, without having to wait for a trip to the national park. As the country trains future generations for space exploration, AR also lets students reach for the stars without having to visit a planetarium.
After rolling out an option for students to dissect objects appearing in front of them as holograms, the school is also working on creating a more immersive experience with VR headsets. This will be followed by lessons on virtual reality, and the development of a dedicated area for the tech.
Students will be provided with merge cubes, that can be connected to headsets or apps, in order to project virtual objects in the real world. The innovation unlocks endless possibilities with options to walk on Mars and even look at ancient artefacts in detail.
The initiative is similar to the move by an Emirati institute, which uses VR to open a window into the cosmos, so that local talent can conduct space research in a more realistic setting.