Despite it posing major complications to education at large, there are benefits to remote learning in providing some children with a more focused, less distracting environment in which to learn; children with special needs, in particular, have thrived in a year of virtual learning, a discovery that can inform future renditions of classrooms catering to different learners’ needs. A United States poll has found a robust majority of parents judge their kids to be on track or even ahead of schedule during a year of virtual learning; some even opt to continue online mediums of instruction as physical schools slowly reopen.

In Japan, some schools run Virtual Reality classes, creating a simulated three-dimensional environment where students can freely interact and explore their campuses. This unique adaptation of technology primarily used in gaming and pop culture breaks up the isolation and monotony of Zoom classes, expanding possibilities for combining both in-person and virtual modes of learning.

Lessons and innovations from this era of virtual learning should be brought into the future, where practical benefits and creative innovations in the use of technology are not forgotten, but integrated into the mainstream.