Fredrik Löfgren, the robot developer at Linköping University, is perhaps best known for his robots who can dance and play football. He recently held a lesson in mathematics for a fourth class of VR glasses - in a virtual reality.

The students had to follow along to a virtual world with houses and trees and three-dimensional figures that they could move around.

- Some climbed onto the roofs. There was some chaos in the beginning, admits Fredrik Löfgren.

Still, Mattecentrum, who organized the event, is thinking of expanding the experiment - to say the least.

Emrik Kedborn was one of the fourth graders from the Herrgärdsskolan in Västerås, who for the first time got to test having a lesson with VR glasses in a virtual world with three-dimensional numbers that you could move around. Photo: Photo Agency ProLounge

Will set a world record in math

- We intend to set a world record in virtual reality and gather 10,000 students from all over Sweden for a mathematics lesson in virtual reality next year, says Karolina Lisslö Gylfe, general secretary of the Mattecentrum, a non-profit organization with, among other things, homework help in math.

She believes that VR can change the view of mathematics.

- Instead of seeing mathematics as merely sterile numbers on a piece of paper, one can get an understanding that the numbers symbolize different forms or a movement, says Karolina Lisslö Gylfe.

Robot developer Fredrik Löfgren believes that lessons with VR glasses can be a complement to regular teaching. Watch the video to see the interview - which was done in VR environment with the reporter and Fredrik Löfgren as avatars.

"Can participate without being physically present"

Fredrik Löfgren believes that only the teachers' imagination sets the boundaries for what one can use VR for.

- You can, for example, build up different environments to stage scenarios, build towers together, try on strength theory, arrange a spectacle with world leaders at a summit, build a medieval village.

He also thinks it can be a way to get students who are not able to handle the classroom environment during lessons.

- You do not need to be physically present, but can still be in a virtual classroom and participate in the teaching. It also becomes more playful, says Fredrik Löfgren.

"It's about technology maturity"

Both Karolina and Fredrik believe that the corona pandemic has contributed to an increased interest in the new technology.

- The education has taken a huge step during the corona pandemic that I do not think would have happened otherwise, says Karolina Lisslö Gylfe.

- I think we need to do about the same journey as when the computer came. It's all about technology maturity and increasing understanding of this platform, ”says Fredrik Löfgren.

VIDEON: Join in on the VR lesson and see how it went when SVT's reporter interviewed Fredrik Löfgren as an avatar in the virtual world.