Imagine providing comprehensive training to firefighters or disaster recovery workers without any proper simulated training solutions. How do they become good at their job without immersing themselves in super-realistic situations? Employees working in high-risk industries, such as construction and healthcare, become better decision-makers when they receive scenario-based learning. That’s where interactive learning comes in to save the day! In many situations, AR and VR solutions can be used to train students/employees.

For instance, educators can create a course using VR where nurses have to tackle the spread of viruses and take patients out of the contaminated area within a given timeframe. Any scenario that’s harmful or just too impractical to be actually recreated can come to life thanks to VR and AR. In this article, we’ll go deep into the world of interactive learning and learn how to master the art of creating engaging courses.

Immersive Learning Experiences: Key Concepts

First, you must be familiar with certain terms and concepts used in immersive learning. Here are some of the most popular terminologies that we use in this niche (and will repeat in this blog).

Simulated Training

It’s the idea that we’re tackling in this entire piece, creating realistic scenarios and situations where recruits can practice their job skills in a safe environment. Fresh employees or undergrads can experience real-life dangerous circumstances risk-free in simulated training. For instance, pilots can train by using simulations to learn how to control aircraft better. In military training, simulations have become very common. Games are being developed for soldier training.

WebGL

It’s short for web graphics library, a technology solution that lets web browsers render interactive graphics (3D) without another plugin. So, you get visually rich and super-immersive experiences directly on a web browser. Employers can utilise this technology in educational games and simulations. That’s why WebGL is booming as a promising new technology in the world of education.

Scenario-Based Learning

In SBL, educators put learners in realistic situations where they have to make decisions and solve problems by using their soft skills, such as teamwork and effective communication. It’s kind of like Hunger Games in a metaphorical sense! Students will make their way through different scenarios that reflect issues faced by learners in the real world. This strategy can greatly enhance the problem-solving and decision-making skills of your employees.

Gamified Courses

Imagine integrating game-like elements, such as scores, rankings, power-ups, etc., in course design. Yes, a study shows that this “gamification” of traditional education can make learning more fun & engaging; so, you can add badges, points, interactive challenges, leaderboards, and much else in course design for the sake of better user engagement. It makes learning enjoyable and competitive for learners. Employees who study gamified courses retain information better and become better-performing workers.

5 Reasons Why VR isn’t the Best Simulated Training Solution

Many companies use VR technology to hone their workers’ soft skills. Gamified courses require headsets and other VR-related equipment. However, scenario-based learning powered by VR has some drawbacks as well, especially when it comes to small-scale schools and businesses. Here are five reasons why we will discourage relying solely on VR to train new hires:

1.     High Development Costs

First things first, creating VR training programs can set you back $50,000 to $200,000 based on what sort of VR apps you’re using. The more complex your educational content gets, the costlier it becomes. That’s why many organisations simply can’t afford to design VR-assisted immersive learning experiences.

2.     Infrastructure Requirements

Secondly, employers have to invest significantly in hardware and infrastructure. For instance, they need to procure VR headsets and high-performance computers. Smaller organisations may not be able to cover it. Also, setup costs are just the beginning; ongoing maintenance makes VR training way costlier.

3.     Limited Accessibility

Not every employee in your organisation may have access to VR equipment. Similarly, not all workers are tech-savvy enough to pull it off. Operating VR headsets require a certain set of skills the lack of which can create disparities in education. That’s why VR-based interactive courses have limited accessibility.

4.     Potential for Discomfort

Did you know that 4 to 7 out of 10 VR users will experience motion sickness just after 15 minutes? This is why many employees are uncomfortable wearing these headsets and want better alternatives.

5.     Content Creation Complexity

Also, it’s not easy to create interactive courses with VR. It requires specialised skills and you may have to collaborate with external experts. This process is also time-consuming.

Tips to Create Interactive Courses for Employees

Then, how do you master scenario-based learning and create immersive learning experiences for workers? It can be done using 360-degree simulations and well-developed interactive courses. Here are some tips for employers looking to provide simulated training to their employees:

Make User Experience a Priority

You should design the course while keeping the learner’s needs in mind. Keep the interface of the course user-friendly and easy to navigate. Employees will find training solutions more engaging if they are given clear instructions and visual cues for guidance. That’s how you should take them through the interactive elements found in the learning module.

Incorporate Realistic Scenarios

Next, you should focus on creating scenarios that mimic real-life events, especially the ones relevant to an employee’s job role. That’s how you can improve the “realism” aspect of gamified courses and allow them to apply their skills in the right context.

Use Interactive Elements

It’s equally important to incorporate interactive elements/features, such as clickable objects and puzzles and quizzes in these games. That’s how you can encourage the player to utilise their decision-making skills and actively participate in training. They can manipulate objects or explore alternative outcomes. Now, a technique like this is normally used in modern games.

Ask for Feedback

Always ask for employee feedback after launching the interactive course. Then, you may gather feedback from employees and ask them how the gamified course could be improved. You should make ample use of surveys and data analytics to see how learners are interacting with the contents of the course.

What Lies Ahead?

In the end, simulated training and scenario-based learning are all about collaborating with professionals in your locality. that’s where GandTimages comes in! Based in Melbourne, they offer eLearning courses by SCORM development, gamified courses, and scenario-based animated training modules via VR & AR.

Get in touch with GandTimages for cutting-edge immersive experiences for your students and employees. Let AR experts create the best scenarios based on the real-life challenges faced by your workforce.