Benefits of Training in a Virtual Environment
Virtual training is a great supplement to courses that require skills like dissection, mechanics, circuitry, and more. Virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) all provide ways to expose students to realistic learning environments. By exposing students to hands-on training, they are gaining valuable experiences that can be used in their future careers.
Here are some other benefits to using virtual training environments.
- Mistakes are ok. Virtual learning environments allow students to go back or restart when a mistake is made. “Students find that it’s okay to make a mistake. There isn’t a big consequence that can’t be undone,” says Valparaiso High School Teacher Heidi Bernardi. Learning from mistakes is particularly beneficial in the early stages of developing a skill or technique.
- Virtual training can save space. Learning skills like automotive mechanics and welding can require materials that take up a lot of space. Educational technology can help provide a realistic training environment for schools or training centers that do not have a lot of space.
- Virtual materials are reusable! By eliminating material consumption, educators can save on material costs. “There’s a cost-savings in terms of the materials that you’re using. You don’t have to buy multiple materials then later you dispose of,” says Utica Community Schools Superintendent Christine Johns.
- Practice, practice, practice. A virtual environment allows students to practice again and again until they feel confident and comfortable with a skill or technique.
Virtual training is not meant to be a substitute for working with real materials. But when it comes to courses like automotive mechanics, welding, engineering, anatomy and biology, virtual training can be a great way to expose more students to realistic, hands-on practice and prepare them to work with the real thing.
How would you implement virtual training in your courses? What other benefits do you see in using virtual training?
--
See how one school district is using zSpace mixed reality to provide hands-on training for their students in this video.
