Modern Learning Through Immersion

How Today’s Immersive Training Tech Can Help Tomorrow’s Learners

Do you recall any of the main points from your last brand training meeting? How about from your last leadership training meeting? Or (let’s be honest) from any meeting you’ve attended recently?

Chances are you probably don’t remember much at all.  According to a study done in 1885 by famed German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus, once people learn something, their retention of that new information drops to around 40 percent within a couple of days.

But with today’s amazing immersive technology there is a growing library of innovative tools that can help engage modern learners and help them remember what they need to know to succeed. No longer are people confined to looking at books or listening to lectures and falling asleep trying to memorize tons of information. With rich media, like audio and video, and interactive technology, like augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR), learners can completely immerse themselves into an experience and interact with content in real-world situations.

Immersive Technology

Here are just a few ways you can incorporate these tools into your training and development programs to ensure your team incorporates the best practices for employee training available.

Audio and Video

One big trend right now with audio and video is using 360° cameras to capture an environment from all angles. This allows the user to be immersed into a situation and experience it as if he or she were actually there without having any of the hazards of the actual workplace.

A 360° video is immersive on its own, but combined with augmented reality, the learning experience can become even more interactive.

Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR)

Utilizing AR and VR technologies enhances traditional content by driving curiosity and promoting exploration. For those willing to invest, this more immersive technology bridges the gap between student and teacher and makes learning a more fun, efficient experience.

In a traditional learning setting, there is very little opportunity for the learner to interact with the course material. It can be easy to doze off or wonder how course content applies directly to one’s career. By using AR or VR, the learning experience switches from one of observation to one of engagement and innovation. This motivates learners to fully understand the information.

For example, a virtual tour of a workplace using AR might include virtual “hotspots” that highlight key locations and resources on the factory floor (which could be crucial if the learner needs to see hard-to-access places).

Using VR can be not only helpful in simulating hard-skill situations like operating equipment but also in simulating soft-skill situations where the learner can practice and develop traits like empathy and good customer service. VR can also be useful in sales enablement training, enabling managers to train their salespeople more often and more effectively—especially when people work remotely. This allows the salespeople to take their performance to a whole new level.

Performance Support: Another Approach to Interactivity

Here at AllenComm, we believe in the power of interactivity in learning, and we strive to produce the best tools to help make that possible. With performance support tools like Siteline and its 360° video technology, clients can speed up their skills training and onboarding training processes. Siteline combines the best aspects of both video and AR/VR technology into one user-friendly mobile platform that enhances stakeholder interaction at the point of production. In addition to boosting operator competence and confidence, Siteline improves machine operation, service, and maintenance through VR technology. This technology allows learners to troubleshoot and reinforce skills by exploring virtual, interactive diagrams of equipment, and work areas.

Conclusion

Tools like audio and video or AR/VR are the future of corporate training—whether using these tools in compliance training, brand training, general employee training, or otherwise. Combined with the other practices listed in our blog this month, using these technologies can enhance your approach to training and development and can have a greater impact on your success as a company.

We’d love to hear from you. What technology have you found vital to your employee training?