Training and education continue to lead the enterprise-grade AR/VR/MR technology sector. As adoption rises in business settings such as healthcare, aviation, and construction, VR training and education applications have always driven this curve.
XR finds a keen home in training and learning thanks to the technology’s unique ability to create immersive spatial environments for trainees that can cover a broad number of use cases.
Moreover, as the technology evolves, XR hardware and software are becoming sophisticated enough to provide immersive learning solutions which prove positive outcomes for trainees and mentors.
Additionally, related emerging technologies such as genAI and digital twins are helping to create targeted training services for the extensive potential client base.
Another key factor in the continuing emergence of successful immersive learning solutions is the parallel rise of no/low-code content creation platforms that SDK developers purpose-built to help enterprise clients create personalized training experiences – saving time and money, as XR content creation is an expensive endeavour.
While the enterprise world is experiencing the rise of smart glasses and VR headsets for other use cases such as collaboration and marketing, VR immersive learning is already deeply ingrained in some industries, and with the rise of the industrial Metaverse, immersive learning is set to take centre-stage in the workplace.
Speaking to XR Today is a host of industry CEOs representing immersive learning for education and enterprise, including:
- Justin Barad, the CEO of Osso VR
- Amir Bozorgzadeh, the CEO and Cofounder of Virtuleap
- Jussi Havu, the CEO of Glue Collaboration
- Alex Howland, the CEO and President of Virbela
How is VR, AR, and MR revolutionizing the learning landscape?
Justin Barad:
Training is an unbelievable use case for spatial computing. You can simulate any scenario with just a headset in a portable manner. For situations that are hard or dangerous to simulate, like in healthcare, there is even more value. At the same time, healthcare is in somewhat of a training crisis. There has been a massive amount of churn of healthcare professionals over the past year, and there is currently a shortage of staff; those available are sometimes junior or not fully trained.
Additionally, in the procedural space, even before the staffing crisis, we are in a situation where there is no technical assessment tool available, there are an overwhelming number of procedures to learn, and most new procedures are much harder to learn.
Immersive training has been proven to be effective. Many peer-reviewed studies at this point not only validate the technology but show that it works incredibly well, with some studies showing over a doubling in performance with VR training.
As the space matures and the concept of VR/AR/MR all get supported by headsets that are multi-modal, like the Quest 3 and Apple’s upcoming Vision Pro, we will likely see accelerating adoption to address these critical challenges.
Amir Bozorgzadeh:
In a sense, the implementation of emerging technologies like spatial computing is increasingly becoming a necessity in order to counterbalance the negative impact that social media technologies are having in deteriorating our societal capacity for sustained attention.
My opinion is that we are in the middle of a cognition crisis where, like frogs in boiling water, we do not realize how our attention span is thinning at a rapid rate, how this can correlate to mental health disorders, and so, I cannot pick and choose between the “types” of clients that are taking note for the very fact that the situation has become endemic, and we need to leverage whatever superpowers that we have at our disposal in order to have any hope in reversing the tide.
That said, the sector in greatest need is undoubtedly K12 because it is our youth who are bearing the brunt, having no other historical reference but the current status quo of dopamine-trigger technologies to lean on in order to adapt themselves to the external world. At this rate, my sense is that in 10 years, we won’t be asking who has ADHD but who doesn’t. We need access to the best technologies to help overcome what is currently in motion.
Jussi Havu:
XR technologies, and particularly Virtual Reality (VR), are revolutionizing the learning due to five main factors:
- Strong level of engagement to the topic through full immersion to the learning environment
- Accessibility and flexibility of training due to limitless opportunities for 3D learning environments and content
- VR enables learners to interact with both the content and other users, fostering collaboration and teamwork.
- Real-word scenario-based VR learning bridges the gap between theory and practice.
- Immersive learning enhances learning retention and recall. Studies suggest that learning through immersive technologies can improve memory retention as learners form strong spatial memories through their experiences.
The combination of these factors is revolutionizing education by offering a more engaging, effective, and versatile way of learning across various fields and disciplines. Thus, various enterprise customers across the industries are already deploying technologies such as VR in their training curriculums.
Alex Howland
Immersive technologies create interactive and engaging environments for learning. Through simulations, students can take a virtual trip to Mars, look inside a volcano, dissect a frog or visit the Eiffel Tower instantly and from anywhere in the world. It breaks down the cost and physical restrictions surrounding learning and offers a new dimension to learning that offers greater understanding, inspiring the next generation of learners.
The opportunities for practical training in healthcare, engineering or the military are enormous. It allows people to interact with the subject matter in a more hands-on and experiential manner, making the process of learning more enjoyable and effective.
VR creates what some call ‘embodied learning’, where experiences are increasingly physical. Unlike traditional classrooms, which mostly focus on engaging the learner’s mind, the metaverse has been trying to implement immersive learning experiences by engaging the mind through the body of the learner. This mind-body balance is a marked improvement in how we approach learning and training.
These techniques also help build critical thinking and problem-solving by allowing students to test and make mistakes in a safe environment.
Stanford, MIT and Tec de Monterrey in Latin America are just a few examples of University environments that are working with Virbela and Frame to offer a real on-campus experience to students all over the world, customizing digital worlds for an authentic experience and building a sense of community and presence with classmates and school faculty members even though they may be physically apart.
It inspires students to learn in fun and inclusive environments, empowering them with activities that let them form their own communities or customs without having to adhere to rigid physical rules for interaction. It also builds critical thinking, collaboration and understanding of cyberculture, preparing students of today and workers of tomorrow for the workplace of the future.
Wavemakers — a learning program hosted in Virbela for historically under-represented students in Canada, creates experiences that strengthen relevance for the learners, removing physical and psychological barriers that students face in more traditional environments. The organization creates avatars from indigenous communities to make the learning environment relatable to its users. The ability to inhabit the body of a personally selected avatar gives the learner a sense of autonomy similar to a real-world experience.
Why should teachers and trainers consider XR technology?
Justin Barad:
It’s important to embrace XR technology for a few reasons. One is that XR has proven to be incredibly effective for training and learning across a wide variety of spaces. The biggest challenge is change management and altering behaviours.
Even when a new technology works and is a so-called “no-brainer,” there are a lot of little adjustments that need to be made before it can be effectively implemented and scaled. It’s critical to start this process early to understand how to holistically structure XR learning curriculums, train your staff to be XR experts and set a solid foundation for a future where spatial computing becomes the new status quo.
Amir Bozorgzadeh:
The nature of spatial computing is that it engages our whole body: the autonomic nervous system, the vestibular balance system, and our proprioception, that is, all of the non-verbal dimensions of what makes us humans, which naturally translates into “embodied learning”. It doesn’t matter the KPI, immersive learning solutions will prove superior to screen-based formats by every measure, be it engagement, retention, or adherence.
The history of technological mediums has been to develop the formats in such a way that their UX is as intuitive as possible for humans. Well, spatial computing is the first format that caters to the native human UX. No one needs to be taught how to pick up a glass of water in virtual reality because the immersive format is literally an imitation of reality.
This also means that there is an extra dimension of concern when it comes to designing for maximum accessibility and comfort, where bad content can upset our tummies, but ultimately, the double-edged sword promises that we can absorb the lessons in a fashion that we are inherently designed for, that is, experiential learning that soaks into our bones and doesn’t leave as much of a faint impression as do those screen-based formats that we engage with our fingers and thumbs.
Jussi Havu:
While the same general benefits of XR technology for learning also apply to the reasons why teachers and trainers should be considering XR, there are also more specific rationales. This can be summarized into three main points:
- Personalized Learning Paths: XR technology can adapt content based on individual progress and preferences, allowing educators to tailor learning experiences to suit each learner’s pace and style.
- Accessibility and Inclusivity: XR can cater to various learning needs and disabilities by offering customizable interfaces and experiences, making education more inclusive.
- Cost and Resource Efficiency: While initial setup costs might exist, XR can reduce expenses associated with physical equipment or resources needed for certain training or educational purposes in the long run.
By integrating XR technology into their teaching methodologies, educators can unlock new possibilities for engagement, personalization, and practical learning, thereby enriching the educational experience for learners.
Alex Howland
Tech is changing at an exponential rate, and so too is education. Worksheets no longer drive engagement or deliver the best results. Education has never been at the forefront of technology adoption, but AI will make it cheaper and easier to create content – reducing barriers in the future.
XR technology can make complex concepts more understandable by presenting them in a three-dimensional, interactive format. This can improve retention rates through visual and experiential learning.
School-aged children today are growing up on Roblox. Meeting them where they are will be key to driving motivation and participation- rather than traditional, passive learning techniques.
XR technology also allows for more personalized and remote learning options – making it accessible for all.
Are there frameworks in place to create a seamless integration for teachers and trainers?
Justin Barad:
Yes, absolutely, there are frameworks in place to provide a seamless integration of XR technology for learners and trainers, although there are few official standards yet provided or supported by governing bodies and professional societies.
It’s an exciting time for XR, and those who are implementing it right now are still pioneers and have the opportunity to influence and drive the direction that XR training takes.
Providing support and structure for the implementation of XR curriculums is critical and something most mature XR organizations should have as a standard at this point.
Jussi Havu:
Various learning design frameworks, such as Universal Design for Learning (UDL) or the 5E Instructional Model (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate), can be adapted to incorporate XR technology. These frameworks aid in creating XR-based lessons that align with learning objectives and cater to diverse learner needs.
Furthermore, Industry bodies, educational institutions, and XR technology developers often provide best practices and guidelines specifically tailored for educators. These resources offer insights into effectively using XR tools, creating content, and integrating them into curricula.
Finally, learning from case studies of successful XR integration and participating in communities of practice where educators share experiences, challenges, and best practices can also serve as informal frameworks for integration.
Alex Howland
No – this is a key element that needs to be developed in order to unlock the potential for immersive learning.
Educators must first identify their objectives and determine how XR (both hardware and software) can enhance the process to achieve their specific goals. What makes sense in one scenario, age group, industry, or environment may not be the best XR approach in another.
We are beginning to see grassroots frameworks for teachers in the classroom, but we are still very early days, and oftentimes forward-looking educators must commit to figuring out where to find help on their own.
There is lots of work to do here with planning and execution support for educators – whether cheat sheets, training guides, or technical support, as well as encouraging a gradual learning curve so as not to put educators off by diving straight into complex use cases for XR.
Challenges and considerations for implementing XR learning technologies in corporate or educational settings?
Justin Barad:
The biggest challenge is probably buy-in and disruption of the status quo, as stated above. People have many preconceptions about the XR space and also may have inaccurate expectations. I’ve seen some people who still equate XR to Google cardboard and are blown away when they see how far the technology has come.
On the other end of the spectrum, while incredibly high fidelity, XR is still not real life and shouldn’t be assumed to be 100 per cent realistic as well. It’s important to understand the training gap or problem that can be effectively solved with XR training and have a well-defined used case and value proposition.
With proper expectations, good structure and training, and deep expertise in the gaps being addressed, XR training can provide astounding value and a wildly engaging learning experience.
Amir Bozorgzadeh:
A lack of awareness of the situation that we are in, i.e. the cognition crisis, and the deep need for frontier technologies that can help us keep learning in a way that is remedial to the debilitating effects of social media technologies that are dwindling our already weak capacity for paying attention and resisting the temptation of endless distraction.
The bureaucratic fabric of large organizations (i.e. elephants) robs them of the capacity to perceive the needs of the immediate moment in order to respond to them in such a fashion in which they can, for example, avoid hitting a giant glacier and suffer similar consequences as the Titanic.
The hype cycle of spatial computing has brought us to reasonable price points that are typically cheaper than smartphones, so I refuse to consider cost a barrier, but while the form factor continues to improve, becoming lighter and lighter, weight ultimately remains a challenge for longer than 10-15 minute sessions, especially for solution providers like ourselves who cater not only to the general population but in many cases to older adults and sensitive use cases like in the realm of therapeutics.
These are only issues, however, when you are looking to erect barriers in your mind and are not yet convinced of the lasting social impact that spatial computing can offer, and this is partly the cause because there is a fairly big gap between journalists and researchers, the gap in communicating the continuous flow of amazing research that is being conducted around the world.
Jussi Havu:
Implementing immersive learning technologies like VR, AR, and MR in corporate or educational training settings calls for several aspects to be considered.
You should always be mindful about the costs, but getting started with a VR training pilot is actually very affordable. After setting up the initial pilot, it is important to make sure that the outcomes that you are looking to get will come with decent ROI.
Content creation is also critical. Creating high-quality, effective, and engaging content for immersive learning can be time-consuming and resource-intensive. There’s a need for skilled personnel who can design and develop content tailored to specific learning objectives.
Furthermore, data security and privacy should be well thought through. Collecting and storing data from immersive learning experiences can raise concerns about privacy and security. Proper measures must be in place to protect sensitive information, and the best of the enterprise VR platforms already follow information security frameworks such as ISO27001.
Finally, one should focus on user acceptance and adoption. Resistance to change or hesitancy in adopting new technologies can pose a challenge. Educating stakeholders about the benefits and potential of immersive learning is crucial for successful adoption.
Alex Howland
Aside from the cost, there are also issues of security, privacy, and data collection when considering these digital techniques and XR technology.
Change management and a steep learning curve for how best to use and integrate these tools into existing curriculum can also put many off out of the gate
The availability of relevant content that aligns with specific needs can also be difficult to find and something that will, of course, continue to develop over time.
With stringent red tape in any educational environments, particularly where children are involved – passing technology hardware like VR devices may often be hard to pass – with increased potential for eye strain, motion sickness, etc.
We are charting a new path here, and so measuring the success of these new technologies for learners is hard to gauge today. This will become clearer as more data around test results is available to compare with traditional, more passive 2D methods.
When will immersive hardware and software become a standard training/education tool, in the same vein as computers and smartphones?
Justin Barad:
Change in any field takes time, especially in healthcare (which is my expertise/focus). A new, portable, effective training tool like XR is a need in healthcare, but it will still take time.
As we start to see more and more effective, scalable, and repeatable use cases across various industries and specialities like in surgery, education, vocational training, etc., we will likely see professional societies and standard-setting bodies start to come together to better standardize and maybe even mandate the use of this technology. Probably in the 2-3 year range, we will start to see specific verticals where XR becomes much more widespread, and a few years after that, I imagine it will be quite ubiquitous.
The maturation of Gen AI will also make XR content development significantly easier and more flexible over this period as well as providing for a wider range of more realistic and engaging learning experiences.
I use XR every single day, and I am astounded at how quickly it has developed into an unbelievably high-fidelity experience. I literally can’t believe it. The best way to understand where it is today and where it’s going is to try the latest experience yourself. And let me know. I would love to hear what you think!
Amir Bozorgzadeh:
That Apple is entering the space is, in my opinion, a pivotal moment for the sector and a landmark event that indicates that we are within five years of these technologies going mainstream, which I believe inevitably comes down to when the form factor and technical challenges of augmented reality are overcome. Virtual reality is a critical use case only when it comes to educational and healthcare applications; the rest are “nice to haves.”
The advantage of VR is for short, intense, and surgical experiences, not pervasive ones. Pervasive experiences are largely in the realm of AR, and for that, we have are still some years away, perhaps as soon as five years, because the writing on the wall with Quest 3’s passthrough AR and the Vision Pro is that we’ve begun to travel around the corner of many augmented use cases that professionals will start to become hooked on when it comes to collaboration and training, as well as the highly specialized applications such as telesurgery and the like, although that is something I forsee in the 2030s, and of course has a close relationship with the field of robotics and AGI.
Jussi Havu:
In many ways, the XR technology value chain is ready for more mass adoption today. A combination of affordable standalone VR headsets with collaborative VR platforms together with enterprise-ready MDM platforms enables secure large-scale deployments already today. And in the pioneering institutions, it is already happening now.
While the pace of adoption may vary across different sectors and regions, there’s a growing trajectory toward the standardization of immersive technologies in education and training. Some experts predict that within the next decade or two, immersive hardware and software could become integral tools in the educational landscape, reshaping how people learn and train across various disciplines. However, the exact timeline will depend on the pace of technological advancements, cost reductions, and the willingness of institutions to embrace these innovations.
Alex Howland
Enterprise will come first. Education will be later, perhaps 5- 10 years time, depending on the scenario and amount of freedom the institution has in how it operates.
There is no doubt that immersive technology will become a universal standard in schools and learning/training environments – look at how computers and the internet have transformed learning in the last 20 years.
But while the impact may be one of the most significant (as with healthcare), education will not be one of the earliest adopting industries. We’ll see Immersive learning initially take off in the classroom with virtual worlds and simulations via the desktop. VR headsets will be much later when cost, accessibility, comfort, etc, have been ironed out.
But before any of that can happen, educators must agree to a defined standard and figure out the ethical and safety considerations, as with any new innovation.
