Today’s post comes courtesy of Janet Garcia, ThirdForce UK Director
Mindleaders Thirdforce is involved in supporting a research project around the concept of 3D learning. I was lucky enough to recently have sampled a version of our compliance e-learning reworked using sophisticated gaming technologies so there was a ‘Lara Croft’ type girl carrying out the practical exercises involved in our usual 2D course. It was a fascinating insight into what the future may hold – although left me with as many questions as it did answers.
I am going to call the girl ‘Lara’ for the sake of a name. Lara was in a kitchen which had a huge screen in the background. She would watch some of the traditional ‘flat’ 2D learning on the screen and then walk around the kitchen to practice washing her hands, putting away the groceries etc. Lara looked good, with high quality graphics and she moved around smoothly, in line with that which you would expect from gaming, and the killer punch was how the learning was all tracked back to our LMS.
So, is this future? Maybe, but I am left pondering – as a provider, how do we ensure that we adopt the appropriate style of learning when the content is being played to the wide audience. Whilst I know that this style of learning would be extremely well received by any learner under the age of 30, I think the older learners would be terrified. We have worked hard to bring e-learning to the masses, but I wonder if the digital divide is decreasing or actually broadening?
The other thought that I had was if that cohort of under 30′s want to learn this way. By making the learning an experience more similar to that which they enjoy in their social lives, will that make them more engaged, or leave them frustrated. We know that they will relate easily to Lara on screen, but would they rather that she was raiding tombs, or fighting baddies? The challenge is treading that line between motivating learners, without trying to cover up that the objective is one of learning. It’s a thin line – and if we keep on the right side of it, 3D will make a fantastic enhancement and Lara has a bright future in e-learning.
I find the idea of 3D learning very exciting but I agree that this is likely to be more attractive for the learner under the age of 30. My main concern is with training departments trying to safe money and addressing budget cuts specially across the Public Sector, would 3D learning require investment in more up to date equipment making this type of training only available to those that can afford it?
I agree with you Jessica particularly around the cost side of things for the public sector, investment into this type of technology is certainly not a small amount. 3D learning, assimilations and immersive learning (when used in a blended learning programmes) can revolutionise workflow performance; providing learners an immersive environment that is as close to real life experience and therefore giving learners knowledge and tips that can be directly implemented into their day to day jobs. I can see this type of technology being leveraged to deliver incident management training, for delivering part of Induction training, compliance training (such as fire awareness, health and safety etc) and for rolling out softer skills training (role play). Recent developments to this technology means we can now track learner’s progress and give them guided feedback throughout their virtual training session- fundamental elements that were previously missing from these platforms.
With the advent with incredible technology today, I do believe, to paraphrase Mark Twain, “the death of face to face training is greatly exaggerated.” Virtual training has changed the game in a very significant way. The difference today is that people can learn in groups, but still be at a distance. Technologies such as Second Life or VirtualU, participants are fully immersed in a setting where they can see and interact with people that are part of their learning group, even though they may be thousands of miles away. The need to be part of a group learning experience is no longer entirely dependant on being in the same room. That being said, no one will deny that being in the same room has its benefits and will always be part of the landscape. However, people will learn how to use all the technologies in a unified forum so that people learn asynchronously by watching a video on YouTube or participate in a WebEx, then attend a live session at the corporate offices, and then extend the group learning experience by continuing with classes in a 3D virtual worlds. The good news is that the face to face training experience will be much more efficient and impactful, as it will only have to focus on the areas of live training that require a live audience, such as best practice sharing and role playing. Everything else can be handled via the other technologies. So in the end, face to face training will be enhanced (rather than be eliminated) by virtual training technology.