#3d immersive learning

While instructional design (ID) is of course most important when creating and launching an e-learning course, it is important to understand that ID is not just a one-time exercise. To get the results you expect and require, you need to keep an eye on the course to ensure it is performing well. By gathering and analyzing the right data, you can understand how learners are responding, track learner progress and collect learner feedback on various parameters, based on which the course can be continuously improved.

What parameters should be studied?

Through direct surveys and questionnaires, you can collect learner feedback at various points in the course on:

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Learner engagement/Learner boredom

Motivation

Remember that testing isn’t just to examine the learners’ abilities and progress. It is also a test of the e-learning module itself. Analyze testing results to understand if:

All categories of learners — novice, intermediate and expert — are progressing similarly

Most learners are able to understand and apply the concept to practical situations

Visual, auditory and kinesthetic learners are all progressing at a similar rate

How do you gather this data?

There are, broadly, two categories of data that can be gathered:

Subjective user feedback

Objective learner data

Through surveys, questionnaires and conversation, you can collect feedback on a large number of parameters at different stages in the course. By segmenting the learners at the start of the module, it’s possible to correlate the data and gain fine-grained subjective feedback on how well the course is supporting each learner category.

Present brief multiple choice surveys (with just a question or two at most) at the end of each sub-section, but take all opportunities to go beyond surveys for learner feedback. Have multiple conversations to gather subjective opinions on a wider variety of topics, going into detail on what’s working and what isn’t.

Take subjective inputs on everything you can — to name a few, this could include:

course navigability

readability of content

speed of loading

which device your users are using

how they find the module on that device

favorite section and why

least favorite section

More objective data metrics can be gathered from LMS data and analytics, such as:

completion rates over time

user progress (time spent on the course, any roadblocks, where they are fully engaged and involved)

user enrollment (for non-mandatory courses!)

user engagement

number of engaged and returning users (number of visits per user)

In addition to the above two methods of data collection, assessment analysis and observation of learner behavior can yield valuable insights.

We’ve noticed that in the past few years, there’s been a significant uptick in interest in immersive e-learning technologies. This includes gamification, game-based learning, augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR) technologies, among others. That makes sense, because these technologies are the cutting edge of e-learning tech and can be of immense value when used in the right project.

However, we have also come across customers who come to us after having burnt their fingers by diving into AR or VR technologies purely on the basis of the hype.

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So let’s think this through…

Scoping a project upfront is extremely important. What is your learning objective? What content do you want to communicate? Would AR or VR technologies really offer you significant value in your pedagogical process?

Start with the learning objective of your e-learning material. What do you need to communicate through the module? Do you need immersive learning tech to optimize the learning delivery process? If you do, to what extent?

Remember, creating AR or VR content is complex — and expensive!

3D character design and content designed for fully immersive learning technology are extremely complex. Talented and highly trained artists are required to craft each scene. As a result, it takes a great deal of time and money to develop each minute detail to make the immersive learning content realistic.

Imagine a virtual reality scene where your learners are walking through a mall. It’s important to realize that every bystander or NPC (non-playing character) you pass takes significant effort to design and animate. And yet, without them, the details are incomplete and the learner is subconsciously taken out of the immersive experience.

This is just one example of how VR is more than just a buzzword. Similarly, 3D animation, augmented reality, gamification and game-based e-learning technologies too are terms that are exciting and ‘in’, but if not used in the right project, they can put a strain on timelines and budgets.

So what are the ‘right projects’ to use immersive tech on?

3D animated videos, augmented reality, gamification and VR technologies can be white elephants when used in the wrong projects. But they can also be game changers when used right. So what does the ‘right project’ look like? We share some examples.

When to use 3D animated videos

This is best used in cases where you need to theoretically train learners on complex subjects with multiple complicating factors. For example, how do you open the heart and replace a valve? You can try explaining this through text or 2D animation, but 3D animation is a much better fit since it allows you to see the organ as a whole, in its real environment, and from different angles.

When to use AR

AR is ideal for cases where you are training users on how to use physical tools, tech and hardware. It also works well for learning in the flow of work. If your learner is wondering how to use a particular tool to repair a certain product, for example, they can simply pull out their mobile device and scan it. Content is overlaid on the image to explain what it is, how to use, when and why.

When to use VR

Full VR technology is expensive. It takes time and money to develop, and learners require specialized hardware to access it. Having said that, VR is great for certain kinds of simulation. For example, think about flight training. A full flight simulator is necessary to train learners on how to react to situations such as turbulence. In this situation, no other technology will work other than VR, as the physical movement can only be simulated by VR.

Gamification

Gamification and game-based learning are fantastic models when it comes to learning for kids, and it’s been proven to have success for learners of all ages. However, it doesn’t work at all, unless the physical learning support system is in place. It’s important to prioritize instructional design and structuring the learning modules and curriculum, over the layer of gamification.

At Hornbill FX, we have the in-house capabilities to produce extremely high-quality immersive learning experiences, and also offer strategic input on when you need them, and when 2D design or simpler tech will do.

When you hear ‘metaverse’, you may imagine a virtual world managed, maintained and accessed by complex VR hardware. Is it possible for this fast-growing e-learning trend to be compressed into a handheld mobile device? We explore this possibility in this article, but, before we get there, …

Why is a mobile metaverse important?

Mobile internet is the wave of the present, with mobile internet traffic making up 59.72% of total global online traffic. It’s a central part of Web 2.0, the current generation of the internet. And for that reason, it’s important to leverage this ubiquitous device and its usage as we enter the next phase of the internet.

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The mobile metaverse immersive learning experience

Is it possible to access an immersive universe from a handheld device? Does it have the computing power? Is it big enough?

On the one hand, over the past few years, virtual reality (VR) has been evolving rapidly — from a technology that was only suitable for desktop applications to one which works on mobile devices with headsets. Some schools are even investing in VR immersive learning, using mobile devices and virtual reality headsets. So yes, it is possible to miniaturize the VR experience to suit a mobile device.

But that’s only one part of the story. Why confuse immersiveness with expensive equipment that often puts the entire experience out of reach of learners?

At Hornbill, we look at immersive environments as an advanced form of communication that create a ‘real’ experience for the user. But that doesn’t mean this immersive learning technique needs to be powered by VR or AR technology.

Our view of metaverse immersive learning — three-dimensional worlds through which you can freely navigate and with which you can freely interact — is not limited by the factors that put VR immersive learning out of reach. Such 3D graphics can be accessed effectively by almost any mobile device, without requiring any additional hardware — a huge advantage over alternative concepts of the metaverse.

Mobile learning and immersive learning are the future of e-learning — meaning that getting mobile immersive learning techniques right is probably the most important thing you can do for your next online training project.

How do you design your immersive e-learning solutions to be engaging and interactive? Here are some instructional design strategies that can help you develop an immersive learning module that delivers a valuable learning experience and real results.

1. Storytelling

A great option that works for most topics in a corporate e-learning environment (marketing, HR, soft skills, even some finance- and operations-related roles) is storytelling. The learner steps into an immersive learning experience structured around a realistic storyline, and acts as the protagonist. As they take decisions, the branching scenario delivers different outcomes and the simulation keeps changing every time it is played. Keep the stories, scenarios and decisions realistic and relevant.

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2. Gamification

Through gamification (a very popular instructional strategy of external motivators) you can build engagement and motivation within the immersive learning environment. By adding game-style elements, you can enhance the experience. Game-based learning is also a great way to engage learners in your immersive e-learning solution.

We’ve written a few other articles about gamification and game-based learning — you can check them out here.

3. Guided Learning

Consider creating a guide character who walks learners through the process. This allows the learner to actively participate in the simulated storyline without having to exit the immersive learning environment for theoretical training. Every time a choice is made, the mentor explains the logic behind the best option. The mentor can answer simple questions, coordinate with the subject matter expert for answers to more complex doubts, and guide the learner on their learning journey.

4. Learning Through Exploration And Discovery (LEAD)

When you’re in an immersive learning environment, you allow your learners to enter a ‘map’ with a number of points to be crossed and learning destinations to be covered. This allows them to learn at their own pace. You can provide visual indicators, such as arrows and icons, but allow the learner to freely explore the area and interact with all topics to be learned. This is especially effective for immersive onboarding training, where the intention is to relax the trainee and allow them to interact with a number of equally important topics on their own learning paths.

+1. Back to Basics

While there are many ways in which you can make the most of your immersive learning experience, it’s important to remember that the priority is your learning material and not the immersive environment itself. While virtual reality and augmented reality are exciting technologies, they can’t be the core of the e-learning process. The learning material must be the focus of your e-learning modules.

As remote working and remote learning become the norm, immersive learning makes training faster, more efficient, and more cost-effective. Training budgets are decreasing and the need for specialist employees is increasing. The gap between the need and availability of trained personnel is increasing as well. That’s why immersive remote training is so powerful and offers such great returns.

Immersive remote learning without VR hardware

While companies can provide VR hardware to every remote learner, such headsets are not always required for immersive learning. Immersive VR training can also be delivered via standard mobile or desktop devices, in the form of 360-degree videos and realistic avatar-based role plays.

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Leveraging competition to deliver better learning outcomes

Traditional in-person learning has a number of cost and logistical hurdles, which are overcome by immersive e-learning.

Solving real problems faced by remote learners

Remote learners have a number of demands on their time, and it’s difficult to pull time out for training. Since immersive learning programs are more engaging, they are faster to complete than other e-learning programs, making remote learning more efficient. VR learners complete modules 4x faster than classroom learners and 1.5x faster than e-learners, according to a recent PwC study.

Another issue faced by remote learners is that they can feel emotionally disconnected from their colleagues and the organization. The PwC study found that employees who completed VR training “felt almost four times (3.75x) more emotionally connected to the content than classroom learners did, and more than twice (2.3x) as connected as e-learners”.

VR training delivers positive ROI

When compared to ‘traditional’ e-learning, PwC found that while of course VR training does require initial cost investment, it achieves a cost advantage over e-learning when delivered to learning populations of more than 1,950 trainees. Since remote learners cannot be called together for in-person classroom learning, e-learning is realistically the only option available.

That’s because the upfront investment in terms of VR software (and hardware if applicable) is amortized at scale. As a result, VR training is proven to have positive ROI while also delivering more effective learning.

Heightened focus

Interactive learning experiences are so immersive that it makes it easier for learners to stay focused — a very real benefit for remote learners. PwC found that learners working with VR-based e-learning are 4x more focused than their e-learning peers, and 1.5x more focused than classroom learners. Focus drives engagement, which in turn delivers better learning outcomes.

As Gianni Versace put it, “It’s nice to have valid competition; it pushes you to do better”.

The competitive spirit is arguably the most powerful force driving us towards excellence. That’s because humans are competitive by nature. Unlike herd animals, who cooperate to survive, we are more individualistic and, in general, motivated by proving ourselves to be better than everyone else.

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That’s true of learning (and e-learning) as well. By instilling a sense of friendly competition in e-learning instructional design, you can significantly improve engagement, motivation and learning outcomes.

While there are a number of ways to modify instructional design to leverage competition, arguably the most effective method is to use gamification.

Motivation in gaming

Why do we play games? While great game design and the sheer joy of playing are key factors, possibly the most important of all is the thrill of competing and winning — against others, or even against yourself.

In Inside Sport Psychology (1969), sport psychologists Costas Karageorghis and Peter Terry call this kind of motivation “external, or extrinsic, motivation because it involves participation in sport for some kind of reward that is external to the process of participation”.

Extrinsic motivators include defeating other players, or winning medals or points, while intrinsic motivation is the joy of playing the game even if you aren’t keeping score.

Scoring and points

Carrying this insight to the world of e-learning, it becomes clear that by communicating to each learner on where they stand in relation to others in the group (or in relation to where they themselves were before) they are motivated to compete and improve, and this often drives performance improvement. This can be done through public leaderboards and other gamification elements.

By assigning points to various elements of the e-learning process — for example, points for logging on, for speed of completion, and of course, for performance on assessments and micro-assessments — each learner gains an objective measure of their performance. When these scores are published on publicly visible leaderboards, there is a sense of competition between learners as they all aim to move up the rankings. Since all learners can view the rankings, pride (and to an extent, fear as well) works to drive the competitive spirit!

Other gamification elements, such as virtual medals or badges for the first to complete the module, top scorer on the assignment, and so on, can also increase the perceived extrinsic value of such achievements, and hence the motivation to attain them as well.

Gamification of assessments

While it’s important to motivate learners to log on and participate, it’s also important for instructional designers to motivate their learners to prepare for, and to do their best in, course assessments. One possible way to do so is by converting a simple assessment into a competition, with teams, levels, points and MVPs (most valued players). This has the added benefit of bringing an element of collaboration into the competition.

You can also try assessments that are games themselves, such as timed quizzes. One-on-one contests are another great way to get learners to compete against each other and achieve excellence.

Competition or cooperation?

The spirit of friendly competition is of immense value, but instructional designers should be careful not to take it too far. While competition is a natural human instinct and useful to motivate desirable actions, so is cooperation. Build in elements within the gamified module, such as team games or collaborative exercises, to encourage team building and cohesion.

Too much focus on competition at the cost of cooperation can also impact some learners, who may become demotivated. In such cases, offer an opt out option from the public leaderboard. These learners will still be able to view their own scores and compete against themselves.