#immersive elearning

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.

Immersive elearning is non-resistant way we often interconnect with the tech world. It will be more useful in simulation, storytelling, games, etc.,

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