Educational experience in Metaverse, a new way to teach and learn

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The discussion surrounding the metaverse has reached a fever pitch. This is a unique opportunity for the emerging world to take a shortcut from the old eLearning programs into an “always on” universe of new experiential learning opportunities.

The learning industry has come a long way since the PC Internet boom that led to online learning in the late 1990s. The second wave of mobile computing and social media has opened up. out. out microlearning through shorter, video-on-demand learning. Industry watchers are now suggesting that the third era of computing is upon us. Flat static pages on PCs and phones will be replaced by a series of digital 3D spaces where we interact like lifelike avatars. Metaverse is the embodiment of the Internet, where you are never alone. Unlike a Zoom call that is scheduled and disappears when you’re done, the metaverse is “always on” and creates social interactions with colleagues. This transformation has profound implications for capacity building and learning.

A new way to teach and learn

The new generation virtual reality (VR) headset is the entrance to the supermarket. Head-mounted VR displays engage the senses and provide an unparalleled sense of presence. Users can move freely through a 3D scenario and interact with the world around them with their hands, just like in real life. VR technology has matured enough to no longer be part of Gartner’s Hype Cycle, and it is becoming affordable enough (under $300) to address the global capacity gap. An internet connection is not even required for single-player sessions.

VR engages the brain’s motor system and builds muscle memory. Like a flight simulator preparing a pilot for an emergency landing, VR can train everything from farming skills to firefighting. Skills that play to the strengths of the metaverse include spatial training, such as using the hands and body to perform tasks that are too dangerous, expensive, inconvenient, or simply impossible to practice. in real life. Other examples include simulations of situations for routine and irregular operations, emergency response, stressful workplace situations, critical procedures, and high-consequence events – all in a safe and controlled environment, then repeatable until it becomes second nature.

6 ways Metaverse can positively impact learning and capacity building

  1. Learn and connect in a vibrant virtual campus

Before and during COVID-19, learning has begun to shift from physical classrooms to more virtual and mixed spaces. Metaverse facilitates a richer campus life, where learners wear VR headsets into a virtual campus or university to learn, explore, and socialize. For example, in this digital space, learners can dive into different study groups, visit the library and room breaks, meet coaches and mentors, and hang out with friends. friend. raft. age band.

These digital experiences can truly democratize education, by bringing people from different geographical locations and economic backgrounds together to learn, in an efficient time. on cost, flexible and faster. For example, in September 2023, a virtual Kenya-KAIST campus is planned to be located 60 km from the capital Nairobi, which will allow the facility to expand their reach across all continents , allowing students to learn together on cutting-edge topics without leaving their homes. . Ethnic.

  1. Improve your real world skills in Virtual and Hybrid environments

Metaverse offers experiential skills training opportunities, demonstrated using real-world and high-pressure situations where you can make mistakes with no consequences. When well designed, it combines VR with data science and spatial design to improve learner engagement, confidence, and application. Some examples of the benefits of training in the metaverse include:

  • Experience. Pharmaceutical leader Novartis trains life-saving lab skills with high-fidelity, multiplayer VR simulations. Students step into virtual labs to interact with faculty and practice sealing tubes, opening bags, and labeling unlimited bags.
  • Practice with purpose. Metaverse provides feedback and powerful practice rounds where learners practice multiple variations of a concept to hone their skills. Walmart’s Spark City game is different every now and then. If a customer shows up within 10 feet, players must ask if they can help, but not before they deal with oil spills and other safety hazards.
  • Learning depends on the state. The Health Clause causes psychological stress in the face of workplace violations. A live actor captured in 3D volumetric video appears through your phone or tablet’s camera lens as a hologram standing in the room in front of you, so learning and retrieval happen in At the same place. a condition.

  1. Explore different worlds through visualization and storytelling

Visualization and storytelling are two hallmarks of a super-diverse and much-needed learning experience today after the boring Zoom experience during COVID-19. Through VR technology, learners can enter a completely different world or walk into someone else’s shoes. For example, healthcare leader DaVita builds patient empathy using an interactive, multi-sensory story in first person.

Entering the supermarket facilitates visualization of scenarios, including complex development challenges. For example, learners can use a VR headset to watch street transformation in South Asia or explore life in a Green Smart City. Through stories, tours and mini 360-degree virtual images, learners “step into” key global development challenges, including climate change, education, gender reckoning, urban development marketing, international trade and public health.

  1. Building people’s capacity in difficult or interpersonal situations

Training employees in soft skills, such as communication, leadership, listening and empathy, is difficult to achieve and also difficult to measure. Metaverse facilitates this by engaging learners in real-world conflicts and allowing them to practice their soft skills in a safe environment, such as sensitive chat. . or difficulties with employees or customers.

For Verizon employees, safety training scenarios related to robberies can create a sense of danger and overwhelming. Using VR, Verizon helped more than 22,000 associates across 1,600 stores train for this complex scenario; The company reports that 97% of those trained said they felt prepared in the face of such dangerous situations.

  1. Improve accessibility for people with disabilities

Metaverse promises to improve educational and social access for people with disabilities. For example, an immersive environment provides young people with special needs, autism and social communication problems the ability to improve their communication and work skills, such as : Visit the mall or grocery store, load products at a store, or load a truck. Through VR apps, they can practice skills and interact with others in a safe environment without feeling overwhelmed or anxious.

VR can also help people with mobility problems or anxiety improve their quality of life. For example, the charity Starlight uses VR technology to give pediatric patients the opportunity to “break down” the walls of their room and be transported to another world. Through VR glasses, they can experience playing football, hanging out with friends or visiting remote places.

  1. Increase data collection on learning outcomes

Using metaverse to create rich learning experiences allows organizations to collect hitherto untapped data to better understand learner behavior to track progress, identify gaps and continuously improve the learning experience. Useful data on learner actions including usage, performance, attention and engagement, sentiment, and predictive analytics. Teachers can also take a more active role in data collection and lesson analysis on the effects of such environments on learning. For example, hand movements are tracked in pharmaceuticals by Pfizer, Novartis and Bristol Myers Squibb. If the user places their hand or the wrong angle under the biosafety cabinet, the sim will immediately provide feedback and start over. Any digital footprint can be measured, and telemetry data dashboards can provide useful insights to improve the simulation experience.

Metaverse literally means “life” after the internet. Early applications of this new way of learning include virtual campus activities, 3D simulations, and gambling activities. This is just the beginning – through this technology, there are countless opportunities to reimagine and democratize education in new ways.

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