VR training using immersive technology can increase learning retention dramatically.
There are many benefits to utilizing VR in training and education, including immersion in otherwise inaccessible sites and scenarios. One of the biggest benefits we are learning more about is the increased retention and comprehension VR can deliver.
No matter what industry you are in, so much crucial information is delivered in lecture form or in writing. But is this the best we can do?
The National Training Laboratory (National Education Association of the United States) reports that retention rates for lecture-style learning are 5%, with reading rates at 10%. Meanwhile, VR scored a retention rate of 75% and at the top of the class is learning by teaching others.
University of Maryland researchers conducted one of the first in-depth analyses on whether people learn better through virtual, immersive environments, as opposed to more traditional platforms like a two-dimensional desktop computer or hand-held tablet.
With a median recall accuracy percentage of 90.48 percent for immersive HMDs – head-mounted (virtual reality) displays – compared to desktop display’s 78.57 percent, the study has again validated the long-held view that VR can be an excellent training and educational tool.
“This data is exciting in that it suggests that immersive environments could offer new pathways for improved outcomes in education and high-proficiency training,” says Amitabh Varshney, professor of computer science and dean of the College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences at UMD.
In the end, if adding VR into your training can improve retention and engagement with the content, it is adding value. One of the great things about VR is that you can capture once and deliver over and over again, meaning it is often more affordable to implement than many people realise – particularly with advancements in 360-degree videography.
Depending on who you are educating or training, the other great thing that it is very difficult (near impossible) to check your mobile phone when in VR, limiting one of the biggest distractors.
If you want to know more about the possibilities of VR training, contact Laura at Lateral Vision
Laura Tolson
