Consumer markets are seeing the launch of affordable virtual reality (VR) devices such as Oculus Rift, Samsung Gear VR, and even lowly Google Cardboard. But for learning professionals, this change is not about the new gadgets that are becoming ever more accessible and powerful. VR is not a gadget but a medium, a medium that has a huge potential for changing how workplace learning is delivered and experienced—if used appropriately.

In this session, you will explore seven key principles that support VR as an educational medium. In learning, there is a yearning for something that can really hold sustained attention, induce intense emotion, allow learning by doing, provide relevant context, enable transfer, increase retention, provide cognitive swap, and above all, allow you to do things that are impossible in the real world. VR delivers on all of this. You’ll also see several videos of VR users that will inspire you to take a hard look at VR for learning. If experiencing virtual bungee jumping or a VR roller coaster can cause people to scream and shout in their living rooms, imagine what VR can do for workplace learning.

In this session, you will learn:

  • Why virtual reality (VR) is on its way as a massive consumer phenomenon
  • Why VR is starting to trend in workplace learning
  • About seven learning theory principles that support the use of VR as a medium
  • How some real examples use VR in both education and training

Caution:
In the context of user excitement and engagement, some of the videos shown in this session include profane language.

Audience:
Novice to advanced designers, developers, project managers, and managers.

Handout(s)

Recording