Tag: adult education

CCA JUNE BOARD PLANNING IS IN SESSION!

Posted on by Dr Pirtle

I serve on the CCA Board of Directors as the Northern Women’s Rights/Issues Director, and this weekend, Friday June 9 through Sunday June 11, the Board are all together in Burlingame, at CTA HQ for the Board Planning Session!  Much dialog and business happening, with a great Board Packet to work through, for the good of all 🙂

The Community College Association, with CTA and NEA as its partners:

  • advocates for California’s public higher education faculty
  • empowers locals
  • builds strong and effective coalitions
  • promotes equity and inclusion
  • strives to preserve quality public education

Train the Trainer Tips for VR

Posted on by Dr Pirtle

Managing a classroom of people wearing virtual reality headsets can be a unique and challenging experience for both the teacher and the students. Here are some tips on how to effectively manage a classroom of people wearing virtual reality headsets:

  1. Establish clear rules and expectations: Make sure to set clear rules and expectations for behavior while wearing virtual reality headsets. This could include guidelines on movement, communication, and appropriate use of the technology.

  2. Provide clear instructions: Ensure that all students understand how to use the virtual reality headsets and any software or apps that are being used in the classroom. Provide clear instructions and demonstrations as needed.

  3. Monitor student behavior: Keep an eye on students’ behavior while they are using virtual reality headsets. Be aware of any signs of disorientation, discomfort, or inappropriate behavior, and intervene if necessary.

  4. Use collaborative activities: Consider using collaborative activities that require students to work together in virtual reality. This can help build teamwork and communication skills and can also be a fun way to learn.

  5. Use virtual reality to enhance learning: Use virtual reality as a tool to enhance learning, not just as a novelty. Incorporate virtual reality experiences that align with your curriculum and learning objectives.

  6. Consider accessibility: Keep in mind that some students may have difficulty using virtual reality headsets, such as those with certain disabilities or medical conditions. Consider alternative activities or accommodations for these students.

Overall, managing a classroom of people wearing virtual reality headsets requires careful planning, clear communication, and constant monitoring. With the right strategies in place, virtual reality can be an effective tool for enhancing learning and engagement in the classroom.

Which HEI’s Are Using Virtual Reality

Posted on by Dr Pirtle

There are many universities in the United States that are using virtual reality (VR) for instruction. Here are a few examples:

1. Stanford University

2. University of Southern California

3. Harvard University

4. MIT

5. Duke University

6. University of California, Berkely

7. Ohio State University

8. University of Texas at Austin

9. Columbia University

10. New York University

These institutions are using VR for a variety of purposes, including enhancing experiential learning, increasing student engagement, and improving accessibility to education. VR is being used in subjects such as medicine, engineering, architecture, art, and more.  It’s important to note that this is just a small sample of the universities that are using VR for instruction. Many institutions, including colleges, are actively exploring and experimenting with VR technology, and the list is constantly growing. More to come on the list of colleges…..

Artificial Intelligence & Virtual Reality in Education

Posted on by Dr Pirtle

Artificial Intelligence has revolutionized the virtual reality experience by bringing a whole new level of realism and interactivity to it. AI-driven applications can now track user movements, detect facial expressions, and understand voice commands, allowing users to feel as if they are immersed in a virtual environment with realistic interactions. In addition, AI is being used for natural language processing which helps create immersive conversations with digital characters and objects in VR. This technology is making virtual reality more engaging than ever before, and with these advances, it means that teachers will be able to prepare our students for the future workforce where they can be employed by any industry and use any technology.

The project I am working on is training teachers how to use VR to support their curriculum, and I have been fortunate enough to be able to work with them. I am very excited for students to have the opportunity to utilize immersive technologies in their learning because they are more engaging than traditional classroom learning.  I am so excited for the students who will have the privilege of using immersive technologies in their learning. I’ve seen firsthand how these technologies can transform and enhance the learning experience of adults, and I am confident that students will also find themselves more engaged and motivated thanks to their use. A quick search for scientific research proves my point – the research is showing that immersive technologies are a major positive for learners of all ages.

I am thrilled that I have the opportunity to help prepare our workforce for the future by helping our educators to embrace this technology. I am passionate about improving education in the U.S. because I know the importance of early education in influencing the future success of American society and the economy!

 

Which Companies & Industries Are Using Virtual Reality, and why?

Posted on by Dr Pirtle

Virtual reality provides a 3D, fully immersive experience, and has many applications that bring value to consumers, and industry.  In 2021, Price Waterhouse Cooper reported that Virtual Reality learners were four times more engaged and learned 4 times faster than in a traditional classroom setting.  Their study also found that learners were 275% more confident to apply their skills learned after training, and were more emotionally connected and focused than classroom or e-learners.  If Virtual Reality is so successful for learners, then it makes perfect sense that the business world have embraced it. 

Companies using a Virtual Reality component include:

NASA, IKEA, L-Oreal, Adidas, Wendy’s, Toms, Grunfos, Gucci, Gorrilaz, Lowes, Jaguar, New York Times Volvo, McDonalds, Walmart, Boeing, Timberland, Porche, Six Flags, Sonovo, BMW, Toyota and Ebay, to name a few!

Industries using a Virtual Reality component include:

Architecture, Art, Automotive, Charity, City Planning, Education, Entertainment, Fitness, Health, Journalism, Interior Design, Law Enforcement, Manufacturing, Marketing, Media, Real Estate, Recreation, Recruitment, Retail, Sports, Tourism, Welding, Well Being, to name a few!

Synergy XR recently conducted a webinar in which they shared how companies used virtual reality in 2022 to improve their operations in terms of safety, customer service and productivity, ultimately those companies financially!  Here are some key takeaways their webinar, which introduced how some companies used virtual reality:-

Remote Support

This is the ability to provide support to technicians remotely from HQ!  An example of this is reported by Synergy XR is Sonovo’s (egg production machinery manufacturer) use of VR for remote support, and it has cut their repairs of processing machinery from two to three days to a few hours.  This also has resulted in a larger number of customers being serviced in a faster time frame.

Technical Product Training

With a digital immersive training manual, employees can be trained at scale.  Grunfos, the world’s largest industrial pump manufacturer, trains employees, inside headsets, in a digital twin, reducing training time from six weeks to four days.  Another company is using VR to provide repeat training as necessary, reducing injury and the need to replace equipment.

Soft Skill Training

Typically, this kind of training embeds an element of simulations!  VR provides an affordable way to develop and manage simulations, allowing the opportunity to upskill employees.   An example provided by Synergy XR was how an immersion in VR provides opportunities for social training, leadership and mental health awareness.  Other companies are providing training in diversity, virtual speech, communications. 

Recruitment and Onboarding

Virtual Reality is being used to attract candidates from all over the world, people who would otherwise not travel for interview.  Companies are using the virtual reality recruitment process to gauge candidate competency and to demonstrate what the company can do for a candidate, sharing the working environment and culture. Companies such as Jaguar and Gorillaz are using VR for recruitment.  Grunfos use Virtual Reality to facilitate new employee onboarding, reducing travel and labor costs by thousands of dollars. 

The headsets we use today may seem somewhat cumbersome, but so did the first mobile phones!  I recall the first mobile phones were about the size of a toaster, and yet today our phones are worn literally on our wrists or in our back pockets!  The headset technology is evolving fast, and the wearables will only get better.  Since learners who ultimately service industry are doing so well with virtual reality, just like the internet, social media, and portable devices – virtual reality as a tool will be embedded also into our society.  It is because of what the research says, and what my own experiences in education technology, as well as my own experiences with learners in the virtual reality setting, that I have expanded my own skillset to include teaching as much as I can about how to utilize this valuable learning tool, and the potential it holds for us!

 

Engaging Adult Students With Virtual Reality

Posted on by Dr Pirtle

While most teachers in a traditional classroom plan for interactive experiences for learners, many teachers also know that engaging students is becoming more and more challenging and demands more creativity than ever before. My experiences teaching in a virtual reality setting align with what the research is showing, that learners become completely immersed and fully engaged. In virtual reality, I have witnessed that learners feel present immediately, and feel a sense of belonging and fulfillment and, they absolutely engage all the time! This is a fully immersive experience.

Teaching a class inside of a Virtual Reality setting involves much planning, in the same manner a lesson planning for a traditional classroom. There needs to be a lot of thought about the interactive opportunities to be provided, but also a lot of planning around the technology, classroom setting, and the multitude of tools that can be utilized to facilitate a great learner experience. While the virtual reality environment provides well for the opportunity for all to be fully involved, the classroom management techniques need a definite upgrade from the way a teacher manages a traditional face to face classroom, or even a traditional online classroom, if there is such a thing!

There are many different applications or platforms that can be used in which to launch a class. Deciding which application/platform to use, depends on the type of experience you would like to provide to the students. Perhaps you would like a traditional lecture format, in which the instructor presents at a podium and utilizes some form of projection system to a large screen. Perhaps the instructor would like a whiteboard and access to web resources that can also be projected for the the students to see. There are so many more options in the virtual reality world, such as customizing the environment and spaces, creating objects which users may interact with, or, opportunities for group activities that allow users to move freely around the space with tools/tasks in hand. It is very wise to check out what the different platforms/apps have to offer, I use several platforms, each for the different experiences they provide – and the choice usually depends on what kind of immersive experience I want my learners to achieve and which tools I would like them to use.  My favorite is currently Spatial   Go experiment! If you have any questions, or would like help in getting started, or are looking for creative ideas to bring your curriculum to life in virtual reality, let’s chat!