Today, virtual reality (VR) is being used across different business verticals. Manufacturing, EdTech, media & entertainment has already adopted it extensively. The eLearning sector is about to join this bandwagon soon.

Before understanding the significance of Virtual reality (VR) in a learning management system (LMS) or online training, let’s first try to know what this technology is.

Virtual reality is a technology that uses computer technology to create a simulated 3D environment. It places you in some other dimension or world. The user gets an amazing immersive experience by wearing a VR headset. The virtual object seems to be real and you can feel, sense, and touch them.

The use of VR beyond gaming has already started and is trying to find its way into the corporate world now. Integrating VR technology in a learning management system can enhance the eLearning experience. It is the best way to measure employees’ performance and capabilities. For instance, employees can learn skills through traditional online classes and then practice what they have learned in VR training scenarios and online simulations.

The benefits of using an LMS and VR together are:

Increased engaging experience-

As human society has shifted from the “information age” to the “experience age”, today the employees have started seeking and prioritizing experiences over information. It is similar to going for a test drive before buying a car to get the full experience of the product.

Employee onboarding-

Onboarding is the process of induction of an employee into an organization. It is the first experience of training that an employee gets. On the first day itself, the employee is bombarded with too much information that is difficult to remember.

An LMS with VR technology can easily fix this problem by digitizing the entire onboarding process. New employees can be taken on a virtual tour where they can explore the company’s building, canteen, boardrooms, etc without being physically present in the office.

Personalized learning-

Every learner learns at his own pace. There might be some who take many days to understand the concept while some digest it in just one go. Thus, the training of employees or online learners should be done in such a manner that it fulfills individual needs. It shouldn’t make them all run at the same time and at the same speed.

Here, an LMS and VR can play a great role in offering personalized learning to the employees in the following ways:

The employees and online learners can interact directly with the eLearning content. They can extract virtual objects from the display, observe them carefully, and can also use a stylus pen to make any changes.
The use of VR creates a full multisensory experience where one can touch, feel, hear, and smell. This makes eLearning enjoyable and memorable.
LMS and VR integration allow online learners and employees to learn, practice and improve. For instance, the users can learn through online training tutorials on an LMS platform and practice the same in a VR scenario.
It leads to ‘out of the book learning.’

Experiential learning-

An LMS and VR technology together promote experiential learning. This means that employees learn through their own experiences.

For instance, this technology can be applied for soft skills training of sales employees. They can prepare their presentation and, using a VR headset, can practice in a simulated environment. They can also get instant feedback on their style of talking, eye contact, choice, and delivery of sentences. This helps in self-assessment.

Companies like Walmart use a combination of LMS and VR technology in employee training. They create a ‘Black Friday’ simulator to train and prepare employees for customer rush on Black Friday sales.

Increased collaboration-

LMS and VR technology can help the employees share their virtual space. They can interact with each other using personalized avatars despite being physically apart. For example, the employee can seek the help of an online instructor or his colleague when he is stuck on a programming problem. Also, a group of employees can work on the eLearning project together by continuously interacting with each other.

Thus, LMS and VR technology promotes collaboration and social learning.

Gamification-

The use of VR technology in gaming is widely known. But it can be also useful in augmenting the eLearning experience of employees. The employees can be made to play mini-games associated with their job role where they can work as a team. for example, this can be used in training health personnel for performing surgery. The doctors and nurses can play in their personalized avatars and get insights into their responsibilities. This way they can upskill or reskill themselves.

After completing the games, their scores can be highlighted on their dashboards and eLearning storyboards. When the achievements are displayed publicly, the employees get a sense of accomplishment which further motivates them.

Tracking and monitoring eLearning-

In on-the-job training, the instructor had to be physically present to keep an eye on the employees. This became more of a challenge when the class size is large.

However, an LMS and VR technology allows tracking and monitoring in a non-invasive way. The online instructor can-

Monitor where the online learner is moving in the virtual environment to see his path of learning.
Hear the conversations that online learners have with their peer group. This can help in understanding the level of enthusiasm.
Evaluate clicks, movements, eye tracking, and the number of times the eLearning content has been accessed and used.

The tracking ad monitoring not just becomes easy but also tells the effectiveness of online training programs.

Conclusion-

Presently, the corporate world is witnessing the amalgamation of virtual reality and a learning management system. They consider it to be a safe, secure, and effective way of online learning and training. The blend of these technologies can intensify employees engagement and retention. It truly helps in improving the skills set.

A learning management system like Docebo can be very helpful for your organization. Know more about them on their official website.