One of the newest
learning technologies to be launched within organizations is the use of virtual
3D worlds; also known as Virtual Immersive Environments (VIEs). These are
environments in which the learner creates an avatar—a three dimensional
figure—and interacts within a virtual 3D world. One such example is Second Life
on the consumer side and ProtoSphere on the corporate side.
Standing in a virtual
hospital room in the VIE of Second Life
Waiting in a virtual
Doctor’s Office in the VIE of ProtoSphere
Why use a virtual
immersive environment? Here are some advantageous of these environments for
learning. These environments can be used for:
- Practicing real world skills
with rich feedback in a safe environment that does not impact real
processes or customers.
- Mastering
a technique, behavior or method through guided rehearsals again and again
as many times as is needed.
- Emotionally connecting the learning to
the learner because of the realistic and immersive nature of the event.
- Embedding the learning in the proper
context by providing a simulation of the actual environment in which the employee
will be working.
- Ability to practice when and wherever an
employee has access to a computer.
- Ability for geographically dispersed employees
to meet together in a virtual environment to role-play, conduct meetings,
experience disease states and exchange information.
These rich, interactive environments have been used for
training everything from border patrol officers, to medical students to team
leaders. The future of online learning will include VIEs as part of the toolkit
of progressive learning and development organizations.
Here is a link to some tips for implementing a virtual world
into your organization.
http://karlkapp.blogspot.com/2009/01/implementing-virtual-world.html
