AR and VR in LMS: The Future of Corporate Training
Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtuality Reality (VR)- the clever technologies that connect our physical and digital worlds, we know!
But what are the definitions of AR and VR? Let us get a load of those…
Creating AR content basically is about a real-time view of the actual world where the elements are blanketed by computer-generated visuals and sounds thus adding more layers of information, activity, and entertainment. It incorporates digital information through visual and audio aids, or through the real-time user environment itself.
VR is all about recreating our real world or creating an entirely new reality for the users. To translate various motions into simulations, the user will need devices like headsets with screens, sensors, and handsets into simulations. Basically, it creates a virtual environment and puts users inside that experience.
One main difference between AR and VR, if you ask us, is that the former works with the real world as its basic foundation and the latter takes you away from the distractions of the real world.
Twin Sweeney, the CEO of Epic Games once said, “I believe that augmented reality will be the biggest technological revolution that happens in our lifetime”. And time proved he was true. Statista reports that users in the AR & VR market are expected to amount to 2,593.00m by 2027. User penetration will be 28.8% in 2023 and is expected to hit 32.6% by 2027. The average revenue per user (ARPU) is expected to be US$14.08.
AR and VR have created a space in corporate learning where learners can have a hands-on experience in various subject matters. It advocates “learning by doing” and is beneficial for corporate training in giving training in a safe and cost-effective manner, a better way to practice and develop your employees’ soft or technical skills, making employees ready for any emergency situations, and making learning more interesting through gamification.
A corporate LMS that integrates AR and VR can enjoy the benefits of simulated learning like
- Training made interesting and cost-saving in a secure environment.
- Practicing new skills or polishing existing skills made it easy
- Employee readiness for any emergencies ensured
- The effectiveness of learning materials is enhanced and a lot more!
Why Implement AR and VR in Your Corporate LMS?
An enhanced learning experience and improved learner engagement are one of the primary goals of implementing AR and VR in the corporate space. The Augmented and Virtual Reality Survey Report says that 86% of respondents believe that XR technologies―Virtual Reality (VR) as an entirely digital world, Augmented Reality (AR) as an overlay on the digital world and existing surroundings, and Mixed Reality (MR) as a combination of VR and AR―will be requested as hand-held devices and mobile-first solutions by 2025.
Redesigning your LMS or LXP by adopting VR and AR content brings the following values:
- Enhanced user engagement
- Personalized learning
- Immersive user experience
- Interactive and engaging course content
- Tracking and estimating course effectiveness
- Life-like learning scenarios in low-risk environments
- Cost savings due to less expensive tooling changes
- Faster time to market and improved scalability of your workforce
Why Do Organizations Hesitate to Implement AR and VR Despite the Benefits?
AR and VR content creation enabled through your LMS provides virtual walkthroughs of your employees’ work environments, interactive product demos, and problem-centric scenario-focused learning. However, it too has a flip side of challenges like any other technology, and those are…
1. Heavy Cost Incurred During the Initial Stages
AR and VR need software and devices like headsets and AR glasses. Additionally, you might also need a strong PC and MAC for creating AR VR content. Hence the course turnaround time and expenses will be more than regular eLearning courses. Experts say that the prices associated with these technologies will reduce soon. Considering the value it adds to your workforce and the ROI it can offer, this is a one-time investment that is safe to embark on.
2. Technical Limitations
Trainers if not familiar with the latest technologies like AR and VR technology can find its implementation quite challenging. They will have to invest their time, resources, and effort into learning how to use and troubleshoot AR and VR equipment. The same goes for trainees. If they are not familiar with such technologies and the associated devices, the learning curve for educators and trainers can make only slow progress at the beginning.
3. Potential for Distraction and Disengagement
It is a possibility that your learners get addicted to the virtual world. Visual treats are fun and trainees can get carried away by the AR and VR technologies. If the learners experience the virtual reality lessons better than their conventional ways of learning experiences, then they will lose their focus and drift away from their main areas of attention.
4. Malfunctioning Can Waste Time
AR and VR are used along with a specific set of devices like headphones. If any or few of the devices malfunction, then that will lead to the wastage of your resources and time while facing inconveniences and rectification efforts and alternatives.
How Skill Lake Can Help?
The integration of AR and VR into LMS is in a way providing an additional option for you to measure your employees’ success rate. Besides a direct impact on your business results, it eliminates the weak points of your trainers through training efforts that provide real-life lessons!
The efforts involved in ramping up the learning experience are one of the main reasons for interest in VR and AR content creation for companies. AR and VR technologies are increasingly used in business activities and the learning sphere. Integrating AR and VR into an e-learning product like Skill Lake can help you gain numerous benefits through features like:
- Streamlined and regularized corporate training
- Easy uploading of learning content in any format like videos, graphics, simulations, etc.
- Enhanced personalized learning and user engagement
- We have a dedicated content creation team to convert basic training materials to interesting ones:
- AI/ML-powered platform to boost organization-wide employee growth
- Competency management and mapping
- Accountability for people’s development
- Learning delivery and content authoring
- Smart library, learner dashboard, and user management
- Enterprise IT ready and adheres to enterprise security standards
The training in today’s modern companies can be revolutionized with AR and VR technologies. But we suggest scrutiny of ethical, equity, and privacy issues are conducted for the effective implementation of this. Skill Lake can address all these challenges and help your companies reach their maximum potential and carve a future-ready workforce! Connect with us today!
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Aarathy Jayakrishnan
Aarathy is an e-learning professional and enthusiast with a keen understanding of learning and development concepts. She writes insightful content, unraveling the possibilities that e-learning holds, and strives to make education open for all.