Virtual Reality (VR) learning can be a powerful tool for engaging students and enhancing their learning experiences. It can also be a safe way to deliver experiential learning. The challenge has often been making it cost-effective AND scalable. Near-Life addresses both challenges.
VR provides an immersive and interactive learning experience that can increase student engagement and motivation. Learners can explore realistic scenarios and environments, interact with objects and characters, and receive immediate feedback, making learning more enjoyable and memorable.
Advances in technology and software also mean that creating and sharing VR learning is becoming more cost-effective and flexible.
One of the main obstacles for organisations has been integrating VR experiences within their existing learning management systems (LMS). Migration to a new LMS can be quite disruptive so having a solution that easily integrates with an existing LMS is critical when adopting VR.
Moodle boasts over 200 million users worldwide, making it one of the most used learning management systems (LMS). Up until recently, integrating VR learning in Moodle was difficult. But now, with Near-Life, adding VR experiences to Moodle courses is quick and easy. Read on to learn more about the benefits of VR learning and how easy it is to introduce this learning to your Moodle learning platform.
Benefits of VR learning
Immersive
VR provides a more immersive learning experience compared to traditional classroom learning. Students can be transported to different locations, scenarios and situations, making the learning experience more interactive and engaging.
Increased retention and knowledge transfer
Studies have shown that VR learning can improve retention and knowledge transfer compared to traditional learning methods. This is because VR learning provides a multi-sensory experience that stimulates different parts of the brain, making it easier for students to remember and apply what they have learned.
Safe and risk-free
In some cases, traditional learning methods can involve risks or safety concerns. For example, learning to operate heavy machinery or performing dangerous experiments. With VR, students can safely practise these skills in a controlled environment without the risk of injury or damage.
Personalised learning
With VR learning in Moodle, students can receive personalised learning experiences that are tailored to their individual needs and learning styles. For example, students who struggle with spatial reasoning skills could benefit from a VR simulation that helps them visualise and understand concepts in a more concrete way.
Cost-effective
While VR technology was once expensive and difficult to access, it has become more affordable and accessible in recent years. This allows institutions to provide high-quality learning at a lower cost. Creating VR video is one of the main challenges, but cameras now start from less than $500 so you can film your own live-action scenarios with minimal investment. And there are an increasing number of AI tools, such as Skybox from Blockade Labs, that can generate 180 and 360 images from your text prompts.
This image was created via Skybox with the following prompt: a person wearing a VR headset doing surgical training.
Flexible
Not all students may have access to VR hardware or software, lack of access can create an unequal experience. Near-Life uses WebVR. This means that VR is delivered across a variety of devices, including smartphones, so learners don’t have to invest in expensive hardware to benefit from a fully VR learning experience. For those that find wearing a headset challenging, Near-Life’s VR experiences can also be delivered on a desktop, giving learners the opportunity to select the best experience for themselves.
Sharing VR via Moodle
In the past, integrating VR learning within an LMS was difficult.
Near-Life’s VR content can integrate easily into an LMS, allowing students to access the VR content seamlessly alongside other course materials and assessments. This provides a more cohesive and integrated experience for learners, making it easier for them to engage with the course content and apply what they have learned in the VR environment to their coursework.
As a Moodle certified integration partner, Near-Life makes embedding VR learning with Moodle simple and quick. You don’t have to be a technical expert to integrate Near-Life with Moodle. There is no software installation required and nothing to configure. Simply create the VR experience in Near-Life and ‘plug it in’ to Moodle using LTI.
Additionally, using Near-Life and Moodle together provides instructors with a range of analytics and data to track student progress, assess learning outcomes, and make data-driven decisions to improve the course.
Near-Life is easy to use, even for those with limited technical expertise. You can create interactive VR scenarios using Near-Life’s intuitive drag-and-drop interface and connect them directly to Moodle.
Overall, VR can provide a more engaging, immersive, and effective learning experience for students. And with Near-Life, institutions can provide a cost-effective and scalable VR experience without having to invest in expensive hardware, software or a new LMS.
To find out more about how Near-Life can help you create and share VR experiences, book a demo.