Augmented reality and education in companies: how to create a multilingual training course to die for

Augmented reality and modern technologies can be used to create instructional materials, videos and multimedia products that have proved to be more effective for learners than traditional content such as manuals or written instructions. So, what other EdTech innovations can help companies enhance their brand while offering modern and memorable learning experiences?

Augmented reality companies and providers have successfully made their way into the education sector and the corporate world, disrupting the traditional learning experience through the rendering of digital images or data onto real-world objects, and all of this at a time when remote working and online learning is ramping up, creating fertile ground for the EdTech revolution to reach companies as well. Augmented reality, its appealing visuals, and the immersive experiences it can create, provide the right conditions for quicker learning through a range of possibilities, such as the creation of models or existing objects, or the simulation of real-life situations where learners can benefit from a more practical and less theoretical way of learning.

The use of augmented reality is already changing the way people take in information all over the world. AR is increasingly being used in e-learning and induction training. It eliminates the need for people to go to a classroom but likewise prepares them for fieldwork. Moreover, instead of learning how a machine works on the machine itself, a virtual model can be created to optimise its use. In the same way, employees who generally take care of training can dedicate their time to more complex activities, while new hires can enjoy more creative training practices.

Augmented reality is not the only technology able to provide a profitable and entertaining learning experience. Let’s take a look at four other innovations that can help to create a training course that rocks!

1.- Virtual reality

Virtual reality is a technology that is especially popular in the healthcare industry. It has the capacity to create a three-dimensional interactive world, and the advantage is that the real-world experience is maintained in an immersive format that is portable and easily accessible through VR goggles or similar devices. In the case of video, the industrial or warehouse environment can be recreated to simulate real situations through questions or assignments in which new hires become familiar with their daily tasks.

2.- 3D animations

3D animations are particularly suitable for animated business videos and for when learners have to understand how to operate machinery or components. Think about one-dimensional images of the human body in a science book, and then consider the experience of seeing them in a 3D representation. No matter how precise the written descriptions in a specialised manual may be, it still takes extra effort to read them and imagine how a particular machine is supposed to operate if we compare it to watching a 3D animation like the one shown in the video. It’s so much easier to actually see things in process rather than trying to imagine how they should be after reading a complicated passage of text.

3.- Gamification

The use of game design techniques and game mechanics in real-life simulations is also a popular way of making concepts easier to remember. Gamification in business and HR has been used as a way for employees to compete in a positive way and receive rewards in team building activities, but it can also be a great finishing touch for your course. Adding a game at the end of an e-learning module is an excellent way to consolidate knowledge, and quiz games help both learners who answer correctly and those who make mistakes. Errors can be seen as opportunities to accelerate the learning process thanks to the immediate feedback provided and due to the fact that making mistakes has been proven to help learners to remember concepts better.

4.- Digital Twins

Digital twins are virtual models that digitally replicate all aspects of (for example) real devices. If the objective of your course is to teach employees how a machine works or how to perform a specialised procedure, digital twins give learners the opportunity to put theory into practice with a clone of your machine before doing it in the real world, just as in the example shown in the video.

Embrace the #Edtech wave!

Instructional videos are much more effective and to the point than long and complex paper manuals. Consumers prefer to watch a short video that helps them quickly understand how the product works. Instructional videos are also a great way to promote and market a brand.

It’s time to take the plunge and try new options as alternatives to written instruction documents. Product user manuals, technical specifications, electronic manuals, operation manuals, etc. can be presented in different multimedia formats and using different audiovisual elements. So why not start using in-software/game tutorials, instructional #3D videos and immersive top-notch VR/AR e-learning content to enforce knowledge retention. The appealing visuals and their interactivity will surely improve your company teams’ learning curves.