‘Virtual world classroom’ to transform corporate training
29 January 2009
Leading training and development consultancy Bray Leino BroadSkill has joined forces with enterprise virtual worlds technology specialist Ambient Performance to create a ‘virtual world classroom’ training offer for the business community.
The solution combines the best of classroom training with virtual world technology to enable people in different locations to learn together without ever having to leave their homes or workplaces.
The Virtual Instructor Led Training (V-ILT) - similar in some ways to popular public virtual worlds such as Second Life, but created in a closed environment exclusively for use by corporates - completely replicates the ‘real world’ group training experience.
Sitting at their computers using the V-ILT software platforms people first log in to see a computer representation of themselves called an avatar. Each avatar is then seen arriving for the course at the venue’s reception where they are able to talk to fellow delegates, just as they would at a normal learning event. For the training session itself, all the participating avatars take their seats in the ‘virtual classroom’ where they listen and interact with the tutor’s avatar as they would do normally. Delegates are able to ask questions by clicking on an icon to raise their avatar’s hand or just say them out loud. The tutor then answers the question for everyone to hear just as they do in a physical classroom.
The system, which operates on the OLIVE platform developed by Forterra Systems using built in VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) technology, is a major step forward from current internet-based training solutions such as webinars and e-learning products.
Henry Jodrell, Bray Leino BroadSkill Managing Director, says: “We believe ‘virtual world classroom’ training is the way forward for organisations wanting to train staff who are based at disparate locations, whether in the UK or abroad, as it not only lowers their carbon footprints by dispensing with the need for travel and accommodation, it also saves time by allowing people to get more done in the working day.
“What’s more, the important points of traditional training such as group interaction and shared learning are still very much present, ensuring the learning is successfully supported for each and every delegate.”
Ambient Performance chief executive Ron Edwards says: “This solution is perfect for the current economic climate as it is highly effective and cost efficient. It without doubt takes the concept of e-learning to a new level and is ideal for both public and private sector organisations as the technology it operates on is proven for corporate use in terms of security, robustness and scalability.”