Greg Hallman, founder and CEO of the VR job-training company Ocupath, joined Nabeel Ahmad’s Organizational Strategy and Learning class to discuss how virtual reality experiences can help improve learning outcomes in the context of job training. In this core course, students learn how to continuously integrate strategy and learning as a powerful and effective tool to build agile and resilient learning organizations.
Hallman provided four “TECH” reasons to use VR to learn and train for jobs:
T - Time
VR’s ability to lift any time constraints and simulate a different environment helps to make managers more comfortable. For example, if you want to train retail managers on how to approach Black Friday in their stores, it’s optimal to prepare them well in advance.
E - Exaggerated
VR can fully immerse a learner into an exaggerated experience for the purposes of exploring systems beyond our physical capacity. From the human body’s vascular system to underground mining operations, VR can help learners gain new perspectives through exaggeration.
C - Costly
Many ideal learning interventions are too costly, primarily because of travel and access to specific locations. VR can create a scalable environment at a fixed cost that is more budget-friendly than most alternatives.
H - Hazardous
VR experiences eliminate the chance of getting hurt or risking personal injury. This safe space for learning helps to improve confidence and getting out of one’s comfort zone to explore and learn new skills.
Hallman also described how VR has helped in soft-skills training around diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) through role-play, as well as in practicing having difficult conversations.
