{"id":247,"date":"2018-07-10T11:56:39","date_gmt":"2018-07-10T11:56:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.icomputinglabs.in\/blog\/?p=247"},"modified":"2018-07-10T11:56:39","modified_gmt":"2018-07-10T11:56:39","slug":"extending-your-training-reach-with-augmented-reality","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.icomputinglabs.in\/blog\/extending-your-training-reach-with-augmented-reality\/","title":{"rendered":"Extending Your Training Reach with Augmented Reality"},"content":{"rendered":"

Learning professionals are faced with a rapid emergence of new multimedia technologies that can enhance both engagement and effectiveness. You are probably familiar with technologies such as e-learning authoring tools, HTML5 (web) editors and of course, when used optimally, PowerPoint. \u00a0However, a new breed of immersive technologies has come to the forefront of learning strategies.<\/span><\/p>\n

The term \u201cimmersive\u201d refers to the ability to place the learner at the center of their learning experience. Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) will be key technologies in the future of any learning professional. Why? Because no other technologies allow you to simulate real work environments and scenarios right where learners work.<\/span><\/p>\n

If we think about it, the key to learning effectiveness in learning and development (L&D) is the ability to equip personnel with the knowledge (what they need to do) and skills (how to do it) to perform well at their jobs. Coincidentally, AR got its name from a performance support intervention created by Tom Caudell and David Mizell while working at Boeing in the 1990\u2019s. Their general concept was to \u201caugment the visual field of the user with information necessary in the performance of the current task.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

E-learning and other media (e.g., video, interactive modules, etc.) are great at this, but e-learning is often secluded and buried in an organization\u2019s learning management system (LMS). In cases where workers need to refresh their memories with some specific content, they would need to access e-learning through a desktop or hope that their organization has seamlessly enabled their LMS and e-learning courses for mobile device use. This capability is seldom seen throughout L&D.<\/span><\/p>\n

So, what is VR and AR technology? How are VR and AR different than the status quo of learning technologies? VR is nothing new but is now readily available for anyone with a mobile device. It\u2019s also important to know that VR is not AR and vice versa. Virtual reality is a computer-generated version of our reality. It immerses us into its environment by hacking all our senses. During a VR experience you see, hear, move, touch and potentially smell a world within a head mounted display or HMD. The HMD is a screen visor that blocks your vision of the physical world focusing your visual experience to its display. Interactions occur only in the VR environment and users are not aware of their physical surroundings.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to Dr. Ronald Azuma, \u201cAR allows the user to see the real world, with virtual objects superimposed upon or composited with the real world.\u201d With AR, users are interacting with on-screen digital objects, which are positioned over a live camera display of the physical world. Although, it can be experienced through an HMD, the beauty of AR is that it can be experienced on any mobile device without an HMD. As a learning professional, the possibilities of enhancing your learners\u2019 experiences are endless with AR. This article gives you all the basics and the application tips to boost training in your L&D space.<\/span><\/p>\n

THE AR FIT FOR L&D<\/span><\/p>\n

Now that you know the basics of AR, here are a few cases in which to use it for L&D.<\/span><\/p>\n