“The [Learnovate] team exceeded our expectations and produced a clear concise overview of relevant theories which we continue to use to both inform our product development and to explain our value proposition to our customers”.
Niall Campion, VRAI’s Managing Director
Projects Duration:
July 2019 - August 2019 / April 2022 - July 2022
Accelerated Digital TransformationIn 2019, VRAI initially approached the Learnovate Centre to conduct research on effective learning theories, underpinning the use of VR training in what are known as safety critical environments.
VRAI is an Irish technology firm that creates data-driven Virtual Reality (VR) simulation training for high-hazard environments. They have innovatively combined VR and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to provide enterprise and public services organisations with a scalable, remote training solution. VRAI brings the use of these innovative training solutions to roles beyond those normally served by simulation training such as those in risky, remote and/or rare environments (e.g., those working on wind turbines).
VRAI had identified a gap in its teams’ knowledge in the area of learning theory and its goal in working with Learnovate was to equip its team with the research-based insights they needed to develop its VR training content.
A subsequent project saw VRAI approach Learnovate to help find an independent, verifiable way to measure training success in order to demonstrate the wider business benefits of using VR simulation training.
For the first collaboration with VRAI, the Learnovate team conducted research into the unique characteristics of VR and also investigated the application of effective learning theories in immersive environments, with a particular focus on the use of VR in Safety-Critical Environments.
Learnovate provided a report for VRAI covering a range of learning theories relevant to VR training in safety-critical environments such as Situated Learning, Immersive Learning and the concepts of Presence and Embodiment.
The second project saw the use of an innovative framework to measure business impact that had been developed by the Learnovate team called PEAS (Plan, Explore, Analyse and Share). The framework enabled VRAI to uncover measurable impacts on ROI outside of those typically considered during a learning and development project evaluation.
The Learnovate team worked closely with VRAI on one of its client projects to implement the framework. The goal was to unearth the full range of benefits to the client’s business of deploying VRAI’s simulation training solution.
The initial Learnovate report on the learning theories underpinning simulation training provided the team in VRAI with valuable insights they could use immediately.
This included using content from the report to support a successful client proposal that has, so far, contributed to winning almost half a million euro in new business.
Remarking on the report delivered by Learnovate, VRAI Managing Director Niall Campion said: “The [Learnovate] team exceeded our expectations and produced a clear concise overview of relevant theories which we continue to use to both inform our product development and to explain our value proposition to our customers”.
Following the second collaboration with Learnovate using the PEAS framework, VRAI were able to show their client how the VR simulation solution had improved knowledge retention from 30% to 80% while also allowing 12 students to be trained by one instructor compared to only 3 students previously, thus highlighting some key, but previously overlooked, metrics.
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