What is virtual learning? And how can new technology benefit me?
The growing potential of information technology is making its way into flight crew training. E-learning has been used by many for many years but it is predicted that virtual reality training or learning in virtual environments will account for substantial part of safety critical training in the future.
Why?
- Familiarization and training in a virtual environments is a cost-effective solution that can complement or even replace costly aircraft visits. Planes should be flying, not be on the ground.
- Significant cost savings can be achieved if your crew is spread out across many geographical locations. As you know bringing crew to the training center means they need to be taken off duty.
- Used as an online pre-course it can free up time for meaningful discussions and hands-on training during classrom sessions. It's also an ideal instructor visualization aide.
- Traditional e-learning is less engaging and gives limited opportunity for user experimentation and practise. Exploring a subject in a virtual environment provides a more meaningful transfer and retention of knowledge.
Are you engaging your crew and seeing the benefits of new technology?
Interactive learning in virtual environments is suitable for most safety or recurrency training where the learner is given the opportunity to familiarize, safely interact and practice skills in a specific environment which may be difficult to access, such as an aircraft. With a new computer literate generation flight crew learning will need to be engaging and adapted to new technology. Read more in the article below on new technology and virtual learning concepts.
