What Do VR and Online Communities Have in Common?

Using Technology to Create Personalized and Productive Learning Experiences

In recent years, post-secondary education has experienced an increase in activities taking place in digital spaces. Digital learning offers a more flexible model, which is critical for today's students who are often working or parenting while they learn. Whether engaging with content and curriculum, communicating with peers and faculty, or connecting with institutional services, technology makes education accessible and relevant for these students.

This fact was front and center during our panel at this year's ASU GSV Summit. Chris Janzen, VP of Academic Technology for ECMC Group, led the session, which included Stephen Fromkin, Co-Founder and Chief Content Officer of Talespin (a Virtual Reality platform for training programs) and our own Co-Founder and CEO Katy Kappler. The focus of the panel? How technology positively impacts Career and Technical Education programs and employability for these students.

Although Talespin and InScribe offer very different solutions, they both apply their technology to improve access and outcomes for students by making the learning experiences more personalized and productive.

Building Confidence

Students who have confidence in their skills and their ability to learn are more likely to succeed in school and in their careers. Both VR solutions and digital communities help students gain this self-assurance in key ways. Talespin's real-life simulations provide hands-on practice where students are free to fail and, in turn, learn from their mistakes and grow more confident in their skills. InScribe's digital communities make it easy for students to connect with peers and build relationships with others who have similar backgrounds and experiences. This allows them to build a network of champions that will encourage them, give them a strong sense of belonging, and boost motivation and confidence along the way.

Stimulate Engagement

Online experiences are all about extending the walls of the traditional classroom, giving students more ways to learn with and from each other. VR lifts the level of engagement through learning labs where students can share and compare experiences. Similarly, InScribe connects students with an entire ecosystem of people and information, giving them a place to engage, explore, get answers, and problem-solve together.

Measure Progress and Success

Technology also provides institutions with actionable data that they can use to better support their students. VR follows learners through their journeys, tracking outcomes so instructors know how students are performing within each simulation and where additional help may be needed. InScribe communities further surface important analytics by highlighting the questions students have and which topics are trending over time. Faculty can easily see where students are getting hung up and areas where extra support is needed.

Prove Competencies to Employers

Equipping students with the right skills is key, and both VR and digital communities create a platform for students to show employers exactly what they are capable of doing. Talespin, for example, creates a baseline of skills for students and maps those skills to their intended career path. InScribe's digital communities track and showcase skills based on each student's activity and contributions to the community. Providing great answers to peers not only demonstrates mastery of a topic, but also highlights key soft skills such as collaboration, problem-solving, and communication that employers are seeking.

How are you using technology to create a more personalized and productive learning experience? Connect with us to learn more about InScribe's digital communities and the ways they can build your students' confidence, stimulate engagement, assess outcomes, and promote career readiness.