5 lessons to become a master of Virtual Reality training

Not long ago, in a galaxy not very far away, traditional Padawan training – face-to-face and e-learning – gave way to a technology capable of awakening the Force in each of your learners: Virtual Reality. More precisely, we speak of Immersive Learning when this technology is applied to the training and education fields.

The current crisis has highlighted the growing need for training and retraining of employees. At the same time, VR is becoming increasingly important as an essential part of the digital transformation of companies. But how can you use it?

These 5 best practices you will follow to train your padawan

Luckily, the Jedi Council made in Uptale met to create 5 essential lessons for handling the VR Force. Ready to embark on the Millennium Falcon?

Lesson n°1 : Before training your Jedi apprentices, prepare the material.

This is the first lesson of Master Yoda that you will have to apply with your Luke Skywalkers: a training course must be prepared meticulously, in advance. This means a thorough check of the equipment: headsets and controllers must be functional and charged. External batteries should be available, as well as spare batteries (AA LR6).

Lesson n°2 : Always pre-load your immersive experiences.

This is essential for both security and to ensure a quality experience for the Padawan. Several distribution options are possible, depending on the internet connection you will have at the time of the training.

• I don’t have an internet connection: preload your Uptale experiences into the headsets before the training and store them for the day (to do this, simply launch them once in the helmet). Remember to reconnect your VR headsets as soon as you can to allow the data from the learners to be sent back to the trainers or the LMS (a shared connection may suffice).
• I have an internet connection: connect the VR headset to the Wi-Fi and launch the Uptale application to retrieve the experiment(s) you will play. Uptale offers different broadcasting modes: pre-loaded mode (loads the whole experience at once) or optimized mode (loads the scenes as you go along). It all depends on the size of your experience, we advise an optimized mode if your experience is heavy to avoid a long loading period at the beginning. This choice is made when you edit your experience (studio).
• I have a protected internet connection: it is possible that your internet network is restricted because it is protected, which is often the case in companies. In this case, a Wi-Fi router or a shared internet connection (via 4G) can be enough to load small updates and send data.

Lesson n°3 : On D-Day, you will explain the training to your Jedi apprentices.

Before starting, it is important to correctly explain the functioning of the headset and the controller and the way the experiment will be carried out with a demonstration. Any good Yoda Master must make sure that the headset is well put on the Padawan’s head and that the room remains silent throughout the session with the provision of headphones.

A sensation of vertigo can be experienced by those who have never done VR before, regardless of age. For the majority of Jedi apprentices, this sensation will pass after a few minutes or on the occasion of the 2nd session. If the feeling persists, it is best to use a computer, smartphone or tablet to view and undergo the experience, as is proposed with Uptale.

Plus: It may be advisable to use rotating chairs for learners new to VR, to limit possible headaches. In the event of motion sickness (headaches or dizziness during the session), the right reflex is to sit the Jedi apprentice down.

Lesson n°4: At the same time as training the Padawan, you should pay attention to the management of the helmet fleet.

Indeed, once the learners, with their headsets on, start the immersive module, Master Yoda must not remain idle.

One of the advantages of VR and the Uptale solution is the continuous monitoring of the learning data transmitted by the headsets to the Mobile Device Management, or MDM. This is an application that allows for the remote management of devices, be they smartphones, tablets, computers, or VR headsets.

The trainer must therefore ensure that the data is stored and monitored in the MDM. This data will be used a posteriori to personalize feedback and progress.

Lesson n°5 : After the training, hygiene is your best friend.

Once the session is over, Master Yoda’s work doesn’t stop, the VR headsets and controller need to be cleaned.
Here are some tips:

• Do not use abrasive cleaning solutions.
• Never use alcohol on the lenses.
• Refer primarily to the advice given by your headset supplier.

Then proceed in stages:

1. Start with the outside of the headset and any parts your learner may have touched (levers, straps, etc.) using antibacterial, non-abrasive wipes.
2. Wipe until the surface appears to be wet, leave in the open air for 10 minutes and dry with a clean microfiber cloth to remove any residue.
3. Next, the inside of the helmet. If your headset has a removable foam or silicone part, remove it to clean it separately. Proceed in the same way as with the outside of the headset. The foam protections can be washed in the washing machine (at 30° on delicate).

Please note that the lenses must be handled with the utmost care and wipes containing alcohol must not be used as they may damage them. Opt for the microfiber cloth.

Plus: there are also individual, disposable sticky masks that are very practical and gentle. (example here).