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Instructor 2_0

In the beginning of this millennium, when computers and networks had spread out in schools, a new role emerged: the system administrators. Guidance for trainers and learners is essential in DR too. In brief, you will need a dedicated person That new role is called instructor. We use the 2.0 tag to make difference from a traditional instructors. instructor 2.0 The new role covers installing and calibrating tasks, repairs, preparation as in case of traditional system administrators. More importantly however, instructor 2.0 is the one who can connect trainers and teachers, applications materials and the learners. Like a good librarian in the library, the instructor has quality information about the tremendous amount of information in the house. They are aware of new teaching methods and the transformation processes of classic materials into the digital world. They are capable to help migrating if necessary. They are aware of potential risks of organisational resistance such as skepticism or conflict of interest. They are prepared to help teachers and students in a transformation process.

Here we present two examples to demonstrate how instructor 2.0 can help teachers.

Case 1: Project Based Learning​

Winton Woods City Schools in Cincinnati, Ohio are creating immersive and exploring learning experiences with their students. They use project based approach - creating a virtual museum for example. When students gather select and build the material, they learn about the subject.

They first used CoSpaces to create World War 1 virtual museums as part of our project-based learning. "It was great and the kids really enjoyed it, but the only way we could view their creations was using VR on phones." - the schools representative said. "So when I saw ClassVR had partnered with CoSpaces, I realized we could take everything the students had created and fully immerse them in it in virtual reality. They loved experiencing their creations in ClassVR as it made the class more authentic. That’s what project-based learning is all about – authentic learning."

ClassVR and CoSpaces have opened up possibilities beyond typical subject areas. ClassVR, a Virtual Reality company specialized to education delegated an instructor. She and the teachers at the school were implementing immersive technologies across subjects and age groups, helping engage students with learning in new and exciting ways. Click to read more here

Case 2: Welding competition training​

In Hungary Learn Virtual Europe with a partnership with Mátrai Welding Technics Ltd developed a new training concept to train competitors for international skills competitions - Euroskills and Worldskills.

With a help of a new instructor Ferenc Benus Jr. they developed a new training system using new types of simulators. First, they identified the learning outcomes of the selected competitors.

Then established a new strategy in teaching. The key points of the strategy were:

  1. hand movements was trained along with the enhancement of concentrating capabilities.
  2. It turned out that using 2d tools must precede complex 3d tools with difficult positions, so the participants had to master each movement on a so called "flatscreen" tracking system before they were allowed to move on.

Third, they identified the supporting technologies. First, they worked with virtual welding motion learning tool. Then they planed to introduce an immersive virtual reality welding simulator, a complex training high precision simulator with a good authoring system. Only after the participants were mastering these tools, they could move on to real welding. Time to time they returned to the simulators for fun or for relax and fun. The result: two competitors won bronze medals in Euroskills competitons.

To sum up the skills an Instructor 2.0 should have​

  • Measure the impact of DR (Digital Reality) on a pedagogical/androgogical approach
  • Helping teachers shift from a teacher centered to learner centered approach
  • Identify the gaps between the learning methods of target audiences and the pedagogical evolutions in recent years
  • Understand the value of validating the trainee’s skills through individualized hands-on learning (in virtual reality)
  • Identify and implement genuine digitalization of your training programs
  • Understand the interest of DR-based training for companies and its invaluable role in apprenticeship programs
  • Improve skills assessment and monitoring of learning progress
  • An introduction to the approach 2.0 to make the trainee an actor in his or her own learning pathway