The 3D spatial recording feature of Acadicus is difficult to describe, yet deceptively powerful for enhanced teaching and learning with virtual reality. This post will attempt to describe this feature by contrasting it with video based learning common in MOOC’s like Coursera, Udacity, and Lynda.com.
Traditional Video Learning
With video-based learning, an instructor is recorded performing a demonstration. This recording is then posted to a MOOC, YouTube channel, or other video library destination. From there, students can watch on a laptop, TV or phone.
A lot is lost in translation when a real life demonstration is abstracted into a flat representation viewed on a 2D screen. With video instruction, the learner is a passive observer – disengaged and easily distracted. Additionally, the cognitive load required to to reconstruct and integrate a mental model of the demonstration they’re observing can be overwhelming.
This can be effective for learning software or otherwise abstract concepts that can be conveyed in two dimensions. However, for skills requiring hands-on demonstration or 3D representation, the efficacy of video training is substantially reduced.
3D Spatial Learning
With a 3D spatial recording captured in Acadicus, everything the instructor says, as well as everything they interact with, is captured into an immersive recording. This can be done without any technical assistance or writing any code, and using off-the-shelf Oculus Rift VR hardware.
Students can then enter Acadicus and play this 3D spatial recording that their instructor created. They’re able to follow along, and feel as if they’re together with the instructor in an immersive 3D demonstration. This form of learning engages the student as an active participant, able to interact with objects in the scene. They can replay and rehearse as much as needed. The students can even align their own movements with those of the instructor for a deeply immersive learning experience.
This powerful feature has the potential to disrupt distance learning and online education in ways we cannot yet imagine. It’s like broadband knowledge transfer from the mind of an expert into the immersive experience of a learner.
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