TAFE NSW has been awarded the Learning Impact Award by IMS Global Learning Consortium for gaming, simulation and immersive learning. The Platinum Medal is one of eight medals awarded for outstanding applications of technology that address the most significant challenges facing global education. 

 TAFE NSW Head of Digital Learning Lab, Greg Higgins, says emerging technologies can dramatically improve and optimise the teaching and learning experiences of students.  

“When considering emerging technologies in this context, virtual reality is a ‘stand-out’ technology that shows the greatest promise in terms of scaling high-quality and safe immersive learning-by-doing training at TAFE NSW," says Greg.

More than fun and games

“Our research has revealed that students who completed training in virtual reality were more successful, with combined learning outcome improvement of 64% on completing their practical assessment tasks in comparison to a traditional learning cohort," says Greg.

Research also revealed that those engaged in VR learning scored 88% higher engagement with their learning materials than cohorts using traditional learning material. 

Impossible made possible

Some of the prototypes have afforded the ‘impossible’ learning experience for students such as the Virtual Canine Anatomy VR experience for veterinary science students and the Eye Anatomy AR experience for health students, where students can explore detailed 3D anatomical and physiological structures.  

By implementing Virtual Reality as a training tool, plumbing students can learn to recognise potential risk from return electrical current via copper pipes into a residence, which can cause serious, even fatal, electric shock, in a safe and protected environment. Welding students were able to identify and solve potentially hazardous scenarios when preparing for welding work. 

Through TAFE Digital, TAFE NSW is Australia's largest provider of online education and training.

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