New frontiers of managerial training: the LiVES project

The evolution of the Internet allowed the Web to become, among the different media, the most global, inter-active and dynamic medium to share information. Therefore, in the last decades, e-Learning has been widely used not only in the academic community, but also in the business sector. Within this context, thanks to their own competences, people can develop specific characteristics which may provide a competitive advantage for their organizations. The development and use of new technologies for the creation of three-dimensional (3D) Virtual Worlds set new challenges and enlarge the very idea of ‘learning environment’. This paper aims at inves-tigating the characteristics of training activities directed at the managerial class, in such a way as to increase their efficacy; it also analyses how the use of specific innovative technologies may be an effective solution.The evolution of the Internet allowed the Web to become, among the different media, the most global, inter-active and dynamic medium to share information. Therefore, in the last decades, e-Learning has been widely used not only in the academic community, but also in the business sector. Within this context, thanks to their own competences, people can develop specific characteristics which may provide a competitive advantage for their organizations. The development and use of new technologies for the creation of three-dimensional (3D) Virtual Worlds set new challenges and enlarge the very idea of ‘learning environment’. This paper aims at inves-tigating the characteristics of training activities directed at the managerial class, in such a way as to increase their efficacy; it also analyses how the use of specific innovative technologies may be an effective solution.Monograph's chapter

Does immersive VR increase learning gain when compared to a non-immersive VR learning experience?

Currently, computer assisted learning and multimedia form a key part of teaching. Interactivity and feedback are valuable in promoting active as opposed to passive learning. The study is conducted as an assessment of the impact of immersive VR on learning gain compared with a non-immersive video capture of VR, with a primary research question focusing on exploring learning gain and a secondary question exploring user experience, whereby understanding this is paramount to recognizing how to achieve a complete and effective learning experience. The study found immersive VR to significantly increase learning gain whilst two key measures of reported experience; enjoyment and concentration, also appeared significantly higher for the immersive VR learners. The study suggests extensive avenues for further research in this growing field, recognizing the need to appeal to a variety of students’ learning preferences. For educators, the relevance of self-directed and student-centered learning to enable active learning in the immersive tool is highlighted. Findings of such VR-based studies can be applied across several disciplines, including medical education; providing opportunity for users to learn without real-world consequences of error such as in surgical intervention