Why does Virtual Reality work for Learning and Development?

We know that Virtual Reality (VR) can create immersive and memorable experiences that would not be possible, or would be prohibitively expensive to create at scale, in the real world. And what’s more, these events can take place at home, or in the classroom removing further barriers and costs to training. 

So far in this series we’ve looked at what VR is as well as how effective it can be! This week let’s take a look at why VR works. 

VR essentially fools the brain. Our brains have evolved to work with multisensory inputs and to spatially organise thoughts and memories. VR experiences leverage techniques that make the brain believe what it is seeing is real. It’s why you see so many people fall over in VR even when there is no movement in real life at all. 

To see how real VR can feel check this video out.

VR uses spatial mnemonic encoding, which in layman’s terms refers to the brain’s ability to spatially organize thoughts and memories.

Being able to visualize and see in an immersive space is often the key to producing improvement in recall results. 

That’s because VR creates a true sense of being in space and taking part in the experience while feeling in your own body. It is the act of leveraging a person’s natural ability to sense body position, movement, and acceleration that can enhance learning and recall. 

Attention is another key element to VR’s success for learning and development. The ability of a headset to block out all other stimuli and light from the real world, fully immerses individuals in the virtual world, creating a zoning effect that delivers a superior sense of spatial awareness.

Another reason which on its surface sounds unimportant is the effect of enjoyment on learning. Being entertained affects the whole learning process. Enjoyment reduces stress or fear giving participants a new sense of motivation and something to look forward to. And if we want to create a cultural change when it comes to learning, encourage people to come back and keep exploring enjoyment is something we should never undervalue.