Has anyone given any serious thought to the use of VR as a serious training tool?
I can see a variety of areas where it could be really productive and I’m not talking about using it as a game…
There seems to be a lot of positive feedback out there around immersive learning…
We used to use the VR as a training tool. Then they moved us all to the Cadet Forces Commission…
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Very good
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I wonder what the Risk Assessment for it would be?
Cadets enjoying themselves too much could be a hazard and that alone would put a stop on it.
Staff would have to become qualified Virtual Reality Operators and go on a 3 weekend course, so they could be told how to suck the joy out of it and life in general. Although it could be argued that just by having been staff in the last few years in the ATC could qualify for being in a virtual reality expert as the organisation hasn’t seemed real, so we’re all qualified for it.
The obvious area would be flight sims, although a danger of fun alert would need to be posted on the wall.
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at least you if you do AT/ DofE ect via VR you won’t need to submit a PIPE…
I’m thinking that VR/AR could be used in some classes as well.
Airmanship, principles of flight, propulsion ect.
Use VR environments and AR models to get up close to the subject matter of whatever class it is you are teaching. In some situations a lot closer than would ever be practical.
Even First Aid- imagine instead of looking at a bit of paper and pointing out the dangers you are in the middle of them…
The Tech isn’t as way out there as it used to be and there has been a fair bit of work done looking into the benefits of learning in this way.
I’m not suggesting that it’s anything like a star trek holodeck but I find myself genuinely interested in the potential of this tech and it’s ability to add new layers to how we could teach and help cadets learn and develop.
I wouldn’t be too sure on that one,
The jury’s still out on VR. It can be effective but there are issues, not least nausea! It is also not that easy to create effective VR environments so it might be an area where industry could help, especially on the flying side. It’s something I will look into at Farnborough this year.
Maybe, just maybe HQAC could approach industry.
30000 subjects of an age where this sort of thing is going to be their future.
There is huge scope if you could have a VR for areas of the country / world for say DofE, where teams could see what the terrain looks like before they get there. I use street map, if I can, for looking at places if I’ve never been to, so I have half and idea beforehand. But then I’ve used maps if they are available for years when planning journeys. Even now I would sooner use a route planner than sat nav and look at what the alternatives are if things go awry.
Why use VR when you just said you can use a map to get a view. It’s like ordnance survey maps, use them enough and you can imagine and see the terrain.
All VR does is remove ones ability to imagine, to learn and to grow. It serves it all on a big bland plate.
I hated the SATT Range, I couldn’t get why people think it was such a great tool. It was gash. I can see it’s place as a training aid. But I would rather be on an actual range.
I remember being sat at Leconfield watching some crap glorified computer game about driving on operations and I am just thankful I didn’t have to do it, having already been on ops.
It was such a waste of time and money and effort.
We are focusing and relying too much on technology. We should be teaching kids to imagine, explore, think out of the box and look st different angles, not just sit and follow technology with no idea or no clue or no interest.
Have to disagree there unfortunately. Ranges are good for the actual marksmanship tests as the DCCT isn’t quite like the actual weapon however with the amount of data that you can view (positions and hold, traces, etc) then the DCCT is far superior in improving how you and cadets can shoot.
Best to practice things on a computer with minimal risk and where situations can be replicated and repeated as much as possible rather than being in the real world and something breaking (e.g. in a flight sim - do X and Y will happen… practice until you’ve corrected the wrong)
i believe Teflon said “street map” referring to Google’s “StreetView”
such as this https://www.instantstreetview.com/@51.502291,-0.139653,239.65h,4.51p,1z
i too use this tool to better understand junctions or what road signs to look out for on a roundabout when driving to unknown locations.
although i don’t disagree in theory, this is not always possible or practical.
consider a flight sim. pilots and i dare say trainers would much rather be teaching flying in the air (as we would all rather be on a range), but for a variety of reasons, technology makes it easier, cheaper and more effective.
I am not saying replace a 10 mile hike with VR, but I get what @Teflon is getting at. why not best use VR to understand what is best navigation decision in a certain location…
Flying a jet is completely different.
Ranges are good for learning to close with and kill the enemy. You will never learn that on any glorified computer game. I would take a decent range package over a session on the SATT hands down any day and twice on Sunday.
Nothing can emulate the effect of actually doing it.
It’s a training AID. The SATT Range has no place outside of basic training. They sit and get wasted on units and barely used.
You train lads to use them, they get used to it, then get on an actual range and it feels different and have to get used to it again.
I would rather they invest the time money and effort on actually coaching and teaching The marksmanship principles.
You call street view helpful. I call it Orwellian oppression…
I jest…
Again, there’s a big difference, the pilots have good hands on quality, consistent training on a very complex and well detailed flight simulator.
Lads on the ground need to know their weapons inside and out and know their physical limitations, you cannot learn this on a computer game.
Take that money you spend developing, running and upgrading that SATT Range, and buy some decent ammunition. And get out in the range, in all weathers, and get some good quality Range time.
Wing shoot (typically) once per month and cadets getting maybe two or three practices in over the whole day vs more practices in the warm and dry and then getting it right (where one person can coach 5 people theoretically).
We’re teaching kids a discipline, not teaching them to kill. Anyone says otherwise needs to reevaluate what they’re doing in the Corps. That’s the mindset which gives parents the wrong impression about who we are and what we do (i.e. we’re not a military recruiter).
You just go ahead and holster that granola fella, It seems we have been nawing at the same stick.
My point was the VR and being too reliant on technology doesn’t make for good training, imagination, ability to improvise or think differently.
From the start instead of being reliant on technology, why can’t we rely on good quality training. Kids these days can use an iPad no problems, but can’t use a knife And fork.
The problems highlighted were from my experience and my reasons for hating it.
You are making a mountain out of nothing.
Now, yes it’s a discipline that cadets can learn, but once again the learn to use one then have to relearn on another. Different recoil being the number one factor.
As a training aid for learning the marksmanship principles, yes. Spot on.
As an excuse to not do actual ranges for the cadets to put said discipline into use? No. It isn’t a substitute for a Range.
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Good points well presented.
I believe from the looks of it that we agree on most of the points and may only have a minor disagreement on a few points.
In all, good debate and well conducted sir!
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I would advise you to get VR. My squadron is lucky enough to have it and we use it every night, it is educational but also really fun. Also, during our inspections we always like to show it off to the Wing Commanders and other high ranking officers and people visiting. So yes, if you can afford it, get it, because its great and really can make lessons like principles of flight much more fun.
Can I ask you what it gets used for please and in what way?
Also what type of VR equipment is it?