Using Wearable Tech In Corporate Training
Like wearables have infiltrated numerous arenas, eLearning and corporate training too are falling for their charms. Earlier this year, TechNavio reported that the classroom wearable tech market in the US is expected to grow at a CAGR of nearly 46% by 2020. Greater digitization and mass adoption of smartphones and tablets is further facilitating the penetration of wearable devices in the classroom. As wearable devices become more affordable, their adoption in the classroom in only going to increase as with wearables there is a greater degree of interactivity… and interactivity at any level improves learning. Corporate training too has undergone a huge metamorphosis over the past few years. Gone are the days when employees would have to undergo training programs stuck inside a physical classroom. Today, with increased globalization and digitization, corporate training programs have come a long way and are becoming increasingly personalized. The use of wearable devices only helps in taking this level of personalization further and becomes an invaluable corporate training tool. Here’s a look on how organizations can use wearable tech in corporate training.
1. Immersive Experience, Better Product Training
Wearable tech in corporate training can be used to provide more immersive simulations. By using virtual reality applications such as Google’s smart glasses or Cardboard, training providers can develop a story around the learning module and have the learners interact with the characters by stepping inside the story. Since the story will be customized to suit the workplace scenario, the training will enable the learners not only process information, but will also teach them how to “apply” what they have learned.
Wearable techn also improves the scope of product training to a great extent. Instead of providing a two-dimensional view of a product, the employees can interact with a three-dimensional example and view it from every angle. The specifications, functionalities, elements, and benefits can be highlighted at the tap of a button.
2. Instant Access And Real-Time Support
Even the best employees can do a little bit of post training help. While we focus on providing a lot of material and content during a corporate training, a little bit of post training support can go a long way, especially when done with the help of wearable technology. This comes in especially handy to the field force, such as supply chain or maintenance professionals, sales professionals, etc. who can leverage these manuals and tutorials when they need them real time. For example, a maintenance professional sitting in a rig can simply tap or swipe on the online resource to get complete insights into a particular product part. A sales professional can look up valuable information regarding a product or troubleshoot a problem using wearable technology quite efficiently.
3. Data – Immediate Feedback, Faster, And Better Insights
One of the greatest advantages of using wearable tech in corporate training is for the data that it generates. By leveraging this data, training providers can assess how the course is being consumed, identify false assumptions, provide proactive and immediate feedback to modify learning behavior and assist learning. With the help of this data, training can be made more personalized and engaging and also predict the success of the instructional material.
4. Better Collaboration
Using wearable tech in corporate training boosts collaboration within the participating group. With wearable technology they can collaborate on projects together, take real-time help from a supervisor or trainer irrespective of their location, access video chats or online videos, and instantly address any concerns that they might be having. Since all concerns are being addressed proactively with wearable technology, instead of reactively, learning becomes more in-depth and productivity post training becomes higher.
Use of wearable tech in corporate training is the next step in the evolution of mobile learning. From where we stand, wearables devices have immense potential to be the next big disruptor in eLearning. It will be interesting to see where we go from here.
