VT labs (virtual training labs) give learners the opportunity to have hands-on experiences with the type of software they’ll be using when they’re working. It shares the same concept as learning in reality-based training labs – only it is set in a virtual (Cloud) environment.
These labs often have their own IT support systems set in place and a “personal” trainer. Let’s look more into why VT labs are quickly replacing many traditional LMS systems.
IMAGE: PEXELS
Don’t Read, Do
It’s general knowledge that nobody “knows” how to do something by merely reading about it. It’s only once we actually do what we’ve learned do we know. This is why in-person presentations are a severe handicap for education purposes.
It’s widely known that the majority of people forget half of what they hear and see in an hour. Almost 90% of new information learned during any given week is forgotten.
VT labs and virtual classrooms reduce retention drops by telling students what they will learn and then showing them how to do what they learned. With software, doing is more important than ever. (They’re also more fun than merely watching videos or reading text files.)
Your Choice
When learning a software, your trainer/teacher/documents have a limited amount of knowledge about a vast array of software and techniques. Because we’re dealing with the Cloud, everything you need to know about every software is at your fingertips.
In-Person Replacements
The cloud is not a new technology. What is new, on the other hand, is the way we use it. Because of the cloud, which is always up-to-date in real time, in-person training labs may become a thing of the past.
This is because trainers and students don’t have to fly across the country to get to the lab. There is no need to set up individual workstations or negotiate schedules and contracts with staff while balancing software and files.
Accessibility
Do you have an internet connection? Then you can download any of the popular internet browsers to access Virtual Training Labs. This brings down staff costs, as there is no limit on the number of global students who can use the in-depth training procedures and systems as they will. With the exception of Tibet, North Korea, most of Cuba and other remote places in the world, almost every country as an internet connection.
Developer Kits
Written content, seminars, and video lectures aren’t good teachers, compared to hands-on learning. This means that software developers, by using a sandbox/virtual machine, learn first-hand how to solve complex problems without running the risk of jeopardizing the entire system. Virtual labs make it easy for developers to code using integrated developer environments.
Requirement
Everyone who works in IT understands the sheer agony of installing software on dozens of individual laptops. This is why VT lab environments are so essential to the workplace: all that is required, aside from an internet connection mentioned earlier, is an updated web browser.
(Firefox has been my go-to browser of choice for years because it’s open-source and allows me to configure its privacy settings. This means people who’ve never used a computer before will benefit the most from this security.) Even machines made pre-2008, which are weak by today’s standards, can use the powerful cloud servers and participate in software training.
Conclusion
Software is evolving – to say otherwise is an understatement. To think it won’t evolve is an exercise in futility. Our technology is growing, as well, and as we learn which technology we can use to optimize learning at a faster (and more fun) rate, we can make the lessons learned last for a longer time. This is why virtual training labs are the go-to option for many students, professors, teachers, and corporation. Technology is powerful: embrace it.
If you are interested in even more technology-related articles and information from us here at Bit Rebels, then we have a lot to choose from.
COMMENTS