The rapidly advancing world of immersive technology offers seemingly boundless opportunities for increases in effectiveness and efficiency of training in virtually any field. In combination with the ever-present constraints of reduced budgets and limited resources, there is a real temptation to see lower-cost alternatives of immersive learning tools applied through virtual, augmented, and mixed reality as a one-size-fits-all solution. While there is value in rapid fielding and testing of potential virtual, augmented, and mixed reality capabilities, without a parallel assessment of when and how the technology should be woven into a training plan, or syllabus, users run the risk of at best failing to capitalize on the benefits of immersive learning, and at worst, negatively impacting learning efficacy. To maximize the benefits of immersive learning technologies, it is necessary to 1) assess their application through the lens of flow theory with respect to instructional design, 2) evaluate their impact on student learning, and 3) guard against the temptation to simply “pull and replace” live training environments with virtual ones. This paper proposes a framework for instructional design which integrates experiential learning theory and the principles of flow for the purpose of considering the expected efficacy of immersive environments throughout a formal military aviation training program. This framework should assist leaders in identifying which objectives or events may benefit from delivery in an immersive environment while increasing student learning and performance.
Education
FORM FROM FUNCTION: APPLYING FLOW DRIVEN EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING TO THE INTEGRATION OF IMMERSIVE TECHNOLOGY IN FORMAL MILITARY AVIATION TRAINING PROGRAMS
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