Job Shadow Experiences for VR Professionals

When learning a new task, many of us would prefer a demonstration over an instruction manual. Anybody who has tried to put together a child’s bike on Christmas eve might agree.

A demonstration is a powerful instruction modality. It incorporates an array of visual, auditory, and kinesthetic information, facilitating our understanding of new concepts and practices.

A demonstration is especially compelling if it is conducted in the environment in which the task typically occurs. Place-specific demonstration calls senses, helping us gather pertinent information about the environment, creating an even richer learning experience. For these reasons, we coordinate job shadow opportunities for youth engaged in vocational exploration.

The same holds for adult learners. Immersive videos can serve as simulated job shadow experiences for VR professionals who are learning, some for the first time, how to engage with youth and employers. Although they lack a full complement of sensory input, the immersive experience can be the "next best thing."

Immersive videos are produced by 360-degree omnidirectional cameras that capture recordings of every direction at the same time. The result is a video experience that puts the viewer in the scene where the nuance of tone and body language can be more readily observed.

Please note: For the full immersion effect, the videos are best viewed using virtual reality (VR) headsets.We will send headsets to participants who choose the VR training track. For instruction on usage, participants are asked to refer to the introductory videos provided along with the headset.

Those who do not have virtual reality headsets can view 360-degree videos on their computers just as they would a regular video, but with an innovative twist: they can use their mouse to click and drag within the video to view the scene from different points of view.

Mistakes and Corrections

Some of the videos have two parts. The first scene illustrates common missteps that many of us have made, and the second scene highlights corrections in the form of best practices. Showing mistakes captures the viewer's interest and ignites their critical thinking skills as they anticipate the corrections. Active observation facilitates learning and retention.

Participants will accompany Carrie, a VR counselor, as she:

• participates in an IEP meeting at school
• conducts an intake meeting with a student and a parent
• conducts a progress review meeting with a student
• conducts an informational interview with an employer in the employer’s place of business

What Would You Do?

Some of the demonstration videos feature scenes wherein counseling opportunities present themselves. Following the introduction of a counseling opportunity, these videos will pause and provide response options for observers to consider when deciding what they would do in the situation.

Participantswill accompany Carrie as she uses counseling skills to challenge a student's perception and help him build self-advocacy skills.