Immersive learning and Moodle: now compatible!
Uptale integration with Moodle
Moodle is a leader in the world of Learning Management Systems (LMS). It is the most widespread and used platform among schools, thanks to its open-source, economical and plug-and-play sides.
The integration of a new pedagogical modality in Education is very often conditioned by its integration into Moodle. For innovative learning solutions, being compatible with this platform is an essential step.
With more and more schools turning to Virtual Reality course design with Uptale, we decided to carry out this integration for the 1st time. The aim: to facilitate the vr experience of teachers and students.
Organize Immersive Learning sessions with Moodle
Organizing Immersive Learning sessions (interactive 360-degree photos and videos) with Moodle would enable you to:
- Play sessions with VR headsets or any type of device (phone, computer, tablet)
- Authenticate learners
- Measure each learner’s progress in an immersive module
- Deploy training safely, online or offline
Thibault, Senior Software Developer at Uptale, explains how this integration works
Why integrate VR in Moodle?
The purpose of virtual reality training is not to replace face-to-face training (classroom). It complements it with immersive, playful hands-on experience. That’s why we offer different ways of integrating immersive experiences into all LMSs (Learning Management Systems), such as Crossknowledge, Cornerstone, 360° Learning or Moodle.
The first requests for integration with Moodle came from the education sector, mainly from universities and qualified schools wishing to distribute their VR modules more widely (VR headsets, computers, tablets, smartphones). Moodle is the open-source reference par excellence for providing access to these innovative resources.
Thibault, Software Lead Developer, tells us all about Uptale x Moodle integration
I joined Uptale in 2018 as Software Lead Developer, after more than 6 years’ experience at Microsoft. I’ve always been passionate about education and sharing knowledge. I see it as a vector for solutions to all kinds of problems. When I discovered Immersive Learning with Uptale, it exceeded my expectations. Everything becomes possible with virtual reality!
My missions are very varied. They range from technical support and the knowledge base to the development of the platform’s next innovative features. My main motivation is to help our users deploy VR in a practical way, according to their use cases and the technical configurations they have.
In the FAQ below, you’ll find all the information you need to set up Uptale on your Moodle!
A few questions left?
What is the advantage of full integration with Uptale? It is not easier to import a simple SCORM package?
Although Virtual Reality training is mainly used for classic educational content (virtual tours, pedagogical visits, language learning…) it represents very specific innovative content. Real integration with the LMS (in x-API or other) will always be preferable for Immersive Learning compared to using the SCORM package.
Integration has several advantages, for example:
- The possibility of using a Virtual Reality headset to play your module in total immersion
- Direct return of learning data from the VR headset to the LMS
- There is no size limitation: in fact, some LMSs limit the size of the modules to 200mb. Some Rich Virtual Reality experiences require sometimes large media not suitable for SCORM restrictions
- Automatic module update, without having to reload SCORM packages which can quickly become obsolete
- The use of advanced features such as voice recognition, and analyze an oral exercise precisely
How exactly does it work for a trainer / teacher / educator?
Nothing more simple!
Uptale content integrate like any other type of existing content in Moodle. The trainer chooses the immersive experience on our platform that he wants to share with the students and retrieves a specific link from it. Then, he can create an activity in an already existing training and configure it with the link retrieved.
And There you go! The content is now accessible in the same way as any other educational resource in Moodle!
And how the handling is going for the learner or the student?
For the learner it is also very easy, thanks to the integration into existing courses. The student will be invited to complete an immersive module during their usual course. A simple click is enough to start the experience on any type of device.
Indeed, our platform allows you to live an VR experience in several ways: in total immersion with a VR headset, via a computer, or with a mobile phone and a Cardboard device (a case where you slide the phone, or small VR glasses to place on the phone).
When the trainee starts the experiment, he has the choice of activating it on his web browser or of retrieving a small unique code. This code will allow him to play his experience in our application which fits with all types of telephones and VR headsets. This method allows learners to put this code on their VR headsets and to start the experience automatically! Then Uptale will feed back the necessary information to Moodle for the training path, and the student will be free to play the content or to continue his training.
Can you give us some current examples of Immersive Learning in Moodle?
The most relevant example is that of a university working with a school of physiotherapists. In this current period, face-to-face lessons are not always provided, which leads to rethinking teaching methods. The training of physiotherapist is composed of a theoretical part, and a practical part, which is essential to better learning and better retention of knowledge. Virtual Reality makes possible to compensate for the lack of this practical part of training for the students forced to stay at home.
The practice can be transmitted by a simple photo or video 360 °. Thus, the student is easily put in a situation! In this specific case of physiotherapy students, the Virtual Reality experience was integrated into a complete learning program in Moodle.
Find out more in this guide “How to deploy VR successfully in Education“
If I work for a university or a school that wants to implement this integration, how should to do to make it? What are the procedures to follow?
This integration only involves configuration exchanges between Uptale and the Moodle administrator.
It is based on the standard LTI 1.3 protocol, which is natively supported by Moodle.
We’ll send you a document explaining the step-by-step configuration procedure and the information to be exchanged, and you’re all set!
Your Uptale experiments will then be securely readable on Moodle.
How do you see this integration evolving? Are you going to integrate new Uptale’s features in a platform Moodle?
Integration is always evolving! We analyze the needs of our users and their use cases. The new functionalities are designed according to these needs.
In the case of the Moodle integration, I think that we will transmit a lot of more educational data, due to the specific nature of Immersive Learning. For example, we could compare the behavior of a student in a VR module with the behavior of an ‘expert’. Il will allow to observe areas for improvement, exercises well done, and improve the content according to this data.
Our philosophy is the universality of immersion training. So, if we develop new useful features for our users, they will obviously be available to everyone and on a lot of platforms.