Virtual reality is transforming learning for 150,000 students in Europe through the work of RTC Antwerpen, an organization backed by the Department of Education and Training in Flanders, Belgium.
RTC’s innovative XR lending program helps nearly 700 schools keep their technical education curricula up-to-date and effective as industries evolve.
The Company
For more than 20 years, RTC Antwerpen has bridged the gap between industry and education in Flanders.
In September 2023, RTC launched an XR consultant and lending service. The service provides XR technology and programming to schools at no charge, adding immersive learning to nearly 700 training locations.
The Problem
The rapid pace of change in many industries makes it challenging for technical and vocational training programs to keep up with industry standards. To prepare students to meet the demands of the field, schools need to offer cutting-edge training despite their own limited resources.
The Solution
RTC collaborated with ArborXR to manage, scale, and deploy global XR education that aligns with schools’ learning goals. RTC Antwerp has successfully rolled out one of the largest educational XR deployments in the world, integrating VR across 700 schools in Flanders, Belgium, and benefiting 150,000 students.
It used ArborXR to help establish XR Academy to train teachers and help them become comfortable with using virtual technology in the classroom.
ArborXR allows RTC-connected teachers to select content from more than 300 lesson modules to enhance their students’ learning. At the same time, the system protects the privacy of each school and user.
Bringing Structure to VR Education
Educational institutions have long been challenged to meet the shifting demands of the labor market. The rapid evolution of technology in industry has intensified the pressure for training programs to keep up despite limited resources.
When businesses began augmenting employee training with XR, RTC took notice. It recognized the benefits of XR training and began exploring how it could introduce schools to the technology.
Some schools were already jumping on the virtual reality training bandwagon. Unfortunately, there was no coordination to their VR adoption, and many were at a loss when it came to using their headsets effectively.
“Schools were purchasing headsets themselves, and most of the time they were just purchasing applications from the app store,” explains VR coordinator Louise Paepa. “They didn’t really know what to do with them. So the government decided if we’re going to do this, we’re going to do it in a structured way. And every school is going to have an equal chance to learn and experiment with it.”
Before investing in the technology, RTC consulted more than 100 business and university partners about the best use of extended reality training. All of the advice and best practices it learned informed a comprehensive XR strategy.
XR Training is Transforming Learning
The XR action plan introduced schools to extended reality education by lending them headsets and training instructors in how to teach in a virtual environment.
While many businesses start with off-the-shelf applications and mature into custom app design, RTC went the other direction. The government funded the development of fewer than two dozen custom apps requested by schools before coordinators discovered they could find what they needed in apps already on the market.
Instructors can access about 360 training apps through RTC. Students are getting hands-on training in situations that were too dangerous, too expensive, or too difficult to simulate before.
“They are extinguishing fires,” Louise said. “They are training on new machines. They are learning CPR in a realistic environment. Schools are excited by the possibilities.”
One standout example is a partnership between a local school and Hillcrest, a healthcare organization in Belgium.
During this collaboration, healthcare professionals and students used VR headsets to train together in healthcare techniques. Both groups benefited from the others’ point of view and expertise.
This not only enriched the learning experience but also strengthened the connection between education and industry, a key goal for RTC.
Solutions for Deploying VR at Scale
Successfully deploying VR across 700 locations was no small feat. RTC turned to VR Expert to obtain its headsets and ask for guidance in developing its action plan.
RTC was challenged to manage the distribution of VR hardware, train instructors, and deploy its vast content library.
Mobile Device Management With ArborXR
Once they get past the pilot stage, many businesses are overwhelmed by the complexity of managing XR devices across the entirety of their organization.
RTC planned carefully for this as it worked with ArborXR’s MDM (Mobile Device Management) solution to manage and support its many XR devices.
ArborXR structured RTC’s MDM so that each school has its own secure organization, which is private and protected from outside access.
The MDM is built in a tiered system. Teachers have limited access; they can view what students are experiencing in the headset, and they can view content dashboards.
School tech personnel can perform updates and push content from the library to their local headsets.
The base technology, such as APIs and APK files, is restricted to RTC’s personnel.
XR Training Academy
Another pillar of the RTC XR action plan is training instructors. It created an XR Academy to give teachers the confidence to teach in virtual reality.
Louise said the academy’s first goal is to ensure teachers are comfortable with the hardware. Next, they’re encouraged to explore the software independently.
Finally, they’re presented with an extensive resource that lists all of the content modules RTC has available for deployment.
Content Deployment With ArborXR
RTC offers schools more than 300 XR applications. With training programs in multiple industries, all of which are constantly evolving, that number is bound to grow over time.
Before adding an app to its library, RTC performs hours of software testing. It reviews lesson plans and learning goals to assess the software’s relevance and sometimes asks schools themselves to weigh in.The ability to load the content into the right headsets at the right locations using ArborXR’s content management technology is crucial to keeping the XR lending service operating efficiently.
“I don’t think we could have the success we have today without ArborXR. It would have been a logistical nightmare to manage everything by side-loading and manually managing everything like that.”
Louise Paepe, XR Coordinator for RTC Antwerpen
Choosing the Right Partners
Cutting-edge technology isn’t enough if the content is nothing more than a series of one-off entertainments. It was critical for RTC to partner with companies that could provide a sustainable and meaningful enhancement to schools’ vocational training.
RTC partnered with VR Experts to obtain its hardware and with ArborXR to manage its devices and content.To create its library of training programs, it partnered with high-quality XR developers like VirtualSpeech, SmoothSoft, and more.
The Future of VR in Education
Louise envisions a future where VR becomes as integral to education as laptops are today.
While the current phase is one of exploration, with teachers just beginning to uncover the vast potential of VR headsets, RTC firmly believes this is only the start.
As VR technology continues to evolve, it will transition from a novel tool to an essential part of every student’s learning journey.
As RTC’s groundbreaking VR initiative demonstrates, integrating XR technology on a large scale requires careful planning, strategic partnerships, and robust management solutions.
ArborXR offers a powerful platform for managing and scaling XR deployments efficiently.
If you’re looking to launch a similar program or enhance your current XR capabilities, ArborXR can support your efforts. We will ensure a seamless and impactful deployment, and best of all — we offer a 30-day free trial to get you started. So why wait? Sign up for ArborXR today and see the difference for yourself!