Unitek College Expands Immersive VR Training Across 5 Campuses

Yurijean Dorsa faced the ambitious task of getting virtual reality into the hands of all faculty at five Unitek College campuses across California and Nevada. As a faculty preceptor and course content expert with a background in training nurses and educators, Yuri embraced the challenge. She implemented UbiSim’s immersive VR platform for faculty despite some initial hesitancy among instructors who weren’t familiar with VR technology or were nervous.

Through her efforts, five of Unitek’s campuses are now actively using VR, with plans to onboard the final two. Leveraging a “train the trainer” model, Yuri conducts comprehensive, day-long training sessions, equipping lead trainers who then guide faculty at each campus. 

Today, VR is woven into clinical simulation days, used as a clinical makeup tool, and serves as an interactive method to reinforce skills post-lecture. They plan to integrate VR fully into the curriculum eventually.

Key takeaways:

• The “train the trainer” model and Yuri’s intentional approach enabled effective VR adoption across five Unitek campuses.
• VR boosted students' confidence and engagement, especially for those new to clinical settings.
• UbiSim’s easy setup and versatility support simulation needs, with the potential for full curriculum integration.

Training trainers for scalable VR adoption

“I do full days of training where I train the trainer, then other days where I assist when they’re training faculty. I don’t just do technical training, I train on the value of simulation. I teach them how to utilize it so they see the potential of VR.”

Supporting faculty with hands-on training

“Faculty have varying technical skills and levels of openness to change, so I tailor training to meet them where they are, making sure everyone feels confident using VR. I’ve found that if I’m patient, hands-on, and do trainings in person, they open up. I ask them to be open-minded, and once they get into the headset, even the most uncertain faculty immediately see the value for their students.”

Seeing UbiSim benefits: flexibility, ease, range of topics

“Faculty appreciate VR because of ease of setup. Mannikins take a long time to prep. We even have to do it the night before. But with UbiSim, it’s easy to prepare and implement. The platform is also incredibly flexible and covers a variety of topics from med-surge to OB to mental health.”

Testing out with students as the path to faculty buy-in

“Before I implemented VR with the faculty, I experimented with a cohort of students. The first group received thorough prep with learning objectives from UbiSm to help them learn the topic before VR and did a thorough pre-briefing. The second group received a general pre-briefing, and the third group had the materials but was responsible for their own briefing. 

Group one saw significant engagement, and their performance, teamwork, delegations, and SBAR all improved. They said the experience boosted their confidence and enhanced their understanding of the subject matter. They felt like they were preparing for real-world scenarios, especially those students who hadn't done clinical rotations yet.”

Creating memorable learning experiences for students

“One time, a student began crying when the scenario was over because she felt she could have done better. I could just tell how impactful the VR simulation was. I was able to tell her that it was okay and that this was a safe space to make mistakes. She even told her parents about the experience at graduation. VR creates memorable learning experiences.”

Advising schools implementing UbiSim across multiple campuses

“Persevere and stay open-minded. Find a clear purpose for integrating VR that aligns with whatever the program needs. At first, I didn't immediately see the demand. But I recognized we had valuable VR resources not being utilized. I didn’t have direct expectations, but as a gamer, I knew the potential of simulation. Don’t underestimate the impact of VR on immersion.”

‍Gaining essential leadership support

“Collaborating with leadership has been so great. With their buy-in, they create training schedules for me, and I can just show up, which saves me a lot of time and allows me to focus my energy on training faculty.”

Looking ahead toward full VR integration

“While UbiSim is currently used as an adjunct to the curriculum, I believe it will be better if VR simulations are integrated into the curriculum because everyone will be on the same page. Curriculum integration could standardize experiences across campuses and make engagement better. This is a goal for the future.”

"Opinions expressed are solely my own and do not reflect the views or opinions of Unitek Learning Education Group Corp."