Incorporating Real-World Applications Into Curriculum

After helping 50+ universities set up VR labs I’ve seen one truth. Immersive practice changes everything! Today, I’m sharing my 2025 tips on using VR for training—all based on real student outcomes. (Save and repost this for your faculty ♻️) 1️⃣ DANGEROUS SCENARIOS (Safety Imperative) → If it’s risky in real life, practice it in VR first. → Slash liability, boost confidence with hands-on simulations of high-stakes procedures. 2️⃣ IMPOSSIBLE SCENARIOS (Rarity Solution) → Expose students to anomalies they’d encounter once in their career—in VR, they can tackle them again and again. → Clinical or engineering oddities? Let them say “I’ve done this before!” 3️⃣ COUNTERPRODUCTIVE TRAINING (Failure Advantage) → Complex skills demand mistakes to learn. Let them fail big in VR—no real-world consequences. → Every expert was once a beginner who messed up (a lot). VR just makes it safer. 4️⃣ EXPENSIVE EQUIPMENT (Budget Saver) → Don’t risk a $1M MRI or $25K flight simulator. → Replicate pricey hardware in VR to save on repair costs and maximize practice time. 💡 Implementation Checklist: 1. Focus on learning goals, not fancy gadgets. 2. Integrate VR seamlessly into your existing curriculum. 3. Train your faculty—lack of educator buy-in is a VR killer. I often recommend DICE for 95% of the institutions I work with—solid gold, seriously. Pro Tip: Track performance metrics for every VR module. This data becomes powerful proof for funding, accreditation, and continuous program improvement. I’m here to help you make the jump from classroom theory to immersive reality—minus the stress. Virtual handshake 🤝 and cheers to effective, future-proof VR in higher ed! P.S. Ask me anything about higher ed VR implementation :) #virtualreality #edtech #vr #highereducation #vrtraining

Action-Oriented Strategies for Higher Education Administrators: Supporting Students in the Age of AI As AI reshapes the workforce, Kathleen deLaski’s insights urge higher education leaders to evolve beyond traditional degree pathways. Institutions must help students develop adaptable skills, pursue flexible credentials, and prepare for a rapidly changing labor market. 1. Embrace Flexible Learning Pathways • Expand Credential Options: Offer stackable credentials, micro-certifications, and short-term programs aligned with workforce needs. • Support Lifelong Learners: Design offerings for career switchers, adult learners, and students seeking targeted upskilling. 2. Integrate Work-Based Learning Experiences • Offer Project-Based Learning: Embed real-world challenges into courses to help students build portfolios and apply classroom learning. • Promote Internships and Co-ops: Strengthen employer partnerships to provide more structured and scalable experiential opportunities. 3. Align Curriculum with Industry Demands • Prioritize Transferable Skills: Ensure students develop communication, critical thinking, problem-solving, and adaptability. • Introduce AI and Tech Literacy: Help students understand and responsibly engage with emerging technologies shaping their fields. 4. Deepen Employer Collaboration • Co-Develop Career Pathways: Work directly with employers to shape programs that reflect current and future job requirements. • Recognize Industry Certifications: Integrate or endorse credentials that are highly valued in targeted fields. 5. Rethink the Value Proposition of a Degree • Highlight Career Outcomes: Be transparent about employment rates, earnings, and skill acquisition tied to academic programs. • Support Alternative Pathways: Embrace and validate non-traditional routes to success, ensuring students can choose the right fit for their goals. ⸻ By adopting these strategies, higher education leaders can position their institutions as agile, student-centered, and aligned with the future of work in an AI-driven workforce.

In the face of the US housing shortage crisis, which has escalated from "terrible" to merely "bad" despite a surge in apartment construction, we find ourselves at a critical juncture. This challenge, while rooted in rising costs and economic pressures, offers an unexpected avenue for educators and tutors to contribute towards a solution. The crisis underscores a broader need for innovative thinking across all sectors, including education. How? By fostering critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and social responsibility in our students. Tutors and educators can play a pivotal role by integrating real-world issues, like the housing shortage, into their curriculums. This approach not only enriches the learning experience but also encourages students to apply their knowledge towards solving complex societal issues. Imagine a project-based learning module where students explore the economics of housing, the impact of policy, and the potential for sustainable development. Or a coding class tasked with developing an app that connects affordable housing projects with potential residents. The possibilities are endless and the impact, profound. By linking education with real-world challenges, we not only enrich our students' learning journeys but also empower the next generation of thinkers, innovators, and leaders to tackle pressing issues like the housing crisis head-on. Let's discuss: How can educators and tutors further integrate societal challenges into their teaching to inspire innovation and change? Your thoughts and experiences could light the path to a brighter, more sustainable future.

Do What I Say But Not What I Do – A Dilemma in Dental Curricula This is a classic challenge in dental education—teaching students in a way that aligns with real-world clinical practice. When I was a dental student, then a prosthodontic resident, and later a junior faculty member, I often heard: • “Students need to learn the basics before they can handle real cases.” • “Real clinical cases are too complex for them to understand.” I initially carried this mindset into my teaching. But over time, I saw the disconnect between dental school training and what happens in actual practice. I felt like a dentist who does not brush his teeth, or a social behavioral teacher with no social skills and no conflict resolution skills, or a claimed researcher who does not know or understand research, or an overweight nutritionist, or a smoker pulmonologist. - I felt like I am a hypocrite! That realization changed everything. At UNC, I introduced case-based courses and gave senior students exposure to advanced techniques—like closed-mouth impressions for complete dentures, implant surgery, and static guided implant placement. While students embraced these changes, many faculty members were hesitant. At VCU, I pushed digital dentistry forward, implementing same-day crowns, articulator-less fixed prosthodontics, digital complete dentures, and guided implant surgery. At MUSC, I developed a flipped classroom approach for digital complete dentures and helped lay the foundation for a digital lab by adding milling systems, software, workflows and hiring a dedicated lab faculty. Now, at HPU, I am integrating these experiences into the D2 prosthodontic curriculum, ensuring students learn both the fundamentals and the latest innovations appropriate for practicing general dentistry in 2028 and beyond. Naturally, some faculty are uncomfortable with this shift. But my approach is clear: I will teach students to do what I say and what I do. #DentalEducation #CurriculumInnovation #DigitalDentistry #ExperientialLearning #Prosthodontics #FutureOfDentistry

🔴 If learners can’t apply it, they won’t remember it. Too many training programs focus on information instead of application. But knowledge without action doesn’t drive results. Instead, design learning that sticks by making it real-world relevant. Here’s how: 1️⃣ Start with real challenges. Ask: “What problems do learners face on the job?” Then, build training that helps them solve those problems. 2️⃣ Make practice look like reality. Ditch abstract exercises. Use: ✅ Case studies based on real work situations ✅ Branching scenarios with authentic decision-making ✅ Hands-on activities that mirror actual tasks 3️⃣ Encourage immediate application. Don’t just teach—get learners doing. ✅ Give action steps at the end of each lesson. ✅ Have learners apply skills to a real project. ✅ Use reflection prompts like: “How will you use this tomorrow?” 4️⃣ Measure success by performance, not completion. A completed course means nothing if behavior doesn’t change. Learning should solve real problems. If it doesn’t translate to the real world, it’s just noise. 🤔 How do you ensure your training leads to real-world application? ----------------------- 👋 Hi! I'm Elizabeth! ♻️ Share this post if you found it helpful. 👆 Follow me for more tips! 🤝 Reach out if you need a high-quality learning solution designed to engage learners and drive real change. #InstructionalDesign #RealWorldLearning #LearningThatWorks #LearningAndDevelopment