Virtual Reality in Education – Can Mining Be Learnt Virtually?

Abstract

Virtual reality (VR) is increasingly used in education. Therefore, it is also a modern tool supporting the process of educating future miners and professional development of employees in the industry. VR technology allows for realistic representation of the mining environment, machinery and technological processes, which allows for safe training without the need to be in real excavations. Thanks to simulations, it is possible to practice operating procedures, responding to emergency situations and occupational health and safety rules. The use of VR increases the effectiveness of teaching, improves the understanding of complex processes, and reduces the risk of accidents and training costs. Virtual reality is also conducive to learning through experience, which has a positive effect on the engagement and consolidation of knowledge by training participants. The discussed project, codenamed HoloGEM, is an educational solution offering mining-related content in the form of an e-learning platform, where one of the solutions is the use of virtual reality.