Gamified Learning for the Next Generation of Learners Lincoln Electric’s Voyage Arc
Lincoln Electric was looking to present a welding product to the primary/secondary education market to excite young learners. We have training tools, but not an exposure tool. The Voyage Arc caters to that market but also can be used as a recruitment tool for all types of organizations.
The Voyage Arc was built with both students & teachers in mind. Students are able to learn & have fun. They can experience welding in a safe environment and practice as much as they need. Teachers can introduce welding without stepping into a weld booth and certification is not required. The curriculum lessons are built in and the price is within their budget range.
The software is meant to excite & engage users by taking them on an amusement park journey and compete for points,” says Sirochman. It is a pleasure to watch classrooms compete with each other for high scores and learn at the same time.
We are excited about this product because, in the long run, it will benefit the welding market, which Lincoln Electric has been a leader in for over 150 years.
The Voyage Arc delivers a bite-sized, microlearning adventure to middle school-aged kids, creating rewarding engagement. The program has allowed Lincoln Electric to enter the Agriculture Education market. You watch learners go from skeptical to excited, to competitive, to then dedicated.
Engaging the Next Generation
Recognized as the trailblazers of the digital era, the next generation of learners is set to redefine career exploration, marking a distinct departure from the practices of any previous generation. With an anticipated influx of specialized roles in skilled trades, Ohio’s long history of being a powerhouse for manufacturing has influenced educators and businesses to seek new ways to retain talent in the state.
With decades of trusted experience and dedication to advancing the training of educators, industry leaders, and skilled trade workers in the craft and science of welding, Lincoln Electric wanted a new product that appeals to today’s technology and media-savvy learners. This meant creating early educational experiences to address workforce declines within trade industries in a strategic way. In order to engage middle-school-aged digital natives, Lincoln Electric and Roundtable Learning collaborated to create the Voyage™ Arc VR Career Exploration Tool to deliver a memorable introduction to the bountiful opportunities welding holds.
Learning through Gamification
By immersing the young learners in an amusement park experience, students are introduced to basic welding techniques such as Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) and Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) by completing interactive lessons that promote the fundamentals of welding. With visual cues and repetitive knowledge checks, students are introduced to critical welding skills such as travel speed, position, and contact tip to work distance as they undergo ten individual welding lessons. Accompanied by a friendly avatar, the gamified experience simulates real-world welding scenarios in an exciting, fun, and profoundly engaging way that jumpstarts conversations about what welding is, how it impacts our lives, and why it is an exciting career option.
Designed to inspire the next generation to explore career opportunities in welding, Voyage™ Arc delivers a one-of-a-kind learning experience that incentivizes modern learners through gamification. With visual cues and repetitive knowledge checks, students are introduced to critical welding skills such as travel speed, position, and contact tip to work distance. The students practice welding techniques before taking their talent into the virtual park to repair a familiar ride. Once they’ve passed their tests, they can even enjoy the fruits of their labor through a fun rollercoaster ride. By incorporating a competitive angle to the program, students are eager to out-rank their peers, inspiring an increased engagement in the classroom.
The Future of Learning Impact
The path to lifelong learning can start as early as middle school, making career exploration a new market in education. Voyage™ Arc modernizes learning in traditional educational spaces with immersive VR experiences to promote experiential learning and the value of hands-on skills. By using cutting-edge technology as an educational tool to introduce skilled trades in a traditional classroom, this groundbreaking advance for vocational learning is shaping the future of immersive learning and career exploration.
As growing numbers of students remain undecided about college careers, the VR welding program motivates students to explore their abilities and where they can apply them. By taking an active approach to stimulating interest in the trades from a young age, The Voyage Arc’s educational impact can extend beyond the classroom and influence jobs that are essential to the economy.
Lincoln Electric was looking to present a welding product to the primary/secondary education market to excite young learners. We have training tools, but not an exposure tool. The Voyage Arc caters to that market but also can be used as a recruitment tool for all types of organizations.
The Voyage Arc was built with both students & teachers in mind. Students are able to learn & have fun. They can experience welding in a safe environment and practice as much as they need. Teachers can introduce welding without stepping into a weld booth and certification is not required. The curriculum lessons are built in and the price is within their budget range.
The software is meant to excite & engage users by taking them on an amusement park journey and compete for points,” says Sirochman. It is a pleasure to watch classrooms compete with each other for high scores and learn at the same time.
We are excited about this product because, in the long run, it will benefit the welding market, which Lincoln Electric has been a leader in for over 150 years.
The Voyage Arc delivers a bite-sized, microlearning adventure to middle school-aged kids, creating rewarding engagement. The program has allowed Lincoln Electric to enter the Agriculture Education market. You watch learners go from skeptical to excited, to competitive, to then dedicated.
