Belleville, Ontario, May 6, 2015 – Loyalist College is proud to partner with Crown Ridge Health Care Services Inc. to launch Ontario’s first 3D interactive virtual world technology training application for long-term care homes, including Westgate Lodge, Belleville and Crown Ridge Place, Trenton. Designed to help these facilities meet Ministry of Health standards, the new learning management system streamlines mandatory employee training experiences and enhances learning outcomes. Developed through Loyalist’s infiniteSpaces division, a leader in the application and creation of educational virtual environments, the program enables students to learn by doing as avatars in simulated home care situations.
“We are very pleased to provide Crown Ridge Health Care Services Inc. with a virtual world environment where their long-term care employees can virtually experience different scenarios, troubleshoot problems and practise key processes and protocols,” said Loyalist President Maureen Piercy. “Feedback from the organization has been very positive around this immersive approach, which allows individuals to better understand and retain course material. With more than 25 topics to cover in a year, employees have the flexibility to train 24/7 online anytime. For many who work around the clock and are unable to attend in-class courses, virtual distance education offers an accessible environment in which to safely explore and respond to complex subject matters.”
By offering all the required programs plus help desk support, the new unified online learning management system offers a cost-effective alternative to developing training in-house or to acquiring separate modules. It integrates virtual learning environments in four of 11 modules, including hygiene and disinfection, restraints and Personal Assistance Service Devices (PASDs), abuse and neglect, and behaviour management. Other online learning tools range from workbooks and slides to quizzes and tests, which track learners’ progress.
“I felt it was important to share information about Loyalist College’s training application because it will help my colleagues at other long-term care homes to facilitate educational requirements of the Long-Term Care Homes Act,” said Westgate Lodge Administrator Leslie Morrow. “Given that we are all immersed in busy work environments, this new learning management system allows our employees to train whenever they wish, and our administrative staff to generate reports with a few keystrokes.”
About infiniteSpaces
Since its inception in 2006, infiniteSpaces has established itself as a leader in the application and creation of educational virtual environments for in-house projects, as well as external partners in business, education and government. Past projects include work for the Government of Canada, Government of Ontario, U.S. Department of State, Indiana University, and the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School, among others. In 2009, the Canada Border Services Agency piloted Loyalist’s border simulation and realized 39 per cent gains in trainees’ performance. In 2010, Loyalist placed second in the Federal Virtual World Challenge competition sponsored by the U.S. Army. In 2013, the College received the International Learning Resources Network (LERN) Award for its virtual food process operator simulation, used in Loyalist’s Process Operator – Food Manufacturing Apprenticeship program. infiniteSpaces has also received the Colleges Ontario Innovation Award and ORION Learning Award of Merit for work in virtual worlds. Visit infinitespaces.ca.
About Loyalist College
When it comes to grads getting jobs, Loyalist College is the #1 College in Ontario. According to Provincial Key Performance Indicator (KPI) results released April 15, 2015, 89.3 percent of the College’s most recent graduates found employment within six months of graduation compared to the provincial average of 84 per cent. Located on more than 200 acres in the beautiful Bay of Quinte region, Loyalist College is a close-knit community where students and their success come first. Loyalist provides personalized attention in small classes, rewarding field placements and superior student services. To prepare students for in-demand careers, Loyalist offers more than 60 full-time programs; apprenticeships; and 500+ online, distance and in-class courses, as well as opportunities for continuing education through more than 70 university transfer agreements. The College’s wide selection of advanced diplomas, diplomas and certificates aligns with market-driven disciplines including applied sciences, biosciences, building sciences, business and management studies, health sciences, human studies, justice studies, media, arts and design, and skills and technology. In Ontario, the College’s new Digital Media Centre and the LEED® Silver certified Sustainable Skills, Technology and Life Sciences Centre are training centres of choice for students, as well as College business and industry partners. For more information on the College’s Belleville and Bancroft campuses, visit loyalistcollege.com.
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Contact: Kerry Lorimer, Director, Marketing and Communications,
Loyalist College, klorimer@loyalistc.on.ca, 613-969-1913 ext. 2536