Tactile Elements: Their Role in Fire Investigation Virtual Training

The delivery of training for early career fire investigators is recognized as increasingly problematic due in part to the availability of uncontaminated real time fire scenes for training purposes. In response to this challenge Charles Sturt University has developed a fire investigation subject (JST415 Fire Investigation Cause and Origin determination) which utilizes virtual reality technology for simulated investigation skill development. With the implementation of this innovative approach to fire investigation studies, a study has been completed on the impact of this mode of training on learning outcomes and competence rankings of students. Whilst the study identified a number of key findings in relation to the use of online training for developing professional practice this paper presents a discussion of the relationship of the absence of tactile elements in the virtual environment and the implications for the design of training delivery which utilizes virtual worlds. The results suggest that the absence of tactile elements in the virtual environment does not inhibit the students' ability to successfully investigate the virtual burn scene and determine the cause and origin of a structural fire and can have advantages for the initial learning phase for fire investigators.