The Human Touch in Virtual Learning
How Support Makes the Difference
Since 2008, UniVirtual has offered real-time support within our virtual worlds for education. We were the first company designing virtual courseware to recognize that immersive learning environments required more than just high-quality content—they needed dedicated, responsive support to ensure a seamless experience for both students and instructors.
In this blog, we’ll explore why live support is critical, how it has evolved over the years, and what best practices we’ve learned along the way.
The 2025 UniVirtual Support Team: Beth, Kat, Mariella, and Yaz (left to right).
Why Live Support Matters in Virtual Learning
Teaching and learning in the virtual world is an entirely different and often entirely new experience for those used to traditional education. While virtual environments enable students to engage in hands-on, experiential learning, they also introduce new challenges. Students might struggle with anything from navigation, technical issues, or even how to communicate with others when adapting to an unfamiliar digital space.
That’s where live support makes all the difference. Having a knowledgeable team available to troubleshoot issues in real time ensures that students stay focused on learning. It also builds confidence, helping both students and instructors feel comfortable with the platform and experience a sense of presence.
UniVirtual biolody students interacting with a support team member.
How UniVirtual Pioneered Virtual Support
Fifteen years ago, no one was offering structured support for large-scale virtual classrooms. When we developed the first ever virtual degree for Horry-Georgetown Technical College (HGTC) in 2012, we quickly realized that simply handing instructors a new tool wasn’t enough. Early adopters faced technical barriers, and many were hesitant to integrate virtual learning into their curriculum.
At the time, virtual worlds weren’t as stable as they are today, and issues like stuck scripts or media playback errors required manual resets. To address these challenges, we embedded support directly into our courses—literally. UniVirtual team members would be present in every class, assisting instructors and students in real time. This level of involvement was unheard of in the industry, but it proved essential. Without it, adoption would have been far slower, and instructors would have been less willing to embrace this new approach.
HGTC classroom with students, 2012.
The Evolution of Support: From Skype Calls to AI Chatbots
In the early days, our support system was a patchwork of solutions while we discovered best practices. We used Skype to relay information, manually tracked issues, and shared useful tips to teachers as PDF guides. There was no precedent for how virtual classroom support should function at scale—we had to build the system ourselves. Over time, our approach became more structured, integrating multiple layers of support:
Live Avatar Support: Students and instructors can approach support staff directly in the virtual world.
Help Request System: Developed in-house, this tool allows students to submit issues that go straight to their instructor’s Teaching Assistants (TAs) or UniVirtual’s support team, depending on their query.
Phone & Email Support: While most students prefer text-based communication, we provide phone support for more urgent issues.
AI Chatbot Integration: To handle repetitive inquiries and reduce response times, we introduced a chatbot that can quickly answer common questions, with the option to escalate to a live support agent when needed.
Student conversation with a chatbot, on the UniVirtual student dashboard.
Lessons Learned: The Key to Effective Support
Through years of iteration, we’ve identified best practices that every virtual education provider should consider:
1. Support Must Be Immediate: Students working on assignments have scheduled lab times, and any technical issue can cause major disruptions. Our policy is to respond within minutes during business hours, with a maximum 24-hour turnaround time.
2. Training is Essential: Instructors and TAs need guidance on how to use the platform effectively. Every TA undergoes training to familiarize themselves with the interface, common student questions, and troubleshooting methods.
3. Live Support Enhances Engagement: Our support team has observed that students are more inclined to express gratitude and engage positively when interacting with a live avatar in the virtual world, compared to email exchanges. They treat our virtual support team like real people—because they are!
4. Adaptability is Key: As virtual learning evolves, so must support. We have worked with multiple virtual reality solution providers and have our own custom-built platform, and this required rethinking how students access help, ensuring the process remains intuitive and accessible.
HGTC Students with teacher, 2012.
The Future of Support in Virtual Education
There are greater opportunities to enhance virtual world support! With advancements in AI and automation, we can refine chatbots to handle more complex inquiries, while still maintaining the essential human element that sets our support apart. We are also exploring ways to integrate analytics to pre-emptively identify students who may need assistance before they even request it.
At UniVirtual, we believe that the success of virtual education doesn’t just depend on great content—it requires a commitment to support that keeps students engaged, confident, and focused on learning. As pioneers in this space, we’ll continue to innovate and set the standard for what effective virtual world support should look like.
If you're an educator considering virtual classrooms, know that with the right support system in place, the transition can be smooth and highly rewarding. And if you’re looking for a partner who understands the importance of support, UniVirtual is here to help.
The HGTC campus at virtual sunset, 2012.