Gatsby’s Technical Education Networks (TEN) and Metaverse Learning: Building confidence through collaboration

1st October 2026

5 minute read

Gatsby Education’s Technical Education Networks (TEN) and Metaverse Learning are working together with a shared intent: to strengthen how T Level learners in further education prepare for the realities of health and social care practice.

TEN supports T Level teachers in sharing effective practice and accessing high-quality teaching resources, helping to strengthen delivery across routes. Working alongside this, Metaverse Learning brings expertise in immersive learning design, creating experiences that mirror real working environments and help learners apply theory in practice.

Together, they are using innovation to support practical, inclusive learning experiences and the development of essential and technical skills.

A shared focus on Health T Levels

At the centre of the partnership is a health and social care learning scenario that has been enhanced to explore how emerging technology can deepen applied learning in a virtual environment.

Building on an existing Metaverse Learning scenario, Health & Social Care Scenario 4 – Registered Nurse Service: User Increasing Concern has been updated based on feedback from teachers and industry to support learning and application of content on the Health T Level.

Set in a residential home, the scenario follows a registered nurse on a routine follow-up visit after earlier concerns were raised about a service user’s well-being. The service user, Millie, is living with chronic kidney disease, and learners must navigate both clinical responsibilities and sensitive interpersonal interactions.

Learners work through a sequence of realistic  tasks, including:

• Selecting and wearing appropriate personal protective equipment
• Identification, communication and preparation for care
• Observations and appropriate support
• Housekeeping and raising concerns
• Concluding the visit and escalation

Adding AI and adaptive learning

AI and speech recognition have been integrated into the updated scenario to help develop essential skills such as communication, listening, and problem-solving.

Millie’s responses are no longer static; her behaviour can shift from calm and passive to distressed, angry or aggressive, depending on how the learner communicates and responds. This allows learners to practise person-centred care skills, like active listening and empathy, in different contexts to help them understand how their choices can influence the service user.

Rather than presenting a single “right” pathway, the scenario encourages reflection and repetition, giving learners space to try different approaches and understand their impact.

Impact for learners and providers

This scenario is designed to give learners the opportunity to encounter a range of challenging behaviours in a safe, controlled environment, including situations they may not experience on their industry placement.

This approach helps to:

• Provide repeated exposure to complex and realistic situations
• Bridge the gap between classroom learning and industry practice
• Build confidence before entering live care environments
• Turn mistakes into learning opportunities without real-world consequences
• Expose learners to scenarios they may not otherwise encounter

Open access through Gatsby

The scenario is available free of charge via Healthcare support worker home visit | Technical Education Networks. This will enable providers to explore immersive learning in a low-risk, accessible way, while supporting learners at a critical stage in their development.

Charlie Moss, Head of Further Education Curriculum Support at Gatsby Education said:

“This scenario adds to the suite of free, high-quality teaching resources already available to T-level teachers as part of the Technical Education Networks. Working with partners like Metaverse Learning, who share our commitment to supporting the development of technical and essential skills for the future workforce, is an important part of our work. Together we’re using innovation to create inclusive learning experiences that mirror real working environments we hope are useful for T-level Health students nationally.”

Jason Holt CBE, CEO of Metaverse Learning, added:

“This project reflects the shared commitment of Gatsby’s Technical Education Networks and Metaverse Learning to strengthen how T Level learners prepare for real-world practice. By integrating advanced simulation and adaptive immersive elements, we place learners in realistic workplace environments where they can safely apply theory, build core skills and understand the consequences of their decisions.

This gives T Level learners a practical, true-to-life way to develop confidence and judgement before entering live care settings, while offering education providers an accessible and impactful way to explore innovation that genuinely supports learner success.”

To find out more about the new scenario or to book at demo, please contact the team at info@metaverselearning.co.uk