Learn by Doing: How Virtual Labs Make Software Training Stick

Introduction

Software training has changed. Traditional eLearning—videos, readings, and quizzes—only goes so far. Learning software isn’t about memorisation; it’s about hands-on practice.

That’s why virtual labs are becoming the new standard. They let learners interact with real software, making training more engaging, practical, and effective.

Why Traditional eLearning Falls Short

Early software training relied on classroom workshops and basic eLearning. While these methods covered theory, they lacked interactivity. Learners could watch tutorials but had no way to apply their skills.

Virtual labs solve this problem by providing a space to experiment, make mistakes, and refine skills in a risk-free setting. Companies using virtual labs report higher engagement, faster skill development, and better knowledge retention.

How Virtual Labs Improve Learning (With Real-World Examples)

As a self-proclaimed learning & tech nerd, I wanted to research how the pedagogical theories of Kolb, Vygotsky and Bloom could relate to virtual labs.

? Kolb’s Theory: Encourages hands-on, experiential learning.

? Vygotsky’s Theory: Supports interactive, social learning.

? Bloom’s Taxonomy: Moves learners beyond memorisation to real-world problem-solving.

Their theories show us that people learn best by doing. Virtual labs align well to this, helping learners retain knowledge and apply it in real-world scenarios.

The table below combines learning theory and virtual labs with real-world examples of how it promotes knowledge retention and practice.

Skillable + Docebo: A Seamless Virtual Lab Integration

Virtual labs work best when integrated into a Learning Management System (LMS). Both Docebo and Skillable support LTI 1.3 (Learning Tools Interoperability), a critical standard that allows LMS platforms to integrate seamlessly with virtual labs while enabling powerful tracking and analytics capabilities.

Combining Docebo & Skillable, clients can:

? Launch Skillable labs directly from Docebo's learning platform without multiple logins.

? Track learner progress in one centralised system

? Create a unified learning experience with both theory and hands-on practice

? Advanced Tracking & Analytics - track lab activity in real-time, seeing how learners interact with the software.

? Performance metrics from virtual labs—such as completion times, errors made, and problem-solving steps—are fed into Docebo for detailed analytics.

? Enables adaptive learning, where training content dynamically adjusts based on learner performance.

?? Real World Example: A SaaS company using Docebo as an LMS and Skillable for virtual labs can track how long learners spend in each lab, where they struggle, and whether they successfully complete real-world tasks—all within Docebo's Analytics dashboards. This allows for data-driven training improvements.

The table below exemplifies Kolb/Vygotsky/Blooms' theories to LMS/Virtual Labs combined.

Case Study from Skillable: Quest Software’s Virtual Lab Success

Quest Software needed to reskill 1,000+ partners after an acquisition. Traditional training wasn’t scalable, so they switched to Skillable’s virtual labs. The results?

?? 244% increase in training consumption

?? 85% drop in certification costs

?? Faster adoption, fewer support escalations, and stronger retention

Quest’s success proves that virtual labs build real, job-ready skills in less time.

Conclusion

Software training is evolving, and virtual labs are leading the way. Research shows that hands-on experience leads to better retention, deeper learning, and stronger real-world skills.

As seen with Quest Software, companies using virtual labs see faster training, higher engagement, and lower costs. With Skillable’s virtual labs fully integrated into Docebo, organizations can create a scalable, interactive, and effective training solution—all through a single vendor.

Virtual labs aren’t the future of software training—they’re the present. ??