Evaluating Students’ Learning Experiences Using Course Management System in a Blended Learning

One of the major software used in today’s classroom are Course Management Systems (CMS). There is currently little research regarding the learning experience of students using CMS like Moodle in a blended learning environment. Effective learning environments give students a chance to learn better and faster. Understanding the students’ learning experience in a blended course using a CMS is the first step to determine how to best engage students. It assumes that good learning environments are achieved through three factors which are Cognitive Presence, Teaching Presence, and Social Presence. This study used a set of questionnaire to evaluate students’ learning experience for 107 students in blended learning. Correlation analysis has been used to find the relationship between Cognitive Presence, Teaching Presence, Social Presence and learning experience of students who use CMS in blended learning. The findings of this research study show that there is a significant correlation among Cognitive Presence, Teaching Presence, Social Presence and the overall learning experience using Moodle in blended learning. However, the level of Social Presence is lower in comparison with Teaching Presence and Cognitive Presence

Media Presence and Inner Presence: The Sense of Presence in Virtual Reality Technologies

Abstract. Presence is widely accepted as the key concept to be considered in any research involving human interaction with Virtual Reality (VR). Since its original description, the concept of presence has developed over the past decade to be considered by many researchers as the essence of any experience in a virtual environment. The VR generating systems comprise two main parts: a technological component and a psychological experience. The different relevance given to them produced two different but coexisting visions of presence: the rationalist and the psychological/ecological points of view. The rationalist point of view considers a VR system as a collection of specific machines with the necessity of the inclusion \ud of the concept of presence. The researchers agreeing with this approach describe the sense of presence as a function of the experience of a given medium (Media Presence). The main result of this approach is the definition of presence as the perceptual illusion of non-mediation produced by means of the disappearance of the medium from the conscious attention of the subject. At the other extreme, there \ud is the psychological or ecological perspective (Inner Presence). Specifically, this perspective considers presence as a neuropsychological phenomenon, evolved from the interplay of our biological and cultural inheritance, whose goal is the control of the human activity. \ud Given its key role and the rate at which new approaches to understanding and examining presence are appearing, this chapter draws together current research on presence to provide an up to date overview of the most widely accepted approaches to its understanding and measurement

A constructionist cognitive model of virtual presence

This paper proposes a cognitive model of presence which emphasizes the interaction of top-down and bottom-up processes, and the subsequent creation of temporary representations of an environment in working memory. These temporary representations (which we term constructions) are formations of meaning about the environment, which allow a subject to make inferences and interact in that environment. We argue that this constructionist position follows from the existence of hypothesis selection models of presence such as proposed by Slater & Steed. Finally, we contrast our model to that of Wirth et al and discuss some of the implications of this model for presence in unfamiliar or unrealistic environment

Content knowledge and thematic inertia predict virtual presence

This paper informs the debate between the impact of content and form factors on presence. From cognitive principles, we predict that the content of a VE will affect presence by interacting with expectations held by the user. Furthermore, a particular cognitive tendency (thematic inertia), should facilitate the effect of the expectations. A sample of 461 users of desktop based flight simulations was measured on ten predictors, including degree of simulation related content knowledge (generalized and specific knowledge), thematic inertia, as well as controls for age and immersion/display factors. The ITC-SOPI was the dependent variable. The data suggest that content factors explain almost as much presence variance as form (immersion) factors. As predicted, thematic inertia is a reliable predictor. Also, the degree of generality of content knowledge predicts presence (with knowledge of the specific content being an inverse predictor). This strongly suggests that the degree to which a simulation is able to match the expectations of its users is an important element of the presence experience

Cybertherapogy: A Conceptual Architecting of Presence for Counselling via Technology

The growing urge for mental health via telecommunication systems argues for such services to be discussed at the field of human‐computer interaction. However, in spite of the research and evidence that express effectivity of telecounselling, details about the transition to computer‐mediated environment are still uncharted. “Cybertherapogy” was coined in this regard to build a schema for engaging and creating meaningful therapy experiences during remote sessions. The model labels strategies that mental health providers should include in their services. Cognitive, counselling, and emotional modules were intersected and overlapped to construct the domains of therapeutic presence in cyberspace. This architecture of emotional agency has been synthesised for psychotherapy by the ongoing concepts and theoretical foundations of present study and electronic learning engagement. It is believed that the model will enable therapists to facilitate their remote, professional engagement with clients and help design administrative tactics for adequate therapy services

Prvotní zkušenost nových uživatelů s osvojováním technologie virtuální reality

This work focuses on the experience of the first-time user in virtual reality. It explores the psychological and pedagogical aspect of this experience and learning in virtual reality. The theoretical part explains immersion, presence, suspense of disbelief and cognitive presence in order to better explain the users' experience. The process of experiencing VR is compared with a more traditional experiential pedagogy and with its two models. The empirical part is based on data from observations and in-depth semi-structural interviews. 3 years worth of practice by working in the field of research, the VR Dimension gaming centre, is also included in the interpretation of results. The thesis explores the feelings of participants, the perceived depth of their immersion and what might break it in different situations; and their experience in different games, where they felt discomfort, fear or excitement and awe. It also tries to detect the problems that a teacher might encounter when using this technology for educative purposes and offers the solutions based on literature or the researcher's own experience of using this technology. This thesis is meant for anyone who wishes to teach others using VR or for anyone interested in some of the obstruction that may arise.Tato práce se zaměřuje na zkušenosti prvouživatele ve virtuální realitě. Zkoumá psychologické a pedagogické aspekty této zkušenosti a učení ve virtuální realitě. Teoretická část také vysvětluje pojmy ponoření, presenci, odložení nedůvěry a kognitivní přítomnost s cílem lépe vysvětlit zkušenosti uživatelů, Proces prožívání VR je srovnáván s tradičnější zážitkovou pedagogikou a s dvěma jejími modely spolu s teorií konektivismu. Empirická část je založena na datech z pozorování a hloubkových polo-řízených rozhovorech. Do interpretace výsledků jsou zahrnuty také 3 roky praxe v místě, kde výzkum probíhal, herně virtuální reality VR Dimension. Práce zkoumá pocity účastníků, vnímanou hloubku jejich ponoření a jevy, které by mohly ponoření přerušit v různých situacích; jejich zkušenosti z různých her; kde pociťovali nepohodlí, strach nebo vzrušení či úžas. Smyslem této práce je také odhalit problémy, s nimiž se učitel může setkat při používání této technologie pro vzdělávací účely, a nabízí řešení založená na literatuře nebo vlastních zkušenostech výzkumníka s používáním této technologie. Tato práce je určena pro kohokoli, kdo chce učit ostatní pomocí VR, nebo pro kohokoli, kdo se zajímá o překážky, které mohou nastat.Katedra anglického jazyka a literaturyPedagogická fakultaFaculty of Educatio

Increasing the Efficacy of Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy for Fear-of-Flying

Virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) is a treatment often used to treat fear-of-flying (FOF), which research shows is effective for treating this phobia. Researchers have identified that the realism of the virtual environment is an important component in the efficacy of VRET and increased realism is likely to increase the efficacy of VRET. Guided by cognitive theory, emotional processing theory, and behaviorism, the purpose of this quantitative study was to demonstrate if a new generational technique called true reality-virtual reality exposure therapy (TR-VRET) is at least as efficacious as traditional VRET for treating the fear and anxiety associated with FOF. Repeated measures ANOVAs were used to compare the means between the pre-/posttests measuring fear and anxiety associated with FOF and between the control and experimental group. Both the active treatment experimental group (using TR-VRET) and the active treatment control group (using VRET) had a significant effect on reducing anxiety related to flying. The findings also revealed that both the active treatment experimental group and the active treatment control group had a significant effect on reducing fear related to flying. Notably, no significant differences were found between the active treatment experimental group and the active treatment control group, meaning the 2 treatments were equally effective at reducing the anxiety and fear related to flying. These findings can contribute to positive social change by allowing mental health professionals access to an advanced treatment tool (i.e., TR-VRET) that is just as effective as the older treatment tool (i.e., VRET). These findings can also contribute to positive social change by quickly allowing more tailored virtual environments to be created for clients at a lower cost