Logibot:Investigating Engagement and Development of Computational Thinking Through Virtual Reality

In this study we assess the effects of teaching fundamental programming concepts through a virtual reality (VR) block-based programming application and its impact on engagement. As a comparison study, participants played an existing desktop-based game (LightBot) and the developed VR game (LogiBot) covering similar gameplay mechanics and blockbased programming. Initial results indicate that traditional desktop applications are currently more engaging than VR for teaching programming. We thus identify the need for careful design of interaction methods to support ease of use and reward factors to promote engagement in VR-based learning applications beyond the initial wow-factor

Fibonacci Level Adjustment for Optimizing Player’s Performance and Engagement

Players’ engagement intensity in computer games is influenced by the level of difficulty the game offers. Traditional game-level plots adopt linear increases that sometimes do not match the users’ skill growth, causing boredom and hampering the users’ further skill growth. In this study, a nonlinear level adjustment scenario was proposed based on the Fibonacci sequence that provides gradual increases in the early stages of the games but more drastic changes in later phases. Here, the game’s difficulty level was automatically decided by a machine learning method. To test the proposed method, comparisons between four level adjustments in computer games: traditional plots, self-selected plots, linear adaptive plots, and the proposed nonlinear adaptive plots were run. The experiment was carried out with 40 testers. The experiment results show that the best player’s peak level in the proposed nonlinear adjustment was twice as high as that of linear adjustment. Also, the number of stages required to reach the peak under the proposed scenario was half that of linear games. This high playing performance goes hand in hand with deep playing engagement. The results demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed level adjustment algorithm

Validating and Developing the User Engagement Scale in Web-based Visual Information Searching

Guided by the theoretical frameworks of interactive information searching and user engagement (UE), this study proposed sense discovery (SD) as a UE attribute and suggested a refined four-factor user engagement scale (UES) model for the measurement of users’ psychological involvement in web-based visual information searching. Using a mixed-methods approach based on a survey, this study confirmed the inter-item reliability of the original six-factor UES in three visual contexts—a general visual context, image searching on Google (ISG), and video searching on YouTube (VSY). Principal component analyses (PCA) partially confirmed the internal consistency of the original six UE subscales and suggested conceptual overlaps among four of six original subscales. Through thematic and sentiment analyses of the participants’ visual information needs, the study further explored their positive experience and categorized a total of eight items related to SD. Based on the findings, a refined four-factor UES model, which can be flexibly administered, is proposed to measure users’ psychological involvement in web-based visual information searching

Breaking Virtual Barriers : Investigating Virtual Reality for Enhanced Educational Engagement

Virtual reality (VR) is an innovative technology that has regained popularity in recent years. In the field of education, VR has been introduced as a tool to enhance learning experiences. This thesis presents an exploration of how VR is used from the context of educators and learners. The research employed a mixed-methods approach, including surveying and interviewing educators, and conducting empirical studies to examine engagement, usability, and user behaviour within VR. The results revealed educators are interested in using VR for a wide range of scenarios, including thought exercises, virtual field trips, and simulations. However, they face several barriers to incorporating VR into their practice, such as cost, lack of training, and technical challenges. A subsequent study found that virtual reality can no longer be assumed to be more engaging than desktop equivalents. This empirical study showed that engagement levels were similar in both VR and non-VR environments, suggesting that the novelty effect of VR may be less pronounced than previously assumed. A study against a VR mind mapping artifact, VERITAS, demonstrated that complex interactions are possible on low-cost VR devices, making VR accessible to educators and students. The analysis of user behaviour within this VR artifact showed that quantifiable strategies emerge, contributing to the understanding of how to design for collaborative VR experiences. This thesis provides insights into how the end-users in the education space perceive and use VR. The findings suggest that while educators are interested in using VR, they face barriers to adoption. The research highlights the need to design VR experiences, with understanding of existing pedagogy, that are engaging with careful thought applied to complex interactions, particularly for collaborative experiences. This research contributes to the understanding of the potential of VR in education and provides recommendations for educators and designers to enhance learning experiences using VR