Immersive virtual reality and education: a study into the effectiveness of using this technology with preservice teachers.

Immersive virtual reality (IVR) is a rapidly advancing technology utilized across varying education fields for learning and educational applications. IVR provides the capabilities of computer simulations and embodied cognition experiences through a hands-on activity, making it a natural step to improve learning. Creating educational applications in IVR for use with students and preservice teachers could be a laborious and costly endeavor and require teacher belief in its effectiveness, so research is essential to investigate whether these applications are useful in advancing prekindergarten through Grade 12 (P-12) student learning. Research in this field is new, limited, and practically void of its use in P-12 learning environments. This inquiry expanded upon the literature on IVR technology in education and preservice teacher use of technology. Specifically, the purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of IVR technology on preservice teachers through an experience focused on the American Civil Rights Movement, specifically on knowledge attainment, lesson planning effectiveness, and motivation for future use in their instructional practice. Participants were 21 elementary preservice teachers in a diverse metropolitan university. Results indicated participants in the IVR group significantly increased scores on a content test, reported engagement with the experience, and indicated likelihood to use IVR with their future students

Effect of Virtual Reality on Motivation and Achievement of Middle-School Students

The introduction of low-cost hand-held devices has provided K-12 educators with the opportunity to teach using virtual reality (VR). However, the efficacy of VR in K-12 classrooms for teaching and learning has not been established. Therefore, the purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to examine the influence of virtual reality field trips on middle-school students social studies academic achievement and motivation. The district chosen for the study is in a rural, economically depressed county, where generational poverty persists. However, the district has a history of being an early adopter of technology. Participants included 76 seventh-grade students at two middle schools, who participated in social studies instruction using either the traditional lecture method or a virtual reality system. The virtual reality system used in this study was the Google Expeditions Virtual Reality System, which uses smartphone technology and iBlue Google VR 3-D Glasses. Before and after the instruction was provided, participants were assessed using the Instructional Materials Motivation Survey (IMMS) and teacher designed social studies test. The results of the two one-way ANCOVAs, demonstrated that students using virtual reality scored significantly higher than students participating in traditional instruction on both their academic achievement and motivation. These findings provide support for the use of virtual reality in middle-school social studies classrooms

Evaluating the Effects of Immersive Embodied Interaction on Cognition in Virtual Reality

Virtual reality is on its advent of becoming mainstream household technology, as technologies such as head-mounted displays, trackers, and interaction devices are becoming affordable and easily available. Virtual reality (VR) has immense potential in enhancing the fields of education and training, and its power can be used to spark interest and enthusiasm among learners. It is, therefore, imperative to evaluate the risks and benefits that immersive virtual reality poses to the field of education. Research suggests that learning is an embodied process. Learning depends on grounded aspects of the body including action, perception, and interactions with the environment. This research aims to study if immersive embodiment through the means of virtual reality facilitates embodied cognition. A pedagogical VR solution which takes advantage of embodied cognition can lead to enhanced learning benefits. Towards achieving this goal, this research presents a linear continuum for immersive embodied interaction within virtual reality. This research evaluates the effects of three levels of immersive embodied interactions on cognitive thinking, presence, usability, and satisfaction among users in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. Results from the presented experiments show that immersive virtual reality is greatly effective in knowledge acquisition and retention, and highly enhances user satisfaction, interest and enthusiasm. Users experience high levels of presence and are profoundly engaged in the learning activities within the immersive virtual environments. The studies presented in this research evaluate pedagogical VR software to train and motivate students in STEM education, and provide an empirical analysis comparing desktop VR (DVR), immersive VR (IVR), and immersive embodied VR (IEVR) conditions for learning. This research also proposes a fully immersive embodied interaction metaphor (IEIVR) for learning of computational concepts as a future direction, and presents the challenges faced in implementing the IEIVR metaphor due to extended periods of immersion. Results from the conducted studies help in formulating guidelines for virtual reality and education researchers working in STEM education and training, and for educators and curriculum developers seeking to improve student engagement in the STEM fields

Assessment of Human Behavior in Virtual Reality by Eye Tracking

Virtual reality (VR) is not a new technology but has been in development for decades, driven by advances in computer technology such as computer graphics, simulation, visualization, hardware and software, and human-computer interaction. Currently, VR technology is increasingly being used in applications to enable immersive, yet controlled research settings. Education and entertainment are two important application areas, where VR has been considered a key enabler of immersive experiences and their further advancement. At the same time, the study of human behavior in such innovative environments is expected to contribute to a better design of VR applications. Therefore, modern VR devices are consistently equipped with eye-tracking technology, enabling thus further studies of human behavior through the collection of process data. In particular, eye-tracking technology in combination with machine learning techniques and explainable models can provide new insights for a deeper understanding of human behavior during immersion in virtual environments. In this work, a systematic computational framework based on eye-tracking and behavioral user data and state-of-the-art machine learning approaches is proposed to understand human behavior and individual differences in VR contexts. This computational framework is then employed in three user studies across two different domains, namely education, and entertainment. In the educational domain, the exploration of human behavior during educational activities is a timely and challenging question that can only be addressed in an interdisciplinary setting, to which educational VR platforms such as immersive VR classrooms can contribute. In this way, two different immersive VR classrooms were created where students can learn computational thinking skills and teachers can train in classroom management. Students' and teachers' visual perception and cognitive processing behaviors are investigated using eye-tracking data and machine learning techniques in combination with explainable models. Results show that eye movements reveal different human behaviors as well as individual differences during immersion in VR, providing important insights for immersive and effective VR classroom design. In terms of VR entertainment, eye movements open a new avenue to evaluate VR locomotion techniques from the perspective of user cognitive load and user experience using machine learning methods. Research in two domains demonstrates the effectiveness of eye movements as a proxy for evaluating human behavior in educational and entertainment VR contexts. In summary, this work paves the way for assessing human behavior in VR scenarios and provides profound insights into the way of designing, evaluating, and improving interactive VR systems. In particular, more effective and customizable virtual environments can be created to provide users with tailored experiences

The evaluation of next generation learning technologies: the case of mobile learning

Mobile learning is at a leading edge of learning technologies and is at present characterised by pilots and trials that allow mobile technologies to be tested in a variety of learning contexts. The sustained deployment of mobile learning will depend on these pilots and trials, especially their evaluation methodology and reporting. The paper examines a sample of current evaluation practice, based on evidence drawn from conference proceedings, published case studies, and other accounts from the literature and draws on the authors' work in collecting case studies of mobile learning from a range of recent projects. The issues discussed include the apparent objectives of the documented pilots or trials, the nature of the evaluations, instruments and techniques used, and the presentation of findings. The paper reflects on the quality of evaluation in mobile learning pilots and trials, in the broader context of evolving practices in the evaluation of educational technologies

Virtual Reality in Education - Research on the Norwegian EFL Learner and Teacher Perspective of the Educational Value of Virtual Reality and Virtual Reality as an Approach for Facilitating Written Communication

I dagens stadig mer digitale samfunn er digitale ferdigheter avgjørende for elever. De må eksponeres for en rekke digitale verktøy for å forstå hvordan de skal brukes til ulike formål og sammenhenger. Utdanningen i Norge skal legge til rette for læring innen disse fagområdene. Denne masteroppgaven kombinerte virtuell virkelighetsteknologi (VR) med to digitale verktøy og skriveferdigheter i arbeidet med å utvikle to undervisningsøkter som vektla å undersøke følgende forskningsspørsmål: Hva er den pedagogiske verdien av å bruke VR i undervisning og læring av engelsk som fremmedspråk (EFL), og hvordan kan en autentisk VR-opplevelse legge til rette for skriftlig kommunikasjon i EFL-klasserommet i Norge? For å gi innsikt i komponentene i denne oppgaven, fungerte aksjonsforskning som den primære metoden for å samle inn data for lærerperspektivet. For å fange opp elevbaserte data ble spørreskjemaer og fokusgruppeintervju benyttet. Resultatene fra de ulike metodikkene diskuteres i lys av relevant teori og tidligere forskning. Funnene i denne studien indikerer at virtuell virkelighet bringer noe nytt og engasjerende til klasserommet. VR har pedagogisk verdi, og gir et bredt spekter av muligheter og utfordringer som ble adressert for begge tilnærmingene til VR via deres respektive datainnsamlingsteknikker. Totalt sett ser det pedagogiske potensialet ut til å handle om hvordan VR føles autentisk, engasjerende og meningsfylt, samtidig som det tilrettela for læring og trening av flere ferdigheter. Mangel på kompetanse, økonomi, cybersykdom og interne og eksterne distraksjoner ble nevnt som utfordringer med VR. Funnene knyttet til VR og hvorvidt det la til rette for skriftlig kommunikasjon, konkluderte med at det for noen la til rette for og engasjerte til skriving, men ikke for alle. Selv om VR erfaringene alene var utilstrekkelige til å motivere alle elever til å skrive, virket oppgaven, som hadde til hensikt å være autentisk og meningsfull, å endre alle elevers holdninger ovenfor den skriftlige oppgaven. Kort oppsummert scoret HMD VR høyere enn iPad VR; mulighetene og utfordringene ved hver tilnærming indikerer imidlertid en nokså lik verdi, og det hele koker ned til at VR generelt er engasjerende, fremmer læring og autentiske opplevelser og sammen med autentiske og meningsfulle oppgaver legger det til rette for skriftlig kommunikasjon.In today’s increasingly digital society, digital skills are essential for learners. They must be exposed to a variety of digital instruments in order to know how to use them for a variety of purposes and contexts. The education system in Norway must facilitate learning in these subject areas. This master’s thesis combined virtual reality (VR) technology with two digital tools and writing skills to develop two teaching and learning sessions to investigate this research question: What is the Educational Value of Using Virtual Reality in EFL Teaching and Learning, and How Can an Authentic Virtual Reality Experience Facilitate Written Communication in the EFL Classroom in Norway? To provide insight into the components of this thesis, action research served as the primary method to collect data from the teacher perspective. To capture learner-based data, questionnaires and a focus group interview were used. The results from the various methodologies are discussed in light of pertinent theory and previous research. The findings of this study indicate that VR brings something new and engaging to the classroom. VR has educational value, serving a wide range of possibilities and challenges that were addressed for two approaches to VR via their respective data acquisition techniques. Overall, the educational potential appears to be about how VR feels authentic, engaging, and meaningful, and it facilitates the learning and training of several skills. Lack of competencies, finances, cybersickness, and internal and external distractions were cited as obstacles for VR. The findings related to VR and whether or not it facilitated written communication concluded that for some, it facilitated and engaged writing, but not for all. Although the VR experiences alone were insufficient to motivate all learners to write, the task, which was intended to be authentic and meaningful, appeared to alter all learners’ attitudes towards the written assignment. Briefly summarised, HMD VR scored higher than iPad VR; however, the possibilities and challenges of each approach indicate similar value, and it all boils down to the fact that VR in general is engaging, promotes learning, and facilitates authentic experiences, and together with authentic and meaningful assignments facilitate written communication

Investigating Cultural Values and Educational Technology Adoption in Central Asia: A Case Study

Although the adoption of new tools for communication and learning could reasonably be expected to influence culture, little is known about the relationship between cultural values and the adoption or diffusion of Web 2.0 technologies. This case study examines the way in which the cultural values of 59 teachers in four Central Asian countries influenced and were influenced by Web 2.0 technologies during five to eighteen months of online professional development. Data was collected through self-introductions, Likert-scale and open-ended prompts on initial and final surveys, online forum discussions, and capstone projects. This allows an examination of changes in the participants’ expressed attitudes toward and use of Web 2.0 educational technology as well as the identification of cultural values (Hofstede, 1980b) associated with these patterns of adoption and diffusion. The findings are especially beneficial to decision-makers who care about the way the use of Web 2.0 educational technologies could impact educational systems and cultures