A Systematic Literature Review on Extended Reality : Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality in Working Life

Extended reality (XR), here jointly referring to virtual, augmented, and mixed (VR, AR, MR) reality, is becoming more common in everyday working life. This paper presents a systematic literature review of academic publications on XR indicating changes in practical organization of work. We analyse both application areas of XR and theoretical and methodological approaches of XR research. The review process followed the PRISMA statement. Design, remote collaboration, and training were the main application areas of XR. XR enabled overcoming of obstacles set by time and space, safety, and resources by mediating experience of space. Research on XR applications in actual working life settings is yet relatively rare and covers primarily three areas: collaboration, evaluation of knowledge transfer, and work practices. Virtual reality was the most common form of applied XR, although the hardware used varied case by case. We identified four research areas regarding XR: collaboration, work practices, and evaluation of knowledge transfer, which somewhat followed the application areas. We did not find XR-specific methodologies in the reviewed articles, only few recent studies used novel ways of collecting research material, such as recording the movement in virtual reality. For now, XR still holds significant potential rather than clearly confirmed general advantages in working life.Peer reviewe

Study of the Outcomes and Impacts of the Global Forum on Migration and Development and Civil Society Days

In November 2011, the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) and accompanying Civil Society Days (CSD) completed their fifth year of operation, with the aim of improving migration policy coherence and enhancing the benefits of migration to sending and receiving countries, and to migrants themselves. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the largest non-governmental donor to this process, commissioned this study to retrospectively assess the outcomes and impact of the CSD and GFMD on policies, practices, issue framing, and government-civil society cooperation; and to prospectively draw lessons learned for the future of the GFMD and CSD. The evaluation took place from November 2011 through September 2012, allowing the team to observe the CSD and GFMD in Geneva, conduct an in-depth case study in Mexico, distribute online surveys to participants, conduct interviews at the UN offices in New York, and conduct key informant interviews by phone. Using a mixed method approach, combining quantitative survey data with qualitative key informant interviews and an extensive document review, the team has worked to triangulate data and strengthen the validity of findings. This study is geared towards the main stakeholders of the GFMD and CSD, including governments, civil society representatives, and donors. It is hoped that the aforementioned stakeholders will be able to utilize the findings, conclusions, and recommendations within this report to better inform their work in migration and development moving forward -- both within and outside of the GFMD and CSD processes

On the background in the γp→ω(π0γ)p\gamma p \to \omega(\pi^0\gamma) p reaction and mixed event simulation

In this paper we evaluate sources of background for the $\gamma p \to \omega p$, with the $\omega$ detected through its $\pi^0 \gamma$ decay channel, to compare with the experiment carried out at ELSA. We find background from $\gamma p \to \pi^0 \pi^0 p$ followed by decay of a $\pi^0$ into two $\gamma$, recombining one $\pi^0$ and one $\gamma$, and from the $\gamma p \to \pi^0 \eta p$ reaction with subsequent decay of the $\eta$ into two photons. This background accounts for the data at $\pi^0 \gamma$ invariant masses beyond 700 MeV, but strength is missing at lower invariant masses which was attributed to photon misidentification events, which we simulate to get a good reproduction of the experimental background. Once this is done, we perform an event mixing simulation to reproduce the calculated background and we find that the method provides a good description of the background at low $\pi^0 \gamma$ invariant masses but fakes the background at high invariant masses, making background events at low invariant masses, which are due to $\gamma$ misidentification events, responsible for the background at high invariant masses which is due to the $\gamma p \to \pi^0 \pi^0 p$ and $\gamma p \to \pi^0 \eta p$ reactions.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figure

An integrated approach for analysing and assessing the performance of virtual learning groups

Collaborative distance learning involves a variety of elements and factors that have to be considered and measured in order to analyse and assess group and individual performance more effectively and objectively. This paper presents an approach that integrates qualitative, social network analysis (SNA) and quantitative techniques for evaluating online collaborative learning interactions. Integration of various different data sources, tools and techniques provides a more complete and robust framework for group modelling and guarantees a more efficient evaluation of group effectiveness and individual competence. Our research relies on the analysis of a real, long-term, complex collaborative experience, which is initially evaluated in terms of principled criteria and a basic qualitative process. At the end of the experience, the coded student interactions are further analysed through the SNA technique to assess participatory aspects, identify the most effective groups and the most prominent actors. Finally, the approach is contrasted and completed through a statistical technique which sheds more light on the results obtained that far. The proposal draws a well-founded line toward the development of a principled framework for the monitoring and analysis of group interaction and group scaffolding which can be considered a major issue towards the actual application of the CSCL proposals to real classrooms.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Modeling and Analysis of Scholar Mobility on Scientific Landscape

Scientific literature till date can be thought of as a partially revealed landscape, where scholars continue to unveil hidden knowledge by exploring novel research topics. How do scholars explore the scientific landscape , i.e., choose research topics to work on? We propose an agent-based model of topic mobility behavior where scholars migrate across research topics on the space of science following different strategies, seeking different utilities. We use this model to study whether strategies widely used in current scientific community can provide a balance between individual scientific success and the efficiency and diversity of the whole academic society. Through extensive simulations, we provide insights into the roles of different strategies, such as choosing topics according to research potential or the popularity. Our model provides a conceptual framework and a computational approach to analyze scholars' behavior and its impact on scientific production. We also discuss how such an agent-based modeling approach can be integrated with big real-world scholarly data.Comment: To appear in BigScholar, WWW 201

Global Teamwork: A Study of Design Learning in Collaborative Virtual Environments

With the recent developments in communication and information technologies, using Collaborative Virtual Environments (CVEs) in design activity has experienced a remarkable increase. In this paper we present a collaborative learning activity between the University of Sydney (USYD), and the Istanbul Technical University (ITU). This paper shares our teaching experience and discusses the principles of collaborative design learning in virtual environments. Followed by a study on students’ perception on the courses and collaborative learning in both universities, this paper also suggests future refinements on the course structure and the main areas of collaborative design learning. Keywords: Collaborative Design; Collaborative Virtual Environments; Design Teaching And Learning</p

Visualising mixed reality simulation for multiple users

Cowling, MA ORCiD: 0000-0003-1444-1563Blended reality seeks to encourage co-presence in the classroom, blending student experience across virtual and physical worlds. In a similar way, Mixed Reality, a continuum between virtual and real environments, is now allowing learners to work in both the physical and the digital world simultaneously, especially when combined with an immersive headset experience. This experience provides innovative new experiences for learning, but faces the challenge that most of these experiences are single user, leaving others outside the new environment. The question therefore becomes, how can a mixed reality simulation be experienced by multiple users, and how can we present that simulation effectively to users to create a true blended reality environment? This paper proposes a study that uses existing screen production research into the user and spectator to produce a mixed reality simulation suitable for multiple users. A research method using Design Based Research is also presented to assess the usability of the approach