The Robotics Academy: An Immersive Learning Game for Training Industrial Roboticists

Emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, digital fabrication, spatial computing, and immersive media such as Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR), are changing the employment landscape across a broad range of industries. It is anticipated that these technologies will enhance research and innovation, increase productivity, and spur new types of occupations and entrepreneurship. In the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) fields, automated building design with advanced software facilitating mass customization will change how buildings are designed. Robotics and automation, particularly in prefabrication and large-scale 3D printing of buildings is expected to change how buildings are built. Automation technology will also transform how work is managed and conducted in the AEC sector. Therefore, it is imperative to prepare students for future changes brought by automation. The Robotics Academy project is a cloud-based training platform designed to support AEC students in learning industrial robotics. This platform uses advances in cloud computing, VR, and learning games to create a personalized and engaging experience for developing programming and robotics operations skills. The Robotics Academy\u27s immersive learning environment aims to offer a solution for teaching robotics in a safe simulated workspace that delivers creative training while minimizing risk. This virtual modality also allows the students to acquire knowledge remotely and without relying on accessing a robotics lab. This paper outlines the process of designing the Robotics Academy\u27s pedagogical approach, its curriculum development, and its delivery method as a VR application. The paper will also describe plans for its future development as a fully customizable and immersive learning game for training students for future jobs in industrial robotics

The Weight of User Decision Making During Online Interactions - Planning an Experiment

This paper lays out the design of a research study, using eye tracking technology, to measure participant cognitive load when encountering decision constructs during webpage interactions. It elaborates and improves on a pilot study that was used to test the experiment design. Cognitive load is discussed in detail, in both physiological and subjective terms, as well as techniques to capture participants’ thoughts and feelings immediately after the experiment. This mixed method approach will generate a more holistic comprehension of participants’ decision making and their rationale; and hopefully, improve information systems design ethics

T-MOOC, cognitive load and performance: analysis of an experience

The study of cognitive load allows us to investigate the effectiveness of any training proposal mediated by technology. This paper presents the results of the implementation of a t-MOOC produced following the DigCompEdu Framework of the European Union. The participants are a group of students (n= 148) from the first year of the Pedagogy Degree (University of Seville) of the Educational Technology subject. To do this, the level of cognitive load invested in the interaction with the t-MOOC is analyzed using a validated scale. Secondly, the relationship between the invested cognitive load and the performance achieved in the experience carried out with the contents of two competence areas is studied. After the different analyzes applied, the study concludes that the t-MOOC produced is considered appropriate for the development of digital skills in students. In addition, although the correlations between cognitive load and academic performance were not very high, both are related. In this sense, the potential of training proposals focused on the development of digital skills and the benefits of applying cognitive load studies are discussedEl estudio de la carga cognitiva permite indagar en la efectividad de cualquier propuesta formativa mediada por tecnología. En este trabajo se presentan los resultados de la puesta en marcha de un t-MOOC producido siguiendo el Marco DigCompEdu de la Unión Europea. Los participantes son un grupo de estudiantes (n= 148) del primer curso del Grado de Pedagogía (Universidad de Sevilla) de la materia Tecnología Educativa. Para ello, se analiza el nivel de carga cognitiva invertido en la interacción con el t-MOOC mediante una escala validada. En segundo lugar, se estudia la relación entre la carga cognitiva invertida y el rendimiento alcanzado en la experiencia realizada con los contenidos de dos áreas competenciales. Tras los diferentes análisis aplicados, el estudio concluye que el t-MOOC producido es considerado como apropiado para el desarrollo de competencias digitales de los estudiantes. Además, aunque las correlaciones entre carga cognitiva y rendimiento académico no fueron muy elevadas, ambas se encuentran relacionadas. En este sentido, se discuten las potencialidades de las propuestas formativas enfocadas al desarrollo de competencias digitales y los beneficios de aplicar estudios de carga cognitiv

Medical students' cognitive load in volumetric image interpretation:Insights from human-computer interaction and eye movements

Medical image interpretation is moving from using 2D- to volumetric images, thereby changing the cognitive and perceptual processes involved. This is expected to affect medical students' experienced cognitive load, while learning image interpretation skills. With two studies this explorative research investigated whether measures inherent to image interpretation, i.e. human-computer interaction and eye tracking, relate to cognitive load. Subsequently, it investigated effects of volumetric image interpretation on second-year medical students' cognitive load. Study 1 measured human-computer interactions of participants during two volumetric image interpretation tasks. Using structural equation modelling, the latent variable 'volumetric image information' was identified from the data, which significantly predicted self-reported mental effort as a measure of cognitive load. Study 2 measured participants' eye movements during multiple 2D and volumetric image interpretation tasks. Multilevel analysis showed that time to locate a relevant structure in an image was significantly related to pupil dilation, as a proxy for cognitive load. It is discussed how combining human-computer interaction and eye tracking allows for comprehensive measurement of cognitive load. Combining such measures in a single model would allow for disentangling unique sources of cognitive load, leading to recommendations for implementation of volumetric image interpretation in the medical education curriculum

Design and Evaluation of a Virtual Reality Game to Improve Physical and Cognitive Acuity

Physical and mental health are both integral to healthy living and ageing, and a causal-cum-symbiotic relationship has been observed between the two. Physical and cognitive activities such as exercise and board games are known to promote healthy ageing. In this regard, highly engaging lightboard games are known to improve hand-eye coordination, reflexes, and motor skills for individuals. Immersivity of virtual reality games can transform mundane and repetitive exercise routines into stimulating experiences, and they can be utilized by users to improve physical and cognitive performance from the comfort of their homes. In this study, we adopt design science framework to design, develop and evaluate a VR BATAK lightboard game to improve physical reaction, hand-eye coordination, visual memory and cognitive processing. Based on the findings from evaluation over three phases, we propose three design principles related to accessibility, sensory cueing and cognitive loading, as theoretical and practical contributions of this study

Optimising cognitive load and usability to improve the impact of e-learning in medical education

CITATION: Davids, M. R., Halperin, M. L. & Chikte, U. M. E. 2015. Optimising cognitive load and usability to improve the impact of e-learning in medical education. African Journal of Health Professions Education, 7(2):147-152, doi:10.7196/AJHPE.569The original publication is available at http://www.ajhpe.org.zaE-learning has the potential to support the development of expertise in clinical reasoning by being able to provide students with interactive learning experiences, exposure to multiple cases, and opportunities for deliberate practice with tailored feedback. This review focuses on two important but underappreciated factors necessary for successful e-learning, i.e. the management of the learner’s cognitive load and the usability of the technology interface. Cognitive load theory views learning as involving active processing of information by working memory via separate visual and auditory channels. This system is of very limited capacity and any cognitive load that does not directly contribute to learning is considered extraneous and likely to impede learning. Researchers in cognitive load theory have provided evidence-based instructional design principles to reduce extraneous cognitive load and better manage the cognitive processing necessary for learning. Usability is a concept from the field of human-computer interaction which describes how easy technology interfaces are to use, and is routinely evaluated and optimised in the software development industry. This is seldom the case when e-learning resources are developed, especially in the area of medical education. Poor usability limits the potential benefit of educational resources, as learners experience difficulties with the technology interface while simultaneously dealing with the challenges of the content presented. Practitioners in the field of human-computer interaction have provided guidelines and methods for evaluating and optimising the usability of e-learning materials. The fields of cognitive load theory and human-computer interaction share a common goal in striving to reduce extraneous cognitive load. The load induced by poor usability of e-learning materials can be viewed as a specific component of extraneous cognitive load, adding to any load resulting from poor instructional design. The guidelines from these two fields are complementary and, if correctly implemented, may substantially improve the impact of our e-learning resources on the development of the clinical reasoning skills of students.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geen opsomming beskikbaarhttp://www.ajhpe.org.za/index.php/ajhpe/article/view/569sPublisher's versio

The Mediating Role of Real-Time Information Between Location-Based User-Generated Content and Tourist Gift Purchase Intention

The global use of Web 2.0 applications has generated enormous volumes of user content. Drawing on cognitive load theory, this study examines unexplored factors that influence gift purchase intention of tourists. The authors identify localization and realtime information for shaping tourists' gift purchase intention, which is facilitated by reduced cognitive overload. Analyzes of the study relies on a sample of 273 foreign tourists in Malaysia. A cross-sectional quantitative study is conducted using partial least square structural equation modeling. Results showed that location-based user-generated content and real-time information significantly affect gift purchase intention of tourists. Moreover, real-time information partially mediates the relationship between location-based user-generated content and gift purchase intention