Design Strategies for User Interfaces in Virtual Reality Environments

The virtual reality market is rapidly increasing and is projected to drastically expand soon as more head-mounted displays are released to customers. These changes have made it more critical that organizations have adequate user interface strategies. Yet there is still a lack of research on how to design quality virtual reality user interfaces that result in positive user experiences. The purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to identify design strategies software developers use to create user interfaces for virtual reality environments. Constructionist and constructivist theories served as the conceptual frameworks. The participants consisted of 6 developers from 3 different organizations in Texas who had experience with designing virtual reality environments. Data collection involved interviews with 6 software developers. Member checking was used to ensure the accuracy of the findings captured from participants. Thematic analysis yielded 5 key themes: focusing on a simple design, following an iterative approach during development, satisfying the customer and stakeholder, delivering prototypes and models throughout the design and development process, and receiving feedback throughout the process. Findings may benefit future software developers as they form strategies for creating successful virtual reality user interfaces. Implications for positive social change include potentially implementing virtual reality user interfaces for the public that are simple and easy to use, and that do not cause physical discomfort

Designing an engaging learning universe for situated interactions in virtual environments

A thesis submitted to the University of Bedfordshire, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)Studies related to the Virtual Learning approach are conducted almost exclusively in Distance Learning contexts, and focus on the development of frameworks or taxonomies that classify the different ways of teaching and learning. Researchers may be dealing with the topic of interactivity (avatars and immersion are key components), yet they do so they mainly focusing on the interactions that take place within the virtual world. It is the virtual world that consists the primary medium for communication and interplay. However, the lines are hard to be drawn when it comes to examining and taxonomising the impact of interactions on motivation and engagement as a synergy of learners’ concurrent presence. This study covers this gap and sheds light on this lack—or, at least, inadequacy—of literature and research on the interactions that take place both in the physical and the virtual environment at the same time. In addition, it explores the impact of the instructional design decisions on increasing the learners’ incentives for interplay when trying to make sense of the virtual world, thus leading them to attain higher levels of engagement. To evaluate the potential of interactions holistically and not just unilaterally, a series of experiments were conducted in the context of different Hybrid Virtual Learning units, with the participation of Computer Science & Technology students. One of the goals was to examine the learners’ thoughts and preconceptions regarding the use of virtual worlds as an educational tool. Then, during the practical sessions, the focus was placed on monitoring students’ actions and interactions in both the physical and the virtual environment. Consequently, students were asked as a feedback to report their overall opinion on these actions and interactions undertaken. The study draws a new research direction, beyond the idea of immersion and the development of subject-specific educational interventions. The conclusions provide suggestions and guidelines to educators and instructional designers who wish to offer interactive and engaging learning activities to their students, as well as a taxonomy of the different types of interactions that take place in Hybrid Virtual Learning contexts

Orchestrating learning during implementation of a 3D virtual world

Karakus Yilmaz, Turkan/0000-0002-5809-3962; Baydas Onlu, Ozlem/0000-0002-5812-7085WOS: 000383915700002There are many issues to be considered when designing virtual worlds for educational purposes. In this study, the term orchestration has acquired a new definition as the moderation of problems encountered during the activity of turning a virtual world into an educational setting for winter sports. A development case showed that community plays a key role in both the emergence of challenges and in the determination of their solutions. The implications of this study showed that activity theory was a useful tool for understanding contextual issues. Therefore, instructional designers first developed relevant tools and community-based solutions. This study attempts to use activity theory in a prescriptive way, though it is known as a descriptive theory. Finally, since virtual world projects have many aspects, the variety of challenges and practical solutions presented in this study will provide practitioners with suggestions on how to overcome problems in future.Turkish Science and Technology Institution Project [111K516]This study was conducted as part of the "Effects of Virtual and Multimedia Environments on Interest and Awareness Towards Winter Sports" project [number "111K516"], supported by the Turkish Science and Technology Institution Project