Exploring Visualization Models To Elucidate Learning Capacities In The Context Of Visual Hermeneutics: A Case Study Of Online Instructional Animation

Online learning is becoming more prevalent throughout the years. At the same time, learners are using various technological devices to learn via the internet. One of the common ways of online learning is by watching videos from streaming sites such as YouTube. Some educational videos that are available online are presented in a form of instructional or expository animations. With the rise of instructional animations use for learning, it is essential to identify design characteristics of such animations. Hence, this paper focuses on the visual hermeneutic study of design characteristics of instructional and expository animations available on online streaming sites. Animation samples of the study are selected from established educational animation content creators on YouTube using several criterions. Aspects such as design characteristics and visual representations will be analysed and discussed in relation to the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning principles and a characterisation system of expository animation. Based on these analyses, there are commons characteristics and uniquely different approaches to creating successful online instructional and expository animations. By being able to identify and aware of these characteristics, educators and animation designers can improve the quality of visual content and instructional design to cater to their teaching and learning need

Comparison of a Head-Mounted Display and a Curved Screen in a Multi-Talker Audiovisual Listening Task

Virtual audiovisual technology has matured and its use in research is widely considered. However, the technology has yet to be established for speech- and audio-related perception research. This study examined the effects of different audiovisual conditions on head yaw and gaze direction when listening to multi-talker conversations. Two immersive displays were tested, a curved screen (CS) and a head-mounted display (HMD), combined with three visual conditions (audio-only, virtual characters and video recordings). Three groups of participants were tested: seventeen young normal-hearing, eleven older normal-hearing and ten older hearing-impaired with hearing aids. Results showed that, when visual cues were not present, the participants tended to look ahead. When visual information was available, they looked at the target speaker. Significant differences between displays and visual conditions were found, pointing out that using different audiovisual setups might lead to slightly different head yaw and gaze direction. No significant differences were found between groups. An open interview showed that the CS was preferred over the HMD and that the video recordings were the favorite visual condition.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figure

Uncanny valley effect: A qualitative synthesis of empirical research to assess the suitability of using virtual faces in psychological research

Recently, virtual faces are often used as stimuli to replace traditional photographs in human face perception studies. However, despite being increasingly human-like and realistic, they still present flaws in their aspects that might elicit eerie feelings in the observers, known as the Uncanny Valley (UV) effect. The current systematic review offers a qualitative synthesis of empirical studies investigating observers' subjective experience with virtual compared to real faces to discuss the possible challenges that the UV effect poses when virtual faces are used as stimuli to study face perception. Results: revealed that virtual faces are judged eerier than real faces. Perception of uncanniness represents a challenge in face perception research as it has been associated with negative emotions and avoidance behaviors that might influence observers' responses to these stimuli. Also, observers perceive virtual faces as more deviating from familiar patterns than real faces. Lower perceptual familiarity might have several implications in face perception research, as virtual faces might be considered as a category of stimuli distinct from real faces and therefore processed less efficiently. In conclusion, our findings suggest that researchers should be cautious in using these stimuli to study face perception