Exploitation of multiplayer interaction and development of virtual puppetry storytelling using gesture control and stereoscopic devices

With the rapid development of human-computer interaction technologies, the new media generation demands novel learning experiences with natural interaction and immersive experience. Considering that digital storytelling is a powerful pedagogical tool for young children, in this paper, we design an immersive storytelling environment that allows multiple players to use naturally interactive hand gestures to manipulate virtual puppetry for assisting narration. A set of multimodal interaction techniques is presented for a hybrid user interface that integrates existing 3D visualization and interaction devices including head-mounted displays and depth motion sensor. In this system, the young players could intuitively use hand gestures to manipulate virtual puppets to perform a story and interact with props in a virtual stereoscopic environment. We have conducted a user experiment with four young children for pedagogical evaluation, as well as system acceptability and interactivity evaluation by postgraduate students. The results show that our framework has great potential to stimulate learning abilities of young children through collaboration tasks. The stereoscopic head-mounted display outperformed the traditional monoscopic display in a comparison between the two

The crossroads of English language learners, task-based instruction, and 3D multi-user virtual learning in Second Life

English as a foreign language (EFL) learners' task-based practices in 3D multi-user virtual environments are a dynamic avenue that has attracted research attention in current second language acquisition literature. This study explores EFL adult learners' perceptions and language practices in a 10-session, task-based course in Second Life (SL). A full-blown task-based syllabus that capitalized on meaningful real-life tasks was designed and documented in this study. Employing the grounded theory approach and triangulating multiple qualitative data sources, two core themes emerged: factors that influence SL learning experience and effects of task-based instruction on language learning in SL. SL was evidenced as a viable learning environment due to its conspicuous features, immersive and virtual reality, sense of tele- and co-presence. This study implicates that 1) 3D multimodal resources in SL provide EFL learners with visual and linguistic support and facilitate language teaching and learning; and 2) tasks that draw upon SL features, accommodate learners' cultural/world knowledge, and simulate real-life scenarios, can optimize learners' virtual learning experiences

FieldscapesVR: Virtual world field trips to extend and enrich field teaching

Field teaching is an indispensable feature of geoscience education, at all levels. However, delivering effective field experiences is challenging under many circumstances – not least for distance students such as Open University (OU) undergraduates. Hence, OU geoscience modules over the last 25 years have featured virtual field trips (VFTs), exploiting a range of formats, typically delivered via CD-ROM, DVD or web browser. 2013 saw a dramatic reboot with the launch of Virtual Skiddaw, a field exercise framed in a multi-user virtual environment that was created using 3D gaming software (Unity 3D). Virtual world field trips (VWFTs) offer a wealth of new opportunities for online field learning. Advances in scanning and photogrammetry make detailed observation possible, while the digital landscape and ambient audio foster immersion. Rather than merely trying to replicate an outdoor field trip, the VWFT can also go ‘beyond fieldwork’: users can access aerial perspectives; drape the digital landscape with different imagery (e.g. maps); teleport and fly to save time; call up subsurface cross-sections; even fade other avatars out if they are obscuring the view! The multi-user capability enables collaborative work, even among groups that are widely dispersed, as OU students are. There are times when a VFT can replace physical fieldwork, for example for those who cannot access the outdoor locations. However, we regard their primary role as support for physical field teaching, so that students can make the most of their, often limited, time in the field: pre-trip familiarisation and orientation, followed by post-trip revision, reflection or extension – for both educators and students; introducing basic fieldwork concepts and logistics, risk assessment, and even some fieldwork skills – for instance to students with no prior field experience – to alleviate anxiety and build confidence. For example, in Virtual Skiddaw both mapwork and compass skills can be practised in the context of a 3D landscape. VWFTs also facilitate development of spatial literacy skills by bridging the 2D/3D conceptual gap, promote active learning, foster collaborative skills and reinvigorate problem-solving exercises

From Multi-User Virtual Environment to 3D Virtual Learning Environment

While digital virtual worlds have been used in education for a number of years, advances in the capabilities and spread of technology have fed a recent boom in interest in massively multi‐user 3D virtual worlds for entertainment, and this in turn has led to a surge of interest in their educational applications. In this paper we briefly review the use of virtual worlds for education, from informal learning to formal instruction, and consider what is required to turn a virtual world from a Multi‐User Virtual Environment into a fully fledged 3D Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). In this we focus on the development of Sloodle – a system which integrates the popular 3D virtual world of Second Life with the open‐source VLE Moodle. Our intent is not simply to provide additional learning support features for Second Life, but to study more generally the ways in which integrated virtual environments can benefit teaching and learning, and this is the focus of our closing discussion

Virtual reality: Theoretical basis, practical applications

Virtual reality (VR) is a powerful multimedia visualization technique offering a range of mechanisms by which many new experiences can be made available. This paper deals with the basic nature of VR, the technologies needed to create it, and its potential, especially for helping disabled people. It also offers an overview of some examples of existing VR systems