HAT Swapping: Virtual Agents as Stand-Ins for Absent Human Instructors in Virtual Training.

Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) are poised to revolutionize education by offering immersive and interactive learning experiences. This research comprehensively evaluates the educational applications of AR and VR, specifically emphasizing their impact on student motivation, learning outcomes, engagement, and overall learning experiences. The analysis explores how AR and VR can improve student learning, knowledge retention, and skill acquisition by systematically reviewing existing the literature from diverse educational domains, including K-12 education, higher education, STEM education, professional training, and lifelong learning. Additionally, the research investigates the pivotal role of AR and VR in fostering immersive and interactive learning environments, unveiling how these technologies promote active learning, collaboration, and critical thinking through simulations and interactive experiences. The evaluation considers the potential of AR and VR beyond traditional classroom settings in distance education and assesses the feasibility of virtual classrooms, web-based learning environments, and Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). A significant aspect of the study involves understanding student attitudes toward AR and VR technologies and their influence on intrinsic motivation, interest, and enthusiasm for the learning material. Based on a thorough analysis of relevant literature, the research aims to provide practical recommendations for educators to effectively incorporate AR and VR into education practices. The recommendations prioritize a pedagogically sound design, educator training, and accessibility consideration to ensure equitable access for all learners. In summary, this extensive research reveals the significant impact of AR and VR on education by understanding the strengths, limitations, and challenges of making informed decisions on utilizing these technologies to create engaging, impactful learning experiences, fostering a generation of technologically proficient and knowledge-driven learners.

Extended-Reality Technologies: An Overview of Emerging Applications in Medical Education and Clinical Care.

Anatomy education (AE) is poised for a substantial revolution, propelled by advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality (VR) technologies. These novel tools are set to transform the teaching and learning of anatomy, providing tailored, interactive, and immersive experiences that may improve student engagement, retention, and overall educational outcomes. The combination of AI and VR technologies in anatomy teaching can furnish students with a more thorough comprehension of the human body, facilitating a profound appreciation for the intricacies of anatomy. Furthermore, AI and VR technologies can enhance the cultivation of critical thinking and problem-solving abilities, which are vital for success in the medical field. AI and VR technologies can facilitate the connection between theoretical knowledge and practical application by offering students engaging and immersive learning experiences. Moreover, these technologies facilitate students' exploration of the human body in a highly detailed and realistic way, enabling them to visualize and engage with intricate anatomical processes. We hypothecate that the future of AE hinges on the integration of AI and VR as learning tools.

User Experience and Engagement in the Reality–Virtuality Continuum: A Special Issue Guest Editorial

There are various social support services to help people with intellectual disabilities (ID) find jobs for their independent social and economic activities in life. With the advancement of virtual reality (VR) technologies, vocational training can take place in a virtual environment (VE) without temporal and spatial limitations. Therefore, opportunities for people with ID to receive professional vocational training in a VE continue to expand. Accordingly, this study proposes that virtual intervention (VI) technology can improve the effects of virtual training and learning transfer from the virtual to the real world. We defined VI as a supportive activity that assists trainees in a VE according to their individual ability and training situation through an instructor’s control in the real world. We designed the virtual intervention content (VIC) as intervening virtual objects and applied them to a virtual barista job training program. We developed the virtual intervention interface (VII) for smoothly supporting the interaction between the trainee in the VE and the instructor in the real world, especially for people with ID or beginner trainees. In this study, we derived statistically significant findings that demonstrated the effects of VI technology through two experiments conducted with 39 participants with ID. Firstly, VIC showed an effective intervention function that helped the participants solve problems during virtual vocational training. Also, we observed differences in the intervention effect according to the sensory perception characteristics of the participants. Secondly, trainees’ barista job performance rates improved by 37.43% after receiving virtual training. Moreover, the effects of training were largely maintained in the job performance assessment after three weeks in an actual cafe situation. This suggests that the effects of VI-based virtual training are meaningful not only within the VE but also in the real world for the transfer of learning. Furthermore, the VI method was significantly more effective and efficient than the conventional method using the human instructor’s verbal and physical intervention in terms of time, frequency, and success rate.

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the realm of education, particularly in the teaching of English, marks a transformative shift in pedagogical methodologies. AI, by its definition, encompasses computer systems capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence, such as understanding natural language, recognizing patterns, solving problems, and learning (Bernate & Vargas-Guativa, 2020). The evolution of AI in education traces back to the early experiments with computer-assisted instruction, evolving through the years into sophisticated adaptive learning systems and intelligent tutors. This journey reflects not only technological advancements but also a deepening understanding of how AI can be tailored to enhance educational outcomes (Asencio et al., 2021). The current landscape of AI in language teaching is characterized by a diverse array of technologies designed to personalize learning, making it more responsive to the individual needs of students (Garzón-Daza, 2021). Adaptive learning systems, for instance, dynamically adjust the content and pace of learning based on real-time feedback from the learner’s performance. This personalization is underpinned by predictive models and data analytics that meticulously analyze learners’ interactions, preferences, and difficulties, aiming to deliver a more effective learning experience (Álvarez-Sepúlveda, 2020). Intelligent tutoring systems (ITS) represent another significant application of AI in language education. These systems simulate one-on-one interaction between a student and a tutor, offering personalized instruction, feedback, and guidance (Jarquín, 2020). By drawing on a vast repository of educational content and pedagogical strategies, ITS can adapt to the learning style and pace of each student, fostering a more engaging and efficient learning environment (X. Li, 2020). The emergence of chatbots for linguistic practice further exemplifies the innovative use of AI in language learning. These AI-driven conversational agents offer learners the opportunity to practice language skills in a simulated, interactive environment. The design and implementation of educational chatbots involve intricate considerations of linguistic models, natural language processing, and user experience, aiming to create a realistic and supportive practice space for learners (Yong, 2020). Automated assessment tools constitute another critical dimension of AI’s integration into language teaching. Leveraging advanced algorithms and machine learning, these tools can evaluate a range of linguistic competencies, from grammar and vocabulary to pronunciation and fluency (Liu & Kong, 2021). The applications of automated assessment extend beyond grading to include diagnostic feedback, helping learners identify and target specific areas for improvement (Yan Dong, 2022). The gamification of language learning, through serious games and gamified experiences, introduces an element of play into education, harnessing the motivational power of games to enhance learning. These applications, designed with educational objectives in mind, combine the engaging elements of gaming with structured language learning activities, promoting sustained engagement and deeper learning (Liu & Kong, 2021). Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) technologies are redefining the boundaries of language learning environments. By creating immersive, interactive experiences, AR and VR can simulate real-life scenarios and cultural contexts, offering learners a rich, contextualized platform to practice and apply language skills (Jiang et al., 2022). Ethical considerations, privacy concerns, and future challenges form an integral part of the discourse on AI in education. The deployment of AI technologies raises important questions regarding data security, bias, and the potential impacts on the educational landscape. Addressing these concerns is essential to ensure that AI serves as a beneficial and equitable tool in language education (Huang, 2022). The exploration of real-world case studies and applications provides valuable insights into the practicalities of implementing AI in language teaching. These examples illuminate the successes and challenges encountered, offering lessons learned and best practices for educators and technologists.

Virtual reality education is a computer interface with specific characteristics transforming an immersive and interactive experience in to an education evolution. The purpose of this paper is to look into different approaches to study on emergence of the application of virtual reality in teaching and learning in classroom. Academic literatures indicate artificial intelligence is an evolution of the technology that taking the education to new ways. The pilot questionnaire was administered to a group of 45 subjects. A group was primed to complete the questionnaire before engagement of virtual reality and completed the questionnaire for post-test after experienced the virtual reality. Analysis from empirical evidence proves that virtual reality presents an opportunity of learning with a real situation, but artificially created enabling the visualization and the interaction sense with the study. This paper contributes to the theory on the implications of emerging technologies on the way students learn and how institutions teach and evolve. The paper draws intention to the implication of better appropriation of the concepts and a bigger facility in the activities performance specifically in modern education.

ABSTRACTAs artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly integrated in teams, understanding the factors that drive trust formation between human and AI teammates becomes crucial. Yet, the emergent literature has overlooked the impact of third parties on human‐AI teaming. Drawing from social cognitive theory and human‐AI teams research, we suggest that how much a human teammate perceives an AI teammate as trustworthy, and engages in trust behaviors toward the AI, determines a focal employee's trust perceptions and behavior toward this AI teammate. Additionally, we propose these effects hinge on an employee's perceptions of trustworthiness and trust in the human teammate. We test these predictions across two studies: (1) an online experiment comprising individuals with work experience that examines perceptions of disembodied AI trustworthiness, and (2) an incentivized observational study that investigates trust behaviors toward an embodied AI. Both studies reveal that a human teammate's perceived trustworthiness of, and trust in, the AI teammate strongly predict the employee's trustworthiness perceptions and behavioral trust in the AI teammate. Furthermore, this relationship vanishes when employees perceive their human teammates as less trustworthy. These results advance our understanding of third‐party effects in human‐AI trust formation, providing organizations with insights for managing social influences in human‐AI teams.

At present, the spoken English long-distance teaching training system has not designed a dynamic dictionary for spoken English teaching training, which leads to a high occupancy rate of the system server hardware during the operation of the system. A virtual reality technology-based remote teaching training system for spoken English is designed. In terms of hardware design, adopt the cloud-based MVC architecture model, design the system architecture, consider the system design purpose, and system functions, individually design the system I/O module, and complete the system hardware design. In terms of software design, it sets up voice recognition function, simulates the remote teaching environment, sets up a dynamic oral English teaching training vocabulary, increases the system vocabulary, sets up remote oral English teaching training rules, and the transformation system has the function of remote teaching and training oral English. The experimental results show that: comparing the three groups of systems, operating performance and server hardware performance, the English spoken remote teaching training system designed this time has a faster operating speed and a usable server utilization rate.

Virtual reality (VR), as a computer-generated immersive environment that provides a highly interactive and simulated learning experience, has attracted great attention in the last decades. This author entered "virtual reality" and "language learning" as core keywords in the Web of Science academic paper database, limiting the search to articles published between 2003 and 2023 and English as the publication language, and obtained 430 articles. Subsequently, the author conducted a bibliometric analysis of these 430 relevant papers using the CiteSpace software. The results show that: (1) China has the largest output of literature on VR-based language learning, followed by the United States; (2) the main contributing institutions include National Taiwan Normal University, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, and University of London; (3) the literature is mainly distributed in the fields of linguistics, education, and computer science; (4) the main keywords discussed include "immersive learning", "virtual environment", and "interactive experience", and (5) the VR-based language learning is expected to be combined with artificial intelligence (AI) in the future in order to promote English language learning. By systematizing the literature on VR-based language learning, this paper provides a useful overview for scholars or educators who want to further investigate this field.

Virtual Reality (VR) technology has emerged as a transformative force in the realm of Human-computer interaction (HCI), offering novel applications and redefining user experiences. VR games have changed traditional electronic games, providing a human-computer interactive immersive gaming experience. In social media, VR innovative applications allow users to have an immersive conversation through various interactions, giving users a more immersive and real experience. The paper synthesizes recent research findings, highlighting key trends, challenges, and opportunities in the integration of VR into HCI and illustrates the embodiment of immersive experiences while using VR compared to the traditional way. At the same time, the challenges associated with VR technology such as motion sickness, accessibility concerns, ethical considerations, and medical challenges, are also discussed, offering a balanced perspective on the current state of the field. The future development perspective is also mentioned. As technology continues to evolve, we can expect to see even more immersive and interactive experiences that blur the lines between the physical and virtual worlds, offering users new ways to engage with digital content and each other.

Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs), or student instructors, are the crucial force in college for undergraduates' learning in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) disciplines. However, professional development of student instructors is often neglected. Providing adequate and appropriate teacher training for student instructors is a critical challenge. When the technology is available, open‐source non‐immersive virtual reality (VR) can be a cost‐efficient and accessible platform for teacher training. Empirical research of designing and implementing VR for the training on teaching knowledge and skills development is inconclusive and thus warranted. In this ex post facto study, we investigated VR‐based teacher training with 33 STEM student instructors to explore the effects on the participants' virtual teaching practices of two design factors: (1) the simulated teaching scenario and (2) the duration of training program implementation. We analysed 7604 event logs from the recordings of their virtual teaching sessions. The results of ordinal logistic regression analyses showed two factors contributed to higher odds of appropriate teaching actions. The first is the simulated scenarios that induced a more dynamic balance of domain‐specific and pedagogical knowledge for decision making in teaching; the second is the teacher training program with a longer duration. Practitioner notes What is already know about this topic Teacher training, especially for college graduate teaching assistants in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) disciplines, is a key for the success of undergraduate students in STEM. Virtual reality (VR)‐supported simulation‐based learning has been found effective for enhancing knowledge and skills development in diverse settings, including when being used for teacher training. What this paper adds A guiding framework for the investigation of scenario design and duration of implementation in VR‐supported teacher training. VR scenarios that encourage more dynamic balance of domain‐specific and pedagogical knowledge for decision making in teaching have higher odds for appropriate teaching acts. A longer duration of program implementation in VR can result in higher odds for appropriate teaching acts. Implications for practice We should carefully consider appropriate scenario designs in VR to enhance dynamic decision making and interactivity in simulation‐based teaching practices for teacher training. We encourage extended duration of VR teacher training programs to facilitate teachers' observant, autonomous and attentive VR‐based micro teaching practices.

Virtual reality is the process of new development in the new era. The continuous development of education technology is always fueled by the application of new technologies in the field of education and teaching, even though the technology has not yet matured. In this paper, 3D scanning technology is used to construct a three-dimensional scene after collecting point cloud data from the online education environment. The motion capture instrument is used to collect the action characteristics of teachers and students in the online education classroom, and the Kalman filter algorithm is used to process the data for the recognition of interactive actions. Based on this, the online education teaching system based on virtual reality technology is constructed to achieve good interaction between teachers and students in teaching. The results of the teaching experiment show that the post-test learning performance of students in the VR group who learned through virtual reality is better than that of the traditional group, and the pre and post-test scores of students’ learning motivation in the VR group are improved in all dimensions, and all of them reach the level of significance (P<0.001). Additionally, the language of students in VR classroom teaching saw a significant improvement (34.99%), and they gained a positive interactive experience. This paper found that virtual reality technology has a positive impact on student motivation and learning outcomes, which lays the foundation for promoting students’ interactive experiences and learning outcomes in online education.

Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) have emerged as groundbreaking technologies with transformative potential across diverse sectors. This comprehensive review explores the multifaceted applications of VR and AR, highlighting their impact on industries ranging from healthcare and education to manufacturing and entertainment. In healthcare, VR and AR technologies are revolutionizing medical training, treatment planning, and patient care. Surgeons use VR simulations for intricate procedures, enhancing their skills in a risk-free environment. AR aids in medical imaging, providing real-time overlays during surgeries, thus improving precision. These technologies are also utilized for therapeutic interventions, offering immersive experiences for patients dealing with pain management or mental health challenges. Education experiences a paradigm shift through VR and AR, offering immersive learning environments. Virtual field trips, simulated experiments, and interactive 3D models enhance students' understanding of complex subjects. AR applications overlay information in real-time, providing contextual insights during lectures or hands-on activities. These technologies democratize access to quality education, transcending geographical barriers. In manufacturing and engineering, VR and AR play pivotal roles in design, prototyping, and training. Engineers visualize complex structures in 3D, facilitating collaborative design processes. VR simulations emulate real-world scenarios, optimizing training for technicians and reducing errors in production. AR-enhanced maintenance procedures provide technicians with instant access to relevant information, improving efficiency. The entertainment industry undergoes a revolution with immersive experiences offered by VR. Gaming experiences reach new heights, blurring the lines between reality and virtual worlds. VR cinemas and interactive storytelling redefine narrative experiences. AR enhances live performances and sports events, adding layers of information for audiences. Retail experiences a transformation through AR applications, offering customers virtual try-ons and personalized shopping experiences. VR enables virtual showrooms and immersive product presentations. In real estate, VR facilitates virtual property tours, enhancing the decision-making process for buyers and investors. As these technologies continue to evolve, the review explores challenges, including ethical considerations, privacy concerns, and the need for standardized development practices. In conclusion, the transformative potential of VR and AR extends across sectors, reshaping industries, enhancing experiences, and pushing the boundaries of what is possible. The ongoing integration of these technologies holds the promise of a future where immersive, interactive, and intelligent experiences become integral to our daily lives.

Socially intelligent artificial agents and robots are anticipated to become ubiquitous in home, work, and military environments. With the addition of such agents to human teams it is crucial to evaluate their role in the planning, decision making, and conflict mediation processes. We conducted a study to evaluate the utility of a virtual agent that provided mission planning support in a three-person human team during a military strategic mission planning scenario. The team consisted of a human team lead who made the final decisions and three supporting roles, two humans and the artificial agent. The mission outcome was experimentally designed to fail and introduced a conflict between the human team members and the leader. This conflict was mediated by the artificial agent during the debriefing process through discuss or debate and open communication strategies of conflict resolution [1]. Our results showed that our teams experienced conflict. The teams also responded socially to the virtual agent, although they did not find the agent beneficial to the mediation process. Finally, teams collaborated well together and perceived task proficiency increased for team leaders. Socially intelligent agents show potential for conflict mediation, but need careful design and implementation to improve team processes and collaboration.