Immersive Learning Environments Research Articles

Learning Geometry by Using Virtual Reality

With the rapid change in the society, education must evolve to adapt to the digital native students of the 21st century. A change in the current educational paradigm is thus necessary. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is a vehicle to achieve this objective of paradigm shift in education [ 2 ]. In this paper, we propose gamification approach [ 3 ] via a virtual reality (VR) through a report of a didactic experience. A mixed method research design was adopted for this study in which students’ classification of polyhedral will be reported for the two different learning experiences using either wooden polyhedral or a VR tool within an immersive learning environment. The VR environment allows the learning of geometry in three-dimensional with a friendly interface that offers a multitude of options. It is worth highlighting the benefits of this VR tool in the teaching-learning process of geometry, making explicit the fundamental role played by ICT in meaningful learning of mathematics.

Integrated Technology for Classroom Management Strategies in a Computer-Assisted Language Learning

This study was carried out to investigate the integrated technology in Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) class support classroom management strategies. The study employed mixed-methods and involved 27 students and a lecturer of a CALL class in an English Language Education Study Program. The data collection instruments were a questionnaire, interview guide, and observation notes. The data analysis was processed using descriptive statistics, particularly for the questionnaire results. Meanwhile qualitative analyses were conducted to process the interview results and observation notes. The results of the study showed that necessary relevant technology was integrated in the CALL class and it could support classroom management strategies by engaging students in learning, delivering materials efficiently, and creating an immersive learning environment using gamification through internet. Using computer to support learning is effective to create an immersive environment and to manage classroom. The use of computer in language learning is able to support classroom management for a lecturer inside or outside the classroom.

Social Virtual Reality: Neurodivergence and Inclusivity in the Metaverse

Whereas traditional teaching environments encourage lively and engaged interaction and reward extrovert qualities, introverts, and others with symptoms that make social engagement difficult, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), are often disadvantaged. This population is often more engaged in quieter, low-key learning environments and often does not speak up and answer questions in traditional lecture-style classes. These individuals are often passed over in school and later in their careers for not speaking up and are assumed to not be as competent as their gregarious and outgoing colleagues. With the rise of the metaverse and democratization of virtual reality (VR) technology, post-secondary education is especially poised to capitalize on the immersive learning environments social VR provides and prepare students for the future of work, where virtual collaboration will be key. This study seeks to reconsider the role of VR and the metaverse for introverts and those with ASD. The metaverse has the potential to continue the social and workplace changes already accelerated by the pandemic and open new avenues for communication and collaboration for a more inclusive audience and tomorrow.

Virtual learning environments: major trends in the use of modern digital technologies in higher education institutions

The article reveals the features of development and integrated implementation of virtual learning environment with the use of modern digital technologies in the learning process of higher education. The article summarizes the interpretation of the concept of "virtual learning environment". Virtual learning environment can be interpreted as an immersive online learning environment that has a methodologically integrated learning system, provides an open interactive dynamic learning process in cyberspace using modern digital technologies that take into account the individual educational characteristics of students. The main subjects and functions of the virtual learning environment are identified. One of the links in creating a virtual learning environment is the development of free learning space through websites. It is stated that the teacher's site should be integrated into the learning technology designed and implemented by the teacher. Then the logic and structure of the lesson will be an element of the teacher's creativity, and he is able to choose his own strategy and teaching methods, and not just follow the presentation of the material proposed by other authors. In conditions when the idea of personality-oriented learning, built on the innovative activities of the teacher, is fundamental in education, this approach, according to our research, is crucial. The possibilities of modern network technologies involved in the content management system are described, the roles of participants in the educational process are determined, the tasks solved by educational platforms are indicated, their main functions in the learning environment of higher education institutions are described.

An Approach to Oral English Assessment Based on Intelligent Computing Model

“English craze” has become a key topic of concern to the majority of the people. Apart from setting English as a compulsory course like Chinese and Mathematics in schools, various English training institutions outside the school are also emerging one after another. Due to the English teaching mode in class, dumb English appears. In recent years, with the popularity of virtual electronic devices, more and more researchers try to use virtual reality (VR) to create an immersive English learning environment. Oral English teaching is an important part of the whole English teaching. In the traditional English classroom teaching practice, teachers’ pronunciation is not standard, and students are difficult to learn the correct pronunciation standard, which makes oral English very passive. The most important problem in oral English teaching is to improve students’ interest in oral English, make students willing to speak and realize English communication. Oral English teaching is an important link in both primary and secondary schools and universities. Teachers are afraid of nonstandard pronunciation in limited classrooms, and they are afraid to speak and unwilling to speak, which leads to passive oral English teaching. Therefore, this paper will set up an intelligent computing model to evaluate and analyze spoken English in a standard and accurate way. Artificial intelligence speech synthesis and imitation of voice change are typical applications of decoupling representation learning in speech, the oral evaluation is based on the proposition that speech is a dynamic and complex process. With the help of the rapidly developed computer speech synthesis and imitation technology, an oral evaluation path based on speech synthesis and imitation is proposed, that is, oral evaluation is carried out by using the network parameters and output of deep learning of computer speech imitation.

Exploring the Acceptance of 360 Videos in Virtual Reality Settings for Teaching and Learning

Virtual Reality (VR) is a technology that has been widely adopted in supporting learning and educational purposes over recent years. It has shown enormous potential to pioneer education in the future, mainly through its immersive learning environments provided in 360° settings. We explore the possibility of using VR technology in supporting teaching and learning experience in class. This paper reports the perception of trainee teachers towards the acceptance of the use of 360° videos in VR settings for teaching and learning. Forty trainee teachers were grouped to create learning content using available 360° videos and rendering and processing them into a VR format. They viewed and experienced the content they developed using the ClassVR headset. The findings showed positive feedback on the use of 360° videos in facilitating immersive learning experiences.

Promoting deep writing with immersive technologies: An SVVR‐supported Chinese composition writing approach for primary schools

AbstractWriting is a recording process involving complex dynamic behaviours, which is closely connected with authentic contexts. A free authentic context can form a link with students' life experience and their prior knowledge, so that students' deep writing skills can be stimulated. However, in traditional writing activities, the lack of authentic experience is an important reason for students' poor writing achievements and low behavioural engagement. To address this problem, the current study used a spherical video‐based virtual reality (SVVR)‐supported Chinese composition writing approach, which can provide authentic contexts to support students' deep writing. An SVVR experiential learning model was developed and a quasi‐experiment was conducted in a primary school to verify the effectiveness of the proposed approach. A total of 59 fourth‐grade students from China were recruited and were randomly divided into the experimental group, which adopted the SVVR‐supported learning approach, and the control group, which adopted the non‐SVVR‐supported learning approach. The results show that the proposed approach can promote students' transition of learning behavioural engagement from medium to high, as well as the development of deep writing skills. It was found that students learning with the SVVR approach who acquired better deep writing skills tended to demonstrate better writing performance in relation to linguistic expressiveness and creative thinking than the students learning with the non‐SVVR approach. Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic There is an urgent need to use immersive technologies to promote deep learning and stimulate students' learning behavioural engagement in writing. Spherical video‐based virtual reality (SVVR) is one of the immersive VRs with a low technical barrier and low cost, which meets the needs of school settings. SVVR has been applied in areas of language, engineering, science, etc., while its impacts on students' composition writing achievements have generally been ignored, especially in primary schools. The characteristics of immersion, interaction and imagination in SVVR that allow students to have opportunities of experiential learning can potentially promote students' writing performance. What this paper adds A novel experiential learning model supported by the SVVR learning system was developed. An SVVR‐supported composition writing approach based on the proposed experiential learning model was used to promote primary school students' deep writing. It was found that students' composition writing performance, learning behavioural engagement and deep writing skills can be improved by applying the SVVR‐supported learning approach in writing courses. Implications for practice and/or policy It is worth promoting the application of SVVR in school settings because it is a low‐tech and low‐cost method of creating immersive learning environments. The SVVR‐supported composition writing approach is useful for promoting primary school students' deep writing. Further investigations on the effects of employing this approach in writing, with careful consideration of the development for interactivities of SVVR, are expected.

A study of the virtual reality cybersickness impacts and improvement strategy towards the overall undergraduate students’ virtual learning experience

PurposeVirtual reality (VR) technologies have expanded their application domains towards education with pedagogical benefits including fully immersive learning environment and in-depth user engagement through scenario-based virtual simulations. Motion sickness (MS), however, has become one of the long-standing key challenges of the VR utilisation, even in gaming industries. Thus, this paper aims to present a preliminary study on understanding the VR MS, referred as cybersickness, in the teaching and learning (T&L) context at the University of Nottingham Ningbo China.Design/methodology/approachA VR-based virtual classroom content was developed and tested for 60 undergraduate students having equal access to the same VR equipment. A two-step data collection, comprising qualitative and quantitative measures, was conducted for the participants. The aspects of how gender influences the cybersickness severity and how academic background affects the learning experience were investigated and analysed using analysis of variance F-test statistical approach.FindingsThe results demonstrated approximately 47% of the participants had experienced cybersickness, where 64% of them were females. With confidence level of 95% (a = 5%), the obtained p-value and F-statistical value for the respective gender and study discipline categories against the cybersickness symptoms confirmed the significance level between the two compared variables. Moreover, it is worth highlighting that the virtual movement speed, perspective angle and visual properties of the virtual environment were selected as the top three factors that caused the cybersickness.Originality/valueThe study is hoped to provide valuable pointers to current and future VR developers in minimising the cybersickness symptoms that would enable an effective T&L environment in higher education.

Constructing an immersive learning environment with atmospherics: An interactive method to teach students priming theory

Courses Mass Communication, Persuasion, Media Literacy, Political Communication, and Communication Theory. Objectives This activity introduces students to priming theory through atmospheric peripheral cues. Students learn about media priming and understand how priming effects may occur in real-world situations.

Design methodology for immersive educational resources

Based on the analysis of sources on the problem of research, the article defines types of electronic educational resources (EER), general requirements for them, focuses on didactic and methodological requirements and existing holistic systems of psychological and pedagogical requirements for EER, presents the main types of parameters that can be used to evaluate the quality of EER, analyzes the typical structure of EER and characterizes its components. The analysis of approaches to defining the concepts of “immersiveness”, “immersive educational environment”, “immersive approach in education”, “immersive educational resources” (IER) was carried out, on the basis of which the relationship between the virtual environment and immersive learning environment was determined, the pedagogical aspects of learning in immersive environments were considered, the classification of IER was made. The main components of IER design and implementation are analyzed, and the essence of IER design and IER design methodology is determined. In the main part of the proposed general model of the methodology of IOR design and analyzed the goals, subjects of methods, stages, and content of training, forms of organization of the educational process, methods, teaching tools, and predicted results of the methodology. In the conclusion the elements of the methodology of IЕR design are presented, in particular, a complex IЕR in the form of a distance learning course, examples of designing prototypes of immersive teaching materials, etc. are considered.

Serious Games in Radiology Education: Building MR Safety Awareness

Introduction: Magnetic Resonance (MR) safety is critically important in any Radiology Department, and MR-related accidents are preventable. Serious games provide opportunities for learners to build MR safety awareness through play in an immersive learning environment by using simulated scenarios such as screening virtual patients and managing an MR-related accident. Methods: We developed a serious game, in partnership with a game developer, introducing MR safety concepts to learners as they navigate through a virtual 3D Radiology department. Drag-and-drop minigames are incorporated to aid the learner to identify hazards in and around the MR environment. Virtual patients are placed in waiting areas to provide realism, and learners are tasked to screen them as part of MR Safety Screening checks. A simulation of an MR-related accident prompts learners to make decisions or take actions to ensure safety and mitigate further risks during the accident. The learner also role-plays as a Risk Officer to identify the multiple key incidents that led to the accident. These formative assessments, with instantaneous feedback, assesses the learners' knowledge of MR safety. Results: Pilot feedback of this serious game revealed that it is realistic, engaging and relatable. The instructions within the game were clear and aided learning. The game has also been scaled up and customised for the radiology departments of 3 other healthcare institutions. Conclusion: Serious games provide a training solution to raise MR safety awareness by simulating real-life scenarios in an immersive learning environment. It supplements face-to-face training and is scalable to other healthcare institutions.

Exploring the Utility of Social-Network-Derived Collaborative Opportunity Temperature Readings for Informing Design and Research of Large-Group Immersive Learning Environments

Large-group (n > 8) co-located collaboration has not been adequately studied because it demands different conceptual framings than those used to study small-group collaboration, while also posing pragmatic constraints on data collection. Working within these pragmatic constraints, we use video data to devise an indicator of the current possibilities for learner collaboration during large-group co-located interactions. We borrow conceptualizations from proxemics and social network analysis to construct collaborative opportunity networks, allowing us to define the concept of collaborative opportunity temperature (COT) readings: a “snapshot” of the current configuration of the different social subgroup structures within a large group, indicating emergent opportunities for collaboration (via talk or shared action) due to proximity. Using a case study of two groups of people (n = 11, n = 12) who interacted with a multi-user museum exhibit, we outline the processes of deriving COT. We show how to quickly detect differences in subgroup configurations that may result from educational interventions and how COT can triangulate with and complement other forms of data (audio transcripts and activity logs) during lengthier analyses. We also outline how COT readings can be used to supply formative feedback on social engagement to learners and be adapted to other learning environments.

Virtual Reality and Art History: A Case Study of Digital Humanities and Immersive Learning Environments

The potential benefits of integrating immersive realities into traditional humanities curricula have been touted over the last two decades, but budgetary and technical constraints of implementation have limited its adoption. However, recent advances in technology, along with more affordable hardware coupled with more user-friendly interfaces, have seen widespread adoption beyond that of the military and healthcare. In fact, higher education institutions are poised to adopt VR on a broader scale to enhance learning with virtual environments. This study seeks to determine the expectations and results of integrating virtual reality into coursework with students and faculty in Art History. The study surveyed students, first to ascertain the prevalence and familiarity of immersive reality technologies, as well as the perceived benefit of integration into curriculum. Next, surveys collected data on student experience relating to virtual reality assignments integrated into coursework for both face-to-face and online learners. The results provide a model for other institutions for a variety of disciplines to reinforce outcomes through strategic use of the technology.

Shaping Children’s Knowledge and Response to Bushfire Through Use of an Immersive Virtual Learning Environment

A problem-based immersive virtual environment (IVE) about bushfire safety was developed as a learning tool for children aged 10–12. Its effectiveness was assessed in relation to children’s ability to determine how to be safer in a bushfire incident. A series of experiential activities were developed in the IVE with digital storytelling and two-stage embedded assessments providing children with an opportunity to engage with tasks and solve problems while receiving feedback on their performance. Changes from pre- to postsurvey results showed positive learning outcomes as evidenced by significant improvements in children’s knowledge of bushfire safety and confidence in their ability to contribute to decisions during a bushfire incident. The significant change in children’s knowledge as well as their performance at two-stage embedded assessments was independent of their gender, background knowledge and perceived ability in responding to bushfire hazards. This suggests that when appropriately designed and implemented within educational settings, immersive virtual learning tools can effectively engage children and enhance learning outcomes associated with bushfire safety. The paper also argues that such immersive problem-based learning can improve self-efficacy amongst children in relation to coping with a bushfire situation. Implications of the findings are also discussed.

Impacts of Cues on Learning and Attention in Immersive 360-Degree Video: An Eye-Tracking Study.

Immersive 360-degree video has become a new learning resource because of its immersive sensory experience. This study examined the effects of textual and visual cues on learning and attention in immersive 360-degree video by using eye-tracking equipment integrated in a virtual reality head-mounted display. Participants (n = 110) were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: (1) no cues, (2) textual cues in the initial field of view (FOV), (3) textual cues outside the initial FOV, and (4) textual cues outside the initial FOV + visual cues. The results showed that the cues (annotations or annotations + arrows) helped learners achieve better learning outcomes and spend more time focusing on the areas with cues. In addition, the study found a serious imbalance in the distribution of learners’ attention in each region of the video. The attention directed to textual cues in the initial FOV is much higher than the attention directed to textual cues outside the initial FOV. Adding visual cues can effectively direct attention to textual cues outside the initial FOV and alleviate the imbalance of attention distribution. Consequently, adding cues to immersive 360-degree video can be an appropriate approach to promote learning and guide attention in immersive 360-degree video learning environments. This study provided new insights into the design and development of immersive 360-degree video instructional resources.

Do curious students learn more science in an immersive virtual reality environment? Exploring the impact of advance organizers and epistemic curiosity

Past studies have found mixed results of the impact of immersive virtual reality (IVR) environments on students' learning. In this study, we examined the effect of using concept maps, a kind of advance organizer, on students' learning of science via IVR. In this exploratory and immersive learning environment, we also explored the roles played by learners' epistemic curiosity and other affective factors. Seventy-four sixth-grade students participated in this research and were randomly assigned to the advance organizer group (AO; experimental group) and the non-advance organizer group (NAO; control group). Data collection included survey questionnaires and a science test for assessing students' understanding of plants. We examined the structural relationships among students’ curiosity and affective factors (including presence, control and active learning, positive emotional engagement, and negative emotional engagement), and compared the learning outcomes of the experimental and control groups. We used analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) for the data analysis. The results showed that students in the AO group had significantly higher scores for science concepts than those in the NAO group. In both groups, the interest-type curiosity and control and active learning positively predicted emotional engagement. Moreover, in the AO group, positive emotional engagement positively predicted the scientific knowledge of plant concepts. Implications for future research and instructional design are suggested in the study.

Ready Medic One: A Feasibility Study of a Semi-Autonomous Virtual Reality Trauma Simulator

Introduction: Virtual reality (VR) technologies have rapidly advanced and offer increasingly higher fidelity visually immersive learning environments. Several studies have shown promise for using VR in medical education. This pilot study evaluates the feasibility of using a novel VR trauma simulator that can function without an instructor, assessing potential challenges with the technology, perceived realism of the simulation, side effects experienced while completing the simulations, and overall perception of training utility from end-users.Methods: This was a single-center prospective cohort study completed at Madigan Army Medical Center Emergency Department. Participants were enrolled using convenience sampling. They completed surveys before and after completing a trauma simulation. Each participant underwent a 10-min simulation orientation and subsequently completed a self-directed trauma simulation involving massive hemorrhage, tension pneumothorax, or airway obstruction case. The simulation utilized a gaming laptop and a Microsoft Mixed Reality© headset and controllers. Survey data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and subgroup analyses.Results: Seventeen participants were enrolled and completed pre-and post-surveys. Study participants were predominantly male and represented all clinical roles in the emergency department (ED). Overall, participants indicated the training environment felt realistic (AV 8.3/10, SD 1.4, 95% CI 7.6, 8.0) and supported further use of this technology in training (AV 9.3/10, SD 0.99, 95% CI 8.8, 9.8). There was a statistically significant correlation between participants who responded, “I would support further use of this technology in my training” (likert greater than 8/10) and several other responses. Individuals who supported further use of VR in training were more likely to have fewer years of clinical experience, have more experience with 2D (desktop) computer training, reported realistic clinical changes within the simulator, indicated the environment was realistic, and supported the addition of VR to mannequin-based training.Conclusion: The results indicate it may be possible to create realistic dynamic VR simulations that function without an instructor, and that medical personnel may be supportive of integrating VR technology into medical education. This seems most likely for younger individuals, with less experience, who have found computer based medical training helpful in the past. Future research could focus on methods to minimize side effects, and how VR technology can best augment current training techniques and curricula.

Trends and issues of immersive learning environments in higher education from 2001 to 2020: perspectives on adaptive ubiquitous learning experiences

Trends and issues of immersive learning environments in higher education from 2001 to 2020: perspectives on adaptive ubiquitous learning experiences

Trends and issues of immersive learning environments in higher education from 2001 to 2020: perspectives on adaptive ubiquitous learning experiences

Trends and issues of immersive learning environments in higher education from 2001 to 2020: perspectives on adaptive ubiquitous learning experiences

94 Phygital Simulation for a Large Group of Learners in a Regional Teaching

Over the years, knowledge-based simulation has been a valuable way of delivering certain content of the syllabus in medical education. There have been challenges to undertake any form of educational activities during the COVID-19 pandemic due to a global shutdown The aims of the study were to deliver an inclusive and effective simulation session to a large cohort of trainees in emergency medicine and to provide an immersive learning environment to learners by enhancing their feeling of being present in the simulation hub.We delivered a phygital simulation with the aid of digital technology in a way that encouraged participation from all attendees. We sought to overcome known challenges of simulation teaching during the peak period of COVID-19 and identified newer challenges unique to the situation and suggestions for future improvements or simulation.During the simulation, we utilized a standardized patient (SP) (who did not require further training for our method) and various equipment/components of the room including cameras for the different views required. The room had a limit of five persons (as per COVID-19 restrictions) so we designed a teaching method that enabled us to cater efficiently for the remaining 33 participants of the scheduled regional teaching session. A volunteer candidate was chosen from the online audience to lead in the simulation. Prior to selection, all candidates were shown the brief which explained the expectation of leading and the different camera views available to aid their performance. They viewed the whole room with separate focuses on the SP, the device required to perform a procedure, and their appointed physical presence (PP) who they will instruct to perform the procedure. We identified advantages, challenges and areas of future development and believe that this type of teaching can be applied to a wide range of simulations that required demonstration.