Virtual Reality Based Learning Environments Research Articles

Utilization of Virtual Reality (VR) in Developing Interactive Learning Experiences

The development of Virtual Reality (VR) technology has opened up new opportunities for creating more immersive and interactive learning experiences. With its ability to simulate realistic virtual environments, Virtual Reality has the potential to increase student engagement in the learning process, aid understanding of complex concepts, and promote active learning. This research aims to explore the use of Virtual Reality technology in developing interactive learning experiences. The main focus is evaluating the effectiveness of Virtual Reality in increasing student motivation, engagement and learning outcomes, as well as identifying supporting factors and challenges in implementing Virtual Reality in educational environments. This research uses a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches. Data was collected through observation, interviews, surveys and analysis of student performance in a Virtual Reality-based learning environment. A prototype Virtual Reality application for learning was built and tested on a group of students with diverse backgrounds. The research results show that the use of Virtual Reality in the learning environment significantly increases student motivation and engagement. Students feel more interested and involved in the learning process due to the immersive and interactive nature of the virtual environment. Additionally, understanding complex concepts becomes easier with the visualizations and simulations provided by Virtual Reality. However, challenges such as implementation costs, training needs, and technical issues were also identified. The research conclusion states that Virtual Reality is a promising technology for developing interactive learning experiences. Although there are challenges that must be overcome, research results show that Virtual Reality can increase student motivation, engagement and understanding in the learning process. Further research is needed to explore the potential of Virtual Reality in more depth.

Revisiting multimedia learning design principles in virtual reality-based learning environments for autistic individuals

Revisiting multimedia learning design principles in virtual reality-based learning environments for autistic individuals

An experiential learning-based virtual reality approach to fostering problem-resolving competence in professional training

ABSTRACT In professional training courses, developing incumbents’ professional knowledge and problem-solving skills when facing clinical and urgent situations is a crucial point. In conventional professional training, usually the learning content is delivered in a lecture-based mode using instructional videos with some case studies. In such a training mode, trainees are more passive and cannot immerse themselves in the contexts since there is a lack of opportunity to experience the process of coping with problems when accidents occur. Moreover, trainers generally do not have sufficient practice and are unable to think in depth regarding how to use the learned knowledge and skills to deal with practical cases. To tackle this problem, an experiential learning-based virtual reality approach is proposed in the present study. Accordingly, a virtual reality-based learning environment was implemented; moreover, a quasi-experimental study was carried out to verify the effectiveness of this approach in a professional training program of a hospital by exploring its influences on nursing staff’s learning achievement and perceptions from diverse angles. The experimental results showed that the proposed approach better enhanced the nursing staff’s learning achievement, learning attitudes, and problem-solving skills in comparison with the conventional teaching mode.

Perceived learning in virtual reality and animation-based learning environments: A case of the understanding our body topic

This paper reports on a study aiming at examining the effects of virtual reality and animations on students’ perceived learning. The study was conducted as an exploratory case study in virtual reality-based and animation-based environments. Participants were 12, 4th grade elementary school students enrolled at a public Science and Art Center. The data in the study were obtained by interview and observation method. The findings of the study presented according to the readiness, learning performances, affective gains and interaction in terms of perceived learning. While immersion is found as a positive feature that is robust in virtual reality-based environment, limited interactivity somewhat negatively influenced perceived learning in animation-based learning environment. While virtual reality-based learning environment provided high student-content interaction, surprisingly this caused some un-realistic perceptions of students about their own learning. The study also informed designers on the relations between perceived learning, learning performances and design features of virtual reality and animation-based learning environments.

Resolving Network Issues Using Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality

Networking is a critical and essential commodity in today's digital world, as it establishes communication between people at remote locations. Routers, switches, cables, etc. are the essential devices of any network. Network technicians use these devices to set up the network at homes, offices and public places. In a situation of any network issue, the end-user is dependent upon the network service provider to resolve the issue as the end-user has not sufficient knowledge about the network devices. However, with the help of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) technology, end-user can be provided with the basic training or knowledge to operate the network devices. In this paper, an AR or VR based learning environment is proposed, for providing the knowledge about different network devices and their connections. While this elementary knowledge will add to the awareness of the enduser about networking, it would also enable reducing the cost and time of the end-user and network technicians.

Determining Components of Medical Instructional Design based on Virtual Reality by Research Synthesis

Introduction: The purpose of the present study was to determine the components of medical education design based on virtual reality by research synthesis method. Methods: In the present study a synthesis method was used. In order to study the research background and to collect appropriate data among the databases of Science Direct, Springer, Scopus, ProQuest and Eric (ERIC) search. With the keywords of Educational Design, Virtual Reality, Medical Education, Augmented Reality, Research Synthesis identified from 150 external research cases (English language) between 2006 and 2019 and finally 20 of them with the most coordination and proportion were selected for evaluation. Result: By reviewing articles and themes analysis, medical education design has five main components that are as follows: 1- Analytical component including determining educational needs, defining learner characteristics, defining theoretical framework, defining characteristics of virtual reality technology, forming a corporate team. Designer, conduct feasibility study and determine the type of content suitable for presentation through virtual reality. Design component includes defining general goals, targeting goals that are achievable by virtual reality, defining features of a virtual reality-based learning environment (free routing, first-person, third-person vision), determining the type of interaction (visual, photo, touch). Virtual and immersion, defining educational strategies (small and large), determining the level of reality, determining the content and organizing it (navigation) 3. Component of production and production including: scenario design, user interface design, content design, design Avatar, Training Agent Design, Virtual Reality Modeling, Platform Development (Hardware and Software) 4. Support and Implementation including Training Implementation, System Integration Virtual education in curriculum, support (technical and educational) 5. Evaluation component including formative evaluation, aggregate evaluation, ease of use evaluation, small group evaluation, large group evaluation, virtual reality based learning environment and platform evaluation (software and hardware). Conclusion: With respect to that the components of medical education design based on virtual reality have been identified, it is recommended that the medical education process be organized according to the components of educational design and that educational principles and processes be designed according to the capacity of virtual reality technology.

Postural Risks and User Experience of 3D Interface Designs for Virtual Reality-based Learning Environments

Virtual Reality-based Learning Environments (VRLEs) are an emerging tool for classroom teaching. While VRLEs are increasingly in use, little attention has been paid to ergonomic challenges in use of VRLEs. This study compared two 3D interface designs of a VRLE created to teach the phases of the Moon. Participants ( N = 16) were randomly assigned to either a Hand or Toggle interface design. The interface designs were compared in terms of postural risk (REBA score), task completion time, user experience and environmental presence. Results indicate no significant difference between the Hand and Toggle interface designs for the outcome variables; however, environmental presence was marginally higher in the Hand interface. REBA scores for Hand (3.56 ± 0.89) and Toggle (3.79 ± 1.14) indicate low to medium level of postural risks. Future research should focus on development of 3D interface design guidelines to ensure safe, comfortable and effective use of VRLEs.

Influence of Students’ Learning Style, Sense of Presence, and Cognitive Load on Learning Outcomes in an Immersive Virtual Reality Learning Environment

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship among Taiwanese high school students’ learning style, sense of presence, cognitive load, and affective and cognitive learning outcomes in an immersive virtual reality-based learning environment. This study used a teaching experiment intervention method. Seventy-seven students participated in the virtual reality-based learning environment and completed related scales and a test. This study found that although the students’ learning style does not influence learning outcomes, it may influence the subjective sense of presence and cognitive load in the learning process. Regarding the affective learning outcome, involvement/immersion, sensory fidelity, and mental effort are positive predictors. In addition, involvement/immersion, interface quality, mental load, and mental effort are negative predictors of cognitive learning outcomes. The conclusion from this study is that students with some learning style preferences must bear a greater cognitive load to achieve the same learning outcomes as other students. This study also points out that the components of sense of presence and cognitive load generate inconsistent predictive effects on affective and cognitive learning outcomes, respectively. Therefore, it is important to deeply explore the influence of sense of presence and cognitive load structure on learning in virtual environments.

Measuring perceived physiological vulnerability to IT usage: an initial test in a virtual reality-based learning environment

ABSTRACT The psychological effects of information technology (IT) use have been widely reported and assessed in the literature. However, although concerns are growing regarding the potential physiological impacts of IT use on the health of IT users, assessment of this issue is currently hampered by the lack of an appropriate information-system (IS) physiological scale. Given the limited utility of existing self-report instruments, the main purpose of this study is to develop an instrument to measure perceived physiological vulnerability to IT use (PPVITU). This study introduces and defines a PPVITU construct, validates this construct and its basic dimensions empirically, develops a generic PPVITU instrument with appropriate psychometric properties, and examines the theoretical and practical applications of this instrument. After analyzing data provided by 308 IT-user respondents, this study proposes a 4-factor, 17-item PPVITU instrument. The authors expect that this empirically validated instrument will be useful to researchers working to develop and test theories of educational technology use as well as to educators working to better understand student perceptions of physiological vulnerability to IT and educational-technology use.

Group Usability Testing of Virtual Reality-based Learning Environments: A Modified Approach

Conventional usability testing is usually conducted with several individual participants. In recent years, however, group usability testing is gradually gaining attention. Such approach involves several-to-many participants performing tasks simultaneously, with one to several testers observing and interacting with the participants. This approach is able to generate many useful data within a short period of time. In light with the need to further improve the approach, this paper presents a modified version of a group usability testing and how it can be feasibly used to evaluate the usability of a non-immersive virtual reality-based learning environment. The proposed modified group approach aims to minimize the possibility of data loss during the usability testing process. The effectiveness and efficiency of this modified method was compared to the original approach of group usability testing. The results indicate that the modified group usability testing is more effective and efficient than the original approach as it can collect more critical and significant data with lesser time, cost and effort consumption.

How to Save Expert Knowledge for the Organization: Methods for Collecting and Documenting Expert Knowledge Using Virtual Reality based Learning Environments

The current demographic development will lead to changing working conditions. The paper at hand presents methods for the investigation of expert knowledge within the company and how to document these information, widely independent from individuals, within a technology based learning environment, using virtual reality (VR) technologies and other media. Expert knowledge is often coded as tacit knowledge [1] and can be hardly verbalized by experts. The extraction of tacit knowledge requires methods that are based on stories. Beyond facts these stories also include tacit knowledge driven by emotions. One of the narrative methods presented in the paper will be the »triad interview« [2]. The documentation of these interviews within texts is not very sustainable and other methods for the documentation of expert knowledge are required. Especially in the field of maintenance that is focused in the paper, virtual reality is a suitable method for the documentation as technicians are familiar with drawings and visual content representations. Virtual reality learning environment can visualize working processes and keep the narrative structure that is required for transferring tacit knowledge. Besides, interactions as a typical characteristic of virtual reality applications allow the design of problem solving tasks. The paper presents the »triad interview« and the »working process analysis« [3] that are used for extracting the relevant information of a working process. For the didactical design of the learning tasks the method of the »complete action« [4] is applied. The paper will present the design of the several phases and their benefit for the learning process. Finally the results and experiences from an evaluation study within the organization will be presented.