Virtual Tools Research Articles

13 Child maltreatment in Canada in the time of COVID-19: Experiences of child protection teams

Abstract Background At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, there were many fears regarding the effect on children’s wellbeing – specifically with regards to increased exposure to violence and potential for abuse and neglect within their homes. Early experiences of child protect teams (CPT) in the literature from one Canadian tertiary care center revealed a number of adaptations in their child abuse programs such as a move toward virtual assessments. Objectives Our descriptive study seeks to understand the perspectives, practices, and experiences of child protection teams in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic with regards to: clinical practice, interactions with child welfare organizations and the justice system, team modes of operating and medical education. These lessons can be applied to child maltreatment and neglect clinical practice in the event of future pandemics, natural disasters, and to provide care to rural areas of Canada. Design/Methods Using a web-based, bilingual, mixed methods survey, we asked both quantitative and open-ended qualitative questions to members of CPTs across Canada. Thematic analysis was completed on qualitative responses. We received a total of 11 responses. Results Respondents unanimously reported a decrease in referrals during the COVID-19 pandemic. 64% endorsed the use of new virtual tools. Virtual tools were used to collaborate amongst members of the CPT as well as with external partners (such as child welfare and justice system). Interestingly, there was minimal adaptation of these tools in patient-facing contexts. 57% of respondents foresee these tools to continue being used in a post-COVID-19 context, and 71% see relevance of these tools for use in rural contexts. Respondents reported that virtual clinical discussions changed the way medical education and case discussion in child maltreatment was delivered. Conclusion These findings describe not only the adaptation of child protection teams to the pandemic, but also robust changes to clinical practice, interactions with partner organizations and the justice system, team modes of operating and medical education in child maltreatment and neglect in Canada.

Integrating Virtual Reality Tools into Secondary School Classrooms to Address Gender Gap in STEM Education: An Action Plan

This action plan addresses the gender gap in STEM education by integrating Virtual Reality (VR) tools into secondary school classrooms. Despite various strategies to increase female participation in STEM fields, women remain underrepresented in these areas. The action plan proposes the use of immersive and interactive VR experiences to create more engaging learning environments that may attract a diverse student body, particularly female students. By leveraging the potential of VR to simulate science experiments and other STEM-related activities, this project aims to enhance students' interest and confidence in STEM subjects. A pilot will be conducted in a secondary school, with approximately 50-100 students and a dedicated STEM teaching team. Key strategies include virtual reality technology training for teachers, the design of inclusive STEM curricula, and continuous evaluation through both formative and summative assessments. The expected outcome is that female students will show increased willingness to pursue further study and careers in STEM fields, contributing to long-term reductions in the gender gap in STEM education.

Exploring the Challenges and Opportunities of Blended Learning in a Technology–Enabled Education Environment

Technology integration in education has led to blended learning, a pedagogical approach combining traditional face-to-face instruction with online learning components. Through a comprehensive review of existing literature and empirical research, this investigation examines the impact of blended learning on both students and educators. It delves into this approach's diverse range of technologies, including Learning Management Systems, video conferencing tools, and digital content platforms. Through qualitative and quantitative analysis, the research identifies the opportunities that arise from adopting blended learning. It investigates the advantages of increased student flexibility, personalised learning experiences, and enhanced access to educational resources. The study explores how interactive content and virtual collaboration tools can boost student engagement and motivation. However, the study also uncovers educators' and students' challenges when implementing blended learning. These obstacles include technology access and proficiency issues, consistent communication, and addressing individual learning needs. The study addresses potential resistance to change from traditional teaching methods and the importance of teacher training and support. It compares students' achievements in blended learning environments with those in traditional classrooms and analyses the role of technology in influencing these outcomes. Based on the findings, the research concludes by providing insights into the future implications of blended learning in technology-enabled education environments. Keywords: Blended Learning; Learning Management System; Technology-enabled learning

A Virtual Reality Tool for Accuracy Assessment of 3D Models in an Immersive Virtual Environment

Abstract. Accurate validation and assessment techniques are essential for ensuring the reliability of spatial reconstructions derived from photogrammetry, enabling well-informed decision-making across diverse domains. This study presents a Virtual Reality (VR) based accuracy assessment tool tailored for evaluating the accuracy and quality of 3D models generated by Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Leveraging the Unity game engine platform, our workflow entails three key steps: aligning real-world coordinates with an arbitrary Unity coordinate system, transforming the positions of Ground Control Points (GCPs) from field survey to the arbitrary system using a reference GCP, and marking observed points on the 3D models. Absolute and Relative Root Mean Square Errors (RMSE), Mean Errors (ME), and Standard Deviation of errors (SD) are computed within the virtual environment via the game object transform properties. The error distributions around each GCP are visually depicted using Unity game engine components for enhanced interaction and comprehension. The efficacy of the tool is validated through experimentation on four 3D models generated from varying camera angles during UAV data capture. The tool provides the opportunity to directly interact with the 3D models and visualize the errors, which is quite distinct from traditional methods. Using the developed tool, results were obtained to indicate that configurations employing camera angles of 60° + 75º exhibit notable performance in terms of relative and absolute accuracy.

Virtual Tasting in the Metaverse: Technological Advances and Consumer Behavior Impacts

Product tasting is a key element in improving customer satisfaction in the commercial environment. This study looks at the notion of traditional tasting and its effect on customer behavior and explores emerging tasting techniques, shedding light on the contribution of digital tasting. Indeed, the advent of the metaverse has made it possible to offer new virtual tasting experiences. However, this experience does not yet involve a sense of taste. Our manuscript highlights the potential of tasting in the metaverse through a descriptive study of various concrete cases of international brands that have included it in their marketing strategies. In light of the results, practical and theoretical recommendations are provided for professionals interested in leveraging virtual tools to improve consumer satisfaction.

‘It’s like being there, but not in the way'. Exploring the use of virtual reality tools to stimulate reflection in Norwegian physical education teacher education

ABSTRACT The ongoing discussion surrounding the incorporation of technology in education has persisted over time. While technology offers significant advantages, such as improved collaboration and access to quality educational materials, it also introduces complexities such as the digital divide and concerns about data privacy, awareness and appropriate use. VR presents opportunities for future teachers to practice decision-making skills in controlled environments, although its effectiveness varies depending on the context and user perceptions. Research indicates that 360° videos enhance reflexivity, support practice and improve observation skills and content knowledge. However, the impact of viewing these videos individually versus in groups remains inconclusive. This study aims to explore students’ perspectives on the use of primary school physical education (PE) 360° video recordings and VR technology to enhance reflexivity. To this end, the theory of practice architectures was reviewed to provide a framework for analysing how educational practices interact with wider contexts, while another theory, reflection, helps to examine students’ critical thinking and introspection. The study intervention involved fourth-year students at a Norwegian university, who observed 360° recordings of physical education lessons using VR technology. Data were generated through these observations, which included the 360° recordings and small group interviews, and were analysed using reflective thematic analysis. The results highlight the importance of group dynamics, and that the authenticity of VR experiences can foster motivation and reflection. These insights can inform the design of future educational approaches in physical education teacher education (PETE), emphasising the need for careful consideration of technological and pedagogical practices to support effective and innovative teaching and learning to enhance experience and teaching.

SpinDoctor-IVIM: A virtual imaging framework for intravoxel incoherent motion MRI

Intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) imaging is increasingly recognised as an important tool in clinical MRI, where tissue perfusion and diffusion information can aid disease diagnosis, monitoring of patient recovery, and treatment outcome assessment. Currently, the discovery of biomarkers based on IVIM imaging, similar to other medical imaging modalities, is dependent on long preclinical and clinical validation pathways to link observable markers derived from images with the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms. To speed up this process, virtual IVIM imaging is proposed. This approach provides an efficient virtual imaging tool to design, evaluate, and optimise novel approaches for IVIM imaging. In this work, virtual IVIM imaging is developed through a new finite element solver, SpinDoctor-IVIM, which extends SpinDoctor, a diffusion MRI simulation toolbox. SpinDoctor-IVIM simulates IVIM imaging signals by solving the generalised Bloch–Torrey partial differential equation. The input velocity to SpinDoctor-IVIM is computed using HemeLB, an established Lattice Boltzmann blood flow simulator. Contrary to previous approaches, SpinDoctor-IVIM accounts for volumetric microvasculature during blood flow simulations, incorporates diffusion phenomena in the intravascular space, and accounts for the permeability between the intravascular and extravascular spaces. The above-mentioned features of the proposed framework are illustrated with simulations on a realistic microvasculature model.

Bolus tracking from pulsed x-ray projections: A feasibility study using a five-dimensional cardiac CT contrast dynamics model.

Cardiac computed tomography (CT) exams are some of the most complex CT exams due to the need to carefully time the scan when the heart chambers are near the peak contrast concentration. With current "bolus tracking" and "timing bolus" techniques, after contrast medium is injected, a target vessel or chamber is scanned periodically, and images are reconstructed to monitor the opacification. Both techniques have opportunities for improvement, such as reducing the contrast medium volume, the exam time, the number of manual steps, and improving the robustness of correctly timing the peak opacification. The objective of our study is to (1) develop a novel autonomous cardiac CT clinical workflow to track contrast bolus dynamics directly from pulsed x-ray projections, (2) develop a new five-dimensional virtual cardiac CT data generation tool with programmable cardiac profiles and bolus dynamics, and (3) demonstrate the feasibility of projection-domain prospective bolus tracking using a neural network trained and tested with the virtual data to find the contrast peak. In our proposed workflow, pulsed mode projections (PMPs) are acquired with a wide-open collimator under sparse view conditions (monitoring phase). Each time a new PMP is acquired, the neural network is used to estimate the contrast enhancement inside the target chambers. To train such a network, we introduce a new approach to generate clinically realistic virtual scan data based on a five-dimensional cardiac model, by synthesizing user-defined contrast bolus dynamics and patient electrocardiogram profiles. In this study, we investigated a scenario with one single PMP per rotation. To find the optimal PMP view angle, 20 angles were explored. For each angle, 300 virtual exams were generated from 115 human subject datasets and divided into training, validation, and testing groups. Twenty neural networks were trained and evaluated in total to find the optimal network. Finally, a simple bolus peak time estimation algorithm was developed and evaluated by comparing to the ground truth bolus peak time. To evaluate the accuracy of a bolus time-intensity curve estimated by the network, the cosine similarity between the estimation and the ground truth was computed. The cosine similarity was larger than 0.97 for all projection angles. A view angle corresponding to the x-ray tube at 30 degrees from vertical (left-anterior of subject) showed the lowest errors. The amplitude of the estimated bolus curves (in Hounsfield Units) was not always correctly predicted, but the shape was accurately predicted. This resulted in an RMSE of 1.23s for the left chambers and 0.78s for the right chambers in the contrast peak time estimation. In this study, we proposed an innovative real-time way to predict the contrast bolus peak in cardiac CT as well as an innovative approach to train a neural network using virtual but clinically realistic data. Our trained network successfully estimated the shape of the time-intensity curve for the target chambers, which led to accurate bolus peak time estimation. This technique could be used for autonomous diagnostic cardiac CT to trigger a diagnostic scan for optimal contrast enhancement.

Validation study of risk-reduction activities after personalized breast cancer education tool in the WISDOM study

Breast cancer risk reduction strategies have been well-validated, but barriers remain for high-risk individuals to adopt them. We performed a study among participants with high risk of breast cancer to validate whether a virtual breast health decision tool impacted a participant’s willingness to start risk-reducing activities, identify barriers to adopting these strategies, and understand if it affects breast cancer anxiety. The study sample was 318 participants in the personalized (investigational) arm of the Women Informed to Screen Depending on Measures of risk (WISDOM) clinical trial. After reviewing the tool, these participants completed a feedback survey. We demonstrated that 15 (4.7%) women were taking endocrine risk reduction, 123 (38.7%) were reducing alcohol intake, and 199 (62.6%) were exercising. In the three-month follow-up survey of 109 respondents, only 8 of 61 (13.1%) women who considered endocrine risk reduction pursued it. In contrast, 11 of 16 (68%) participants who considered alcohol reduction pursued the activity, and 14 of 24 (58%) women who considered exercise followed through. Participants listed fear of side effects as the most common barrier to endocrine risk reduction. We also present further steps to be taken to improve the effectiveness of the Breast Health Decisions tool.

Peculiarities of choreographic education in higher education establishments in Ukraine during the covid-19 pandemic: A phenomenological analysis

This article presents a phenomenological analysis of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on choreographic education processes in higher education establishments in Ukraine. The research is based on a systematic study of the experiences of teachers of choreography in Ukraine during the pandemic, focusing on the changes brought about in the educational process by the restrictions imposed in response to the global crisis. The authors conducted qualitative research, including interviewing teachers and analyzing the collected data. They investigated how teachers adapted their teaching methods to ensure continuity in the educational process despite the transition to distance learning. The article explores different aspects of this process: changes to the organization of the educational process; psychological aspects of pandemic teaching, stress, and teachers' adaptation to new conditions; innovative approaches to education, the use of digital technologies and virtual tools to enhance the educational experience, and the creation of new formats for practical classes. In conclusion, the authors summarize their study findings and discuss the potential implications of these changes for the future of choreographic education in higher education. They also highlight possible limitations and the necessity for further research in this area.

Influences of lidar scanning parameters on wind turbine wake retrievals in complex terrain

Abstract. Scanning lidars enable the collection of spatially distributed measurements of turbine wakes and the estimation of wake properties such as magnitude, extent, and trajectory. Lidar-based characterizations, however, may be subject to distortions due to the observational system. Distortions can arise from the resolution of the measurement points across the wake, the projection of the winds onto the beam, averaging along the beam probe volume, and intervening evolution of the flow over the scan duration. Using a large-eddy simulation and simulated measurements with a virtual lidar model, we assess how scanning lidar systems may influence the properties of the retrieved wake using a case study from the Perdigão campaign. We consider three lidars performing range-height indicator sweeps in complex terrain, based on the deployments of lidars from the Danish Technical University (DTU) and German Aerospace Center (DLR) at the Perdigão site. The unwaked flow, measured by the DTU lidar, is well-captured by the lidar, even without combining data into a multi-lidar retrieval. The two DLR lidars measure a waked transect from different downwind vantage points. In the region of the wake, the observation system reacts to the smaller spatial and temporal variations of the winds, allowing more significant observation distortions to arise. While the measurements largely capture the wake structure and trajectory over its 4–5 D extent, limited spatial resolution of measurement points and volume averaging lead to a quicker loss of the two lobes in the near wake, smearing of the vertical bounds of the wake (< 30 m), wake center displacements up to 10 m, and dampening of the maximum velocity deficit by up to a third. The virtual lidar tool, coupled with simulations, provides a means for assessing measurement capabilities in advance of measurement campaigns.

Stakeholder Perspectives on the Acceptability, Design, and Integration of Produce Prescriptions for People with Type 2 Diabetes in Australia: A Formative Study.

Produce prescription programs can benefit both individuals and health systems; however, best practices for integrating such programs into the Australian health system are yet unknown. This study explored stakeholders' perspectives on the acceptability, potential design and integration of produce prescription programs for adults with type 2 diabetes in Australia. Purposive sampling was used to recruit 22 participants for an online workshop, representing six stakeholder groups (government, healthcare service, clinician, food retailer, consumer, non-government organisation). Participant responses were gathered through workshop discussions and a virtual collaboration tool (Mural). The workshop was video-recorded and transcribed verbatim, and thematic analysis was conducted using a deductive-inductive approach. Stakeholders recognised produce prescription as an acceptable intervention; however, they identified challenges to implementation related to contextuality, accessibility, and sustainability. Stakeholders were vocal about the approach (e.g., community-led) and infrastructure (e.g., screening tools) needed to support program design and implementation but expressed diverse views about potential funding models, indicating a need for further investigation. Aligning evaluation outcomes with existing measures in local, State and Federal initiatives was recommended, and entry points for integration were identified within and outside of the Australian health sector. Our findings provide clear considerations for future produce prescription interventions for people with type 2 diabetes.

StaffsVerse: Building a Metaverse Campus Utilising the Unreal Editor for Fortnite

In pursuit of redefining the conventional campus introductory experience, this paper presents the development and implementation of the StaffsVerse project - a virtual campus immersion tool. Designed as a Metaverse representation, the StaffsVerse project intends to transform the physical campus of Staffordshire University into an interactive digital environment. Its purpose extends to serving as a versatile tool for remote education delivery, virtual campus tours, public science outreach, and facilitating a seamless transition for students into the university community. Through immersive digital engagement, the StaffsVerse project seeks to bridge the gap between remote learners and the campus environment while facilitating a smooth integration into academic and social aspects of university life. In contrast to previous implementations of virtual campuses, the StaffsVerse project is unique in leveraging the capabilities of Unreal Editor in Fortnite (UEFN). This approach enables the development of highly detailed, interactive, and engaging environments within the expansive Fortnite ecosystem. The project's primary objective is to harness the infrastructure and extensive user base of one of the world's most widely played multi-platform games, thereby ensuring a low barrier to access. Therefore, this paper will explore how the UEFN system's adaptability can effectively create an accurate virtual replica of the physical Staffordshire University campus. The key contribution of this paper includes an overview of the design and developmental journey of the StaffsVerse project. The evolution of the project will be outlined by discussing the two pivotal iterations of the game-based implementation and explaining the decision-making process that led to the resulting version. The examination extends to the unique features of the UEFN build, addressing the inherent challenges and opportunities specific to the platform. Furthermore, specific game-based decisions are discussed, such as replicating essential campus locations, integrating interactive features, and incorporating elements unique to the virtual environment. The paper will discuss the specific educational opportunities UEFN offers, including the potential for enhancing student engagement through gamified campus experiences, insights into creating a Metaverse university campus, and contributions to the growing discourse on the intersection of game-based virtual environments in learning.

Teaching Listening Skills to EFL Students Using AI-Driven Technology-Based Media

The aim of this paper is to find how much AI can be useful or as an aid in developing listening skill. A review has been made to past studies as well as the recent developments and innovations made by linguists and teaching community, yielding relevant observations. The present writing is an attempt at exhibiting how much the latest technology is effective which has been tailor-made to suit determined purpose directed at developing the listening skills of EFL learners. It is well established being significant and continues to gain importance in serving needs of education, sparking interest among students and teachers, the latter for innovating delivery of lessons. Teaching EFL college level students uses English as the medium of instruction for language teaching subjects. It is, however, noticed that difficulties crop up at school, where the students use native language for learning syllabi-related subjects, and where it is noticed that there is low comprehension capacity in the learners that needs to be pushed up to learn second language with success. The present research effort has brought to light the difficulties experienced by students in English learning as they struggle to reach a reasonable level of learning with success. This is despite there being other materials to use where old/traditional system is otherwise thought adequate. Modern approaches were brought into use by which AI-powered tools have removed difficulties they used to experience learning the traditional way resorting to written prescribed books; they experienced that books were monotonous and boring. The researchers made quite a few studies in different educational institutions and recognized the ability of AI aided media to make listening skill learning and teaching of English interesting and easy. AI has enabled educators to develop material and make it user-friendly and student-oriented for facilitating language learning easy. Language Listening builds enhanced capacity enabling EFL students to hear sounds of words of English using AI-aided tools. The present paper has discovered the utility of modern virtual tools as significant in facilitating learners’ success in developed listening skill. Tools which are created using AI have proved very help as they extend tremendous help in increasing and developing practical listening skills of not only the teachers but also, and primarily, the EFL students.

An immersive labeling method for large point clouds

3D point clouds, such as those produced by 3D scanners, often require labeling – the accurate classification of each point into structural or semantic categories – before they can be used in their intended application. However, in the absence of fully automated methods, such labeling must be performed manually, which can prove extremely time and labor intensive. To address this we present a virtual reality tool for accelerating and improving the manual labeling of very large 3D point clouds. The labeling tool provides a variety of 3D interactions for efficient viewing, selection and labeling of points using the controllers of consumer VR-kits. The main contribution of our work is a mixed CPU/GPU-based data structure that supports rendering, selection and labeling with immediate visual feedback at high frame rates necessary for a convenient VR experience. Our mixed CPU/GPU data structure supports fluid interaction with very large point clouds in VR, what is not possible with existing continuous level-of-detail rendering algorithms. We evaluate our method with 25 users on tasks involving point clouds of up to 50 million points and find convincing results that support the case for VR-based point cloud labeling.

An experimental setup to investigate relevant validation parameters for the auralization of commercial aircraft flyovers in complex urban contexts

Auralization has a key role in the design of immersive virtual reality tools for the study of human environments and their evolution. In soundscape and multisensory research, the validation of auralization frameworks traditionally relies on the impressions engendered by the virtual acoustic environment on the human subjects, and whether those impressions match real-world experiences. It uses subjective surveys related to the perceptual and affective spheres of individuals. This may lead to unclear validation. In this paper, we present an experimental setup to search for a set of relevant validation parameters for the auralization of complex urban environments involving commercial aircraft flyovers. Our investigation is tailored to the study of working and learning activities in offices or universities neighboring the flight paths. The experimental setup focuses on the quantitative evaluation of cognitive performance instead of the classic perceptual or affective personal survey-based approach. In the experiment, subjects undergo distinct acoustic environments, synthesized from real-world binaural recordings. Simultaneously, subjects perform memory, fluency, or puzzle-like tasks. Different cognitive performance parameters are measured throughout the experiment. The parameters most strongly correlated to the environments' acoustic events and properties are considered meaningful validation parameters.

Talent Management in the Age of Digital Disruption: Challenges and Opportunities

The rise of digital disruption has fundamentally transformed the landscape of talent management, presenting both challenges and opportunities for organizations. This article examines how businesses are adapting their talent management strategies to cope with the rapid advancements in technology, such as artificial intelligence, automation, and the growing prominence of remote work. The study explores the challenges posed by digital disruption, including the widening skills gap, the need for continuous reskilling, and the increasing competition for top talent in a globalized workforce. On the other hand, digital tools also offer opportunities for organizations to enhance their talent acquisition, development, and retention processes. The use of data analytics and AI-powered recruitment tools, for instance, allows for more efficient and data-driven decision-making in hiring and workforce planning. Furthermore, the integration of learning management systems and virtual collaboration tools facilitates employee development and enables organizations to foster a more agile and adaptable workforce. The article presents case studies from various industries, demonstrating how companies are leveraging digital solutions to overcome talent management challenges while embracing opportunities for growth and innovation. The findings suggest that organizations that prioritize digital transformation and align their talent management strategies with technological advancements are better positioned to thrive in an increasingly competitive and digital-first world.

Validity and reliability of an immersive virtual reality adaptation of the 6-minute pegboard and ring test

Background and AimVirtual reality offers new clinical assessment and rehabilitation options that can complement or, in some cases, replace traditional methods. However, the applicability of using virtual reality tools for assessment of upper limb functional capacity has not been fully explored. We therefore developed an immersive virtual reality adaptation of the 6-Minute Pegboard and Ring Test (6PBRT-VR). The aim of the study was to test the validity and reliability of the 6PBRT-VR for the assessment of upper extremity functional capacity, and to assess the performance and feasibility of the proposed tool. MethodsThirty healthy young adults were included in the study. The participants performed the classical 6-Minute Pegboard and Ring Test first and then the 6PBRT-VR. The test-retest reliability of the 6PBRT-VR was assessed on intraclass correlation coefficient. Concurrent validity was assessed on the correlation between the 6PBRT-VR test-retest scores (number of rings moved) and the correlation between the scores from the classical 6-Minute Pegboard and Ring Test and the 6PBRT-VR. Convergent validity was assessed on correlations with handgrip strength and the total Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand score. Cardiorespiratory responses were also measured (at baseline and after each test). Perceived arm fatigue was assessed on the Modified Borg Scale. ResultsThe 6PBRT-VR exhibited excellent test-retest reliability, with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.866 (95% confidence interval 0.737−0.934). Mean 6PBRT-VR score correlated strongly with the mean score of the classical 6-Minute Pegboard and Ring Test (r = 0.817, p < 0.001). A significant association was found between the 6PBRT-VR and the classical 6-Minute Pegboard and Ring Test in terms of variations in heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and Modified Borg Scale score (p < 0.001). Mean 6PBRT-VR score showed moderate correlations with right (r = 0.571, p = 0.001) and left handgrip strength (r = 0.550, p = 0.002). ConclusionThe 6PBRT-VR is a reliable and valid virtual tool for assessing upper-extremity functional capacity in young adults.

Enhancing digital literacy skills among teachers for effective integration of computer science and design education: a case study at Astana International School, Kazakhstan

This study explores the development and impact of digital literacy skills among teachers at Astana International School, Kazakhstan, and examines how these skills influence the teaching of Computer Science and Design to middle school students. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the research combined quantitative assessments of students’ proficiency with qualitative evaluations of teacher and student experiences, involving 71 teachers and 382 students from grades 7 to 10. The findings indicate that students taught by digitally literate teachers demonstrated significant improvements in designing and utilizing virtual reality tools, mobile applications, and other digital resources, with teachers facilitating more interactive and engaging learning environments that enhanced students’ technical skills and creative capacities. This research contributes new insights into the dynamics of digital literacy in education, emphasizing the critical role of teacher training in digital tools for enhancing educational practices and uniquely demonstrating how systematic application of digital literacy can transform educational outcomes, supporting the integration of technology in teaching, aligned with the needs and competencies of Generation Z students.

GUI-Driven Real-Time PID Control Tool for Educational Virtual Systems

Abstract: This research presents a pioneering approach in virtual control systems, focusing on developing a highly intuitive Graphical User Interface (GUI) for real-time PID control of LED brightness using Arduino IDE. By embracing a robust pedagogical framework, the study meticulously outlines specific learning objectives that adhere to the SMART criteria, ensuring precise educational outcomes. The key to this research is the tailored design of the GUI, which considers diverse audience needs, prior knowledge, and learning styles. The interfaces are meticulously crafted for optimal user experience, ensuring seamless navigation and engagement. Interactive elements, encompassing simulations, virtual experiments, problem-solving scenarios, and quizzes, foster active participation and hands-on learning. Multimedia elements, such as text, images, videos, animations, and audio, are thoughtfully integrated to cater to varied learning preferences. This paper underscores the critical role of collaborative learning facilitated through discussion forums, chat functionalities, and collaborative virtual environments. The study emphasizes continuous improvement through regular assessments and detailed user feedback analysis. Notably, the research highlights the significant educational impact of the designed GUI. By offering a practical platform where students can dynamically adjust PID parameters and observe immediate effects on LED brightness, the GUI enhances the learning experience in classroom settings. This approach equips students with a tangible understanding of complex PID principles, preparing them for real-world applications. In summary, this research showcases the creation of engaging, practical virtual control system tools, fostering profound and meaningful learning experiences for users within educational contexts. Keywords : control systems, pedagogy, facilitation