No full-text available
To read the full-text of this research,
you can request a copy directly from the authors.
The Use of Immersive Virtual Reality in the Learning Sciences: Digital Transformations of Teachers, Students, and Social Context
Abstract
This article illustrates the utility of using virtual environments to transform social interaction via behavior and context, with the goal of improving learning in digital environments. We first describe the technology and theories behind virtual environments and then report data from 4 empirical studies. In Experiment 1, we demonstrated that teachers with augmented social perception (i.e., receiving visual warnings alerting them to students not receiving enough teacher eye gaze) were able to spread their attention more equally among students than teachers without augmented perception. In Experiments 2 and 3, we demonstrated that by breaking the rules of spatial proximity that exist in physical space, students can learn more by being in the center of the teacher's field of view (compared to the periphery) and by being closer to the teacher (compared to farther away). In Experiment 4, we demonstrated that inserting virtual co-learners who were either model students or distracting students changed the learning abilities of experiment participants who conformed to the virtual co-learners. Results suggest that virtual environments will have a unique ability to alter the social dynamics of learning environments via transformed social interaction.
... In most studies on the VR use in education, this technology is considered as a learning environment and has various names: educational VR applications (Winn, 1993); synthetic constructivist environment (Dede, 1995); MUVE-Multiuser Virtual Environment (Dede et al., 2005); VLE-virtual learning environment (Bailenson et al., 2008); 3D VLE-three-dimensional virtual learning environment (Dalgarno & Lee, 2009), virtual worlds for learning (Jacobson & Reimann, 2010), IVEimmersive virtual environments, educational IVE, IVE classes (Blascovich & Beall, 2010), EVEeducational virtual environment or VLE (Mikropoulos & Natsis, 2011), IVR-immersive VR, lessons in IVR (Klingenberg et al., 2020;Parong & Mayer, 2020), VRLE-VR learning environment (H.M. Huang et al., 2009;W. Huang et al., 2020;Ip & Li, 2015;Singh et al., 2021;Vogt et al., 2021). ...
... The VRLE means the digital virtual space where training takes place and many other conditions related to the methodological, psychological, pedagogical, and technological aspects of learning by using VR. The researchers consider the constructivist paradigm as the theoretical basis for learning in the VRLE since many of the characteristics and learning capabilities of VR are compatible with constructivist learning and support their implementation (Bailenson et al., 2008;C.J. Chen, 2010;Dalgarno & Lee, 2009;Dede, 1995;Mikropoulos & Natsis, 2011;Winn, 1993). Several studies on the design and assessment of VRLE and digital learning objects with practical results highlight the following contexts: ...
... • the pedagogical context that determines the relevance of the environment to the objectives and expected learning outcomes, the content of teaching materials, and the corresponding teaching methods (Akhavan & Arefi, 2014;Allcoat et al., 2021;Mikropoulos & Papachristos, 2021;Radianti et al., 2020) • the technological context that implies the availability of technical equipment and appropriate software for the functioning of the environment (technical equipment includes VR headset, additional equipment for a VR headset, network equipment, equipment for broadcasting VR sessions, VR application software, or VR content, VR development platforms), as well as its economic and language accessibility for mass learning (Dalgarno & Lee, 2009;Kurilovas & Dagiene, 2009) • the social context significantly influences an individual's cognitive processes and relationships with his/her environment and society (Bailenson, 2019;Bailenson et al., 2008;Vogt et al., 2021). ...
This study aims to offer a contextual framework for a virtual reality learning environment (VRLE) that would assist in interpreting students' and tea-chers' expectations on how to use VR in the learning process. Due to the current lack of unified recommendations and principles, as well as framework methods, the structure of VRLE, consisting of 4, pedagogical, technological, social and health-preservation contexts may be one approach to the study of VR in education. The study involved 53 school students aged 10-16 years and 49 teachers of various subjects at schools. The participants' opinions were assessed after the immersion into the VR. The results showed that 79,2 % of learners agreed to learn in school using VR, and 77,5 % of teachers expect to use it in the next five years. A quarter of Manargul Mukasheva ABOUT THE AUTHORS Virtual reality (VR) can have a significant impact on learning in school. The Virtual Reality Learning Environment (VRLE) framework we developed consists of four contexts: pedagogical, technological, social, and health preservation. The contextual structure can act as one approach to the study of virtual reality in education, and we used it to study students' and teachers' attitudes toward VR. Students and their teachers believe that VR shapes a new way of looking at learning in school, promotes constructivist, student-centered learning, and has many educational benefits. However, students and teachers do not rule out the possible social and health risks of excessive use of VR. Ukraine. Study leader on designing learning environments using augmented and virtual reality tools in secondary schools (2021-2023). For more than 40 years, she has taught programming at the university and participated in the development of educational content, and virtual and augmented reality applications for learning. Aisara Omirzakova doctoral student, L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Department of Information Technology, Astana, Kazakhstan. The topic of her dissertation relates to the use of immersive technologies for learning and conducting research at school. For more than 7 years she taught English at school. Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 license. the learners believe that VR promotes independent and comfortable learning outside the classroom. However, half of the participants are concerned about the possible undesirable health effects of VR. The prospects for further research lie in defining the criteria and designing VR models for each context including technological , pedagogical, social, and health-preservation contexts.
... The proliferation of virtual collaboration tools means that decision rooms no longer need to be confined to a single physical location. Virtual decision rooms, hybrid 'huddle spaces' and emergent formats yet to be invented facilitated by tools like VR and AR, are on the horizon, offering the potential for even more informed hybrid decision-making processes (Bailenson et al., 2008). Modern collaboration tools like Miro, Mural, Jupyter Notebooks and DataCards (Figure 4) push to a roll-out of virtual/hybrid joint-decision-rooms, empowering decision-experiences with smart algorithms at the core. ...
... According to Slater and Sanchez-Vive (2016), VR/XR has the potential to create shared virtual environments where users, irrespective of their geographical location, can collaboratively engage in decision-making processes, essentially redefining the notion of a 'room'. Studies by Bailenson et al. (2008) highlight that XR can facilitate cognitive immersion, enabling decision-makers to engage deeply with complex data or scenarios and envisage outcomes with enhanced clarity. Figure 5 taken from the introduction of Apple VisionPro provides an idea of the possibilities in spatial arrangement. ...
... Future development might lead towards a synthesis of intensively technologically augmented spaces and human-centric designs (Hedge, 2019). A compelling proposition is also in the decentralization of decision rooms, leveraging virtual environments to bridge geographical distances, empowering global collaborations (Bailenson et al., 2008) and largely pushed by remote work schemes introduced during the Covid-19 Pandemic. In the young field of cognitive ergonomics, it seems plausible to assume that future decision-rooms will prioritize design elements suited to augment cognitive throughput, shape narration, and enhance decision-making efficiency (Vischer, 2008). ...
This paper outlines the evolution of decision-making spaces through selected instantiations, analyzing the role of design in their utility and identifying preliminary patterns in spatial layout. It builds on the combination of two research fields: A) Decision support systems and B) Creative Spaces. The paper aims to take a first step towards combining these two existing research fields by focusing on the spatial design aspects that foster the convergent aspect of creativity and to provide guidance for further research on the design of decision-making spaces.
... Virtual reality (VR) simulations allow users to practice interactions in a replication of the physical environment using naturalistic behaviors [5,22]. Some of the earliest uses of virtual reality simulations include improving teaching practice through virtual classroom simulations that allow teachers to observe and analyze their own teaching behaviors based on real-time feedback [3,16]. A better understanding of how virtual reality can help people transform nonverbal behavior, including gaze behavior, has broad utility for classroom simulators [3], public-speaking practice applications, and any other virtual environment in which participants might wish to monitor and modify their behavior [18,27]. ...
... Some of the earliest uses of virtual reality simulations include improving teaching practice through virtual classroom simulations that allow teachers to observe and analyze their own teaching behaviors based on real-time feedback [3,16]. A better understanding of how virtual reality can help people transform nonverbal behavior, including gaze behavior, has broad utility for classroom simulators [3], public-speaking practice applications, and any other virtual environment in which participants might wish to monitor and modify their behavior [18,27]. ...
... In this paper, we describe two within-participant pilot studies investigating the effectiveness of different types of gaze data visualization in changing participants' behavior in a virtual classroom. We compared four conditions: 1. control, with no gaze data visualization; 2. gaze data represented through Bar Graphs; 3. gaze data presented through the opacity of students, following [3] (Fade-In); and 4. an opposing, Fade-Out condition with gaze data presented through the inverted opacity of the students. In Study 1, we used head movement as a proxy for gaze. ...
... Although, the VR concept was initiated by Ivan Sutherland in 1960s, the VR phrase was not coined until the mid-1980s, when the first VR-based devices became available. In that time, Jaron Lanier used this phrase to refer to a user interface for real-time user interaction with a computer generated environment [9,10]. VR has the potential to induce an illusion of presence in a simulated situation in which users would have an uncanny feeling of being exposed to the scenarios in reality [9]. ...
... While, in the second stage, there was an insignificant difference between the two groups in terms of cognitive pain (P = 0.55) ( Table 2). The mean score of affective pain was not statistically significant 9 (8)(9)(10) between the two groups during the first and the second stage. Also, within the first stage, the mean score of sensory pain in the control group (5.20 ± 1.64) and the intervention group (6.16 ± 1.37) was significant (P = 0.033), while it was not significant in the second stage (P = 0.064) ( Table 2). ...
Introduction: In order to manage labor pain, one of the non-pharmacological approaches is immersive virtual reality (VR). This study aimed to evaluate the impact of immersive VR analgesia on labor pain, anxiety and nausea in nulliparous women. Methods: In this interventional study, 52 nulliparous women with a single fetus who expected vaginal delivery were randomly assigned to a VR group (n = 26) and a control group (n = 26). 4 women excluded from the study due to the desire for medical intervention for pain control. A simulated environment (containing nature scenes and sounds) was presented to the women in the VR group. Pain intensity, anxiety, and nausea were measured using a questionnaire. The two groups were compared in terms of cognitive pain, sensory pain, affective pain, anxiety, and nausea. Results: There was a statically significant decrease of cognitive pain during the first stage of labor in the VR intervention group compared to the control group (P = 0.013), whereas in the second stage of labor it was not significant (P = 0.55). There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of affective pain. Also, sensory pain was significantly decreased only in the first stage of labor in the VR group compared to the control group (P = 0.033). Mothers in the intervention group had a lower level of anxiety compared with those in the control group (P < 0.05), whereas nausea was not significantly different between the two groups (P < 0.05) at all stages of labor. Conclusion: Virtual reality is an effective and feasible non-pharmacological method to reduce pain and anxiety during labor process without major side effects.
... Virtual reality (VR) has been suggested as an important technological development in biology education (Morimoto and Ponton 2021) and other learning environments where mastery of mechanical tasks is paramount (Bailenson et al. 2008;Bell et al. 2019). These tools provide students and educators the ability to perform tasks that are difficult, expensive and unsafe, but are critical to understanding of complex theories such as the host-parasite interaction. ...
... 1). Immersive VR (I-VR), as opposed to other educational teaching technologies, possess a suite of unique and powerful attributes for experiential learning where it can make the user believe they are in a different environment, the sense of presence (Bailenson et al. 2008;Pottle 2019;Turhan and Gümüş 2022). This sense of presence positions I-VR as a tool to aid in educational transformation. ...
Veterinary parasitology is study of parasitic diseases, treatment and prevention. It is a major component of animal health courses due to impacts parasites have on production and companion animals. Extant tertiary education in parasitology typically involves theory sessions coupled with practical experience. In this study we propose tertiary parasitology teaching would be enhanced through adoption of immersive Virtual Reality (I-VR) as an intrinsically motivating learning tool to complement their studies. To evaluate this adoption, a custom I-VR parasitology game was developed that tertiary veterinary science students experienced (n = 109), with feedback assessed using the Hedonic-Motivation System Adoption Model (HMSAM). HMSAM proved appropriate for measuring student’s hedonistic and utilitarian perspectives of I-VR experience with perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, joy, ability to control, immersion levels and intention to use displaying significant positive relationships in derived model. However, in a departure from similar studies, the curiosity construct was not a useful predictor of intention to use in this context of a scaffolded, instructional application. This study highlights suitability of I-VR and provides a statistically robust evaluation method using a modified HMSAM to evaluate acceptance, usefulness, and ease of use of I-VR in tertiary education.
... El aprendizaje mediado por videojuegos se convirtió en un amplio y fluctuante campo de estudio que incorpora múltiples disciplinas (Martin y Murray, 2006). Dada la naturaleza situada de los conceptos que involucran los videojuegos y simulaciones, la investigación en el área se centra principalmente en la comprensión de procesos que propician mejoras en el aprendizaje durante la interacción entorno-usuarios (Bailenson et al., 2008;Shaffer et al., 2005;Hutchison, 2007;Jackson, 2009, Turkay et al., 2014. ...
... Los entornos virtuales, por su parte, han transformado las interacciones humanas (Infante et al., 2010) permitiendo acortar ciertas distancias entre docentes y estudiantes, facilitando a los docentes el seguimiento de las tareas de sus estudiantes, y a los estudiantes influyendo en su predisposición a realizarlas (Bailenson et al., 2008). Gran parte de las investigaciones analizadas señalan numerosas ventajas 14 Capítulo 2-Estado del arte de los videojuegos respecto de lo que se denomina "enseñanza tradicional" (Tsekleves et al., 2016;Gee, 2003;Mayo, 2007, Girard et al., 2013. ...
The growing popularity of mass-scale video games over the last three decades
has generated significant interest in their potential for learning in various fields,
including the natural sciences. Despite this trend, the understanding of how video
games truly contribute to learning in this context remains in its infancy. This
doctoral thesis presents the results of research focused on the learning of physics
of motion in the plane through the widely known video game, Portal.
This doctoral research aims to contribute to the understanding of the process
of learning motion in the plane mediated by the video game Portal. Following the
theoretical approach of DiSessa’s ”Knowledge in Pieces,”this thesis examines, in its first phase, the intuitive knowledge expressed by university students during their interaction with Portal. These results allowed for the design and implementation of a didactic sequence that incorporates the video game as an educational tool for the study of motion in the plane. During this second phase, students’ conceptual development is addressed within the framework of DiSessa and Wagner’s Çoordination Classes”theory. Through a qualitative analysis of interaction
records, significant advancements are observed both in conceptualization and in the representation and modeling of motion in relation to situations presented in Portal. This work aims to contribute to the field of physics education at a time
when video games and digital technologies play an unprecedented role in human development and education.
... In this context, an emerging resource in the educational field is the use of Virtual Environments (VEs) such as Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) to create realistic and immersive experiences for the students (Meccawy, 2023). VR creates computer-enabled simulations that replicate real-world experiences within a virtual environment (Bailenson et al., 2008). AR is defined as an enhanced version of the physical world achieved using digital visual elements, sound, or other sensory stimuli delivered via technology. ...
This study investigated the impact of virtual environments (VEs), such as Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR), on learning processes within Natural Sciences course of second-grade primary education. To address this objective, an experimental study was designed using a sample of 24 students aged 7 to 8 years from Spain. The subjects used VR and AR to teach about the human body. Knowledge gains were evaluated with pre-tests, post-tests, and delayed tests. Results showed significant improvements in student understanding of the human body. All students improved their results after the experience using VEs, and 14 students achieved post-test scores 80% higher than their pre-test results. The gains obtained through the experience were sustained over time, even after 52 days. While VEs were generally well-received and sparked interest among students in continuing their use, some expressed a preference for traditional learning methods. This research highlights the potential of using VR and AR to overcome challenges in learning abstract or inscrutable concepts in Natural Sciences, such as understanding the internal elements of the human body. By offering immersive experiences, these tools provide a more realistic and tangible view of the subject matter. However, they should be used to complement, not replace, other methodologies, ensuring they align with the student' interests and needs.
... Prior research has extensively explored how virtual environments impact group dynamics, user engagement, and collective behavior. Early work by Bailenson et al. [7] demonstrated that VR avatars can influence social presence and interpersonal dynamics, setting the stage for more elaborate investigations into group behavior within MR contexts. These studies underscore the interconnectedness of user actions and group dynamics, highlighting that individual behaviors often cannot be fully understood in isolation from the social environment in which they occur. ...
Understanding group behavior is essential for improving collaboration and productivity. While research on group behavior in virtual reality (VR) is significantly advanced, understanding group dynamics in mixed reality (MR) remains understudied. Understanding MR group dynamics will enable designing systems that optimize collaboration, enhance productivity, and improve user experiences. This work outlines how MR headsets sensory systems can effectively capture group behavior, devise algorithms to process and interpret the data and demonstrate the correlation between group behavior and task-related performance metrics. We propose a framework for group behavior analysis in MR, or GroupBeaMR for short, to capture and analyze group behavior in MR. Using the rich sensory capabilities of MR headsets, GroupBeaMR passively collects data on conversation, shared attention, and proximity. This data is processed using social network analysis techniques to identify patterns of interaction and assess group behavior. Our evaluation, involving 44 participants in 11 groups, demonstrates the effectiveness of GroupBeaMR in capturing and analyzing group behavior in collaborative MR tasks. An example of insight from GroupBeaMR is that balanced participation in different types of interaction leads to higher group cohesion. These findings enable real-time assessments of group behavior in MR that can enhance collaborative experiences.
... En la enseñanza de la astronomía, se han desarrollado sistemas que utilizan efectos hápticos para proporcionar una experiencia táctil mientras los estudiantes aprenden sobre conceptos astronómicos. Este enfoque permite a los estudiantes interactuar de manera más profunda con los conceptos que estudian y mejora su comprensión de fenómenos complejos (Bailenson et al., 2008). ...
The research project aims to address the limited immersion in real work environments in the
practical laboratories of the Introduction to Engineering course (Code 212014), which is
generating a great challenge for students to develop in real situations. To resolve the situation, it
is proposed to develop a practical guide that incorporates virtual reality (VR) in the practical
components of the course, as this allows integrating the application of the principles of the CDIO
methodology by facilitating students to experience simulated environments, which would enrich
both students' learning and tutors' teaching. This initiative involves a successful transition to
flexible and effective teaching models in course laboratories. Translated with DeepL.com (free
version) To this end, a survey was administered to a select group of students at the Cartagena
Community Virtual Care Center (CCAV). This survey collected data on their prior knowledge of
VR, their perception of its use in the educational setting, and their possible concerns for its
implementation. The data was analyzed to identify emerging themes and promote a deeper
understanding and more effective application of the concepts learned. This initiative seeks to
improve engineering education by integrating innovative tools that enrich the learning
experience for students. The results showed that the acceptance of implementing virtual reality in
this course is 87.1%, validating the importance of incorporating technological innovations in
students' education. After knowing the students' perception and analyzing the feasibility of
implementing virtual reality, a practical guide was designed that allows interaction in industrial
environments and engineering processes through three-dimensional environments, making
learning more intuitive and memorable. In conclusion, designing this guide helps students to
improve the understanding of basic engineering concepts, adapting to industry challenges
through virtual realit
... VR can be described as a computer-simulated environment that allows users to interact with and modify their perceptions by delivering a combination of 3D sensory information to the human brain via isolated screens or a wearable display, e.g., a Head-Mounted Display (HMD) [8][9][10][11]. VR can be divided into three distinct categories: non-immersive, semiimmersive, and immersive. Non-immersive VR employs a conventional computer screen on which the user can indirectly interact with the digital 3D environment by utilizing a mouse, keyboard, or controller. ...
Featured Application: The findings of this study have important implications for educators and software developers looking to implement VR technology in maritime education. Educators can use the insights from the study to better customize VR technology to meet the specific needs of students, thus improving the effectiveness and learning experience of VR-based education. Similarly, software developers can use the study's findings to improve the design and functionality of VR engine room simulators for maritime training. This collaborative effort is essential for advancing the application of VR technology in maritime education, ensuring that it aligns with educational objectives and the practical needs of future maritime professionals. Abstract: The integration of innovative technologies, such as Virtual Reality (VR), into maritime education presents a substantial challenge but also offers significant potential for enhancing training and knowledge transmission. This study aims to contribute to the existing body of knowledge by providing segmented insights into maritime students' Perceived Ease of Use (PEU) of an immersive engine room VR simulator. The study analysed a sample of 58 students from the Faculty of Maritime Studies at the University of Rijeka, covering undergraduate, graduate, and specialized maritime education programs. Through hierarchical and non-hierarchical cluster analyses, two distinct segments were identified and named Proactivists and Moderates. The findings reveal significant differences between extracted subgroups regarding (i) perceived benefits of using the VR engine room simulator in learning and education, (ii) future intention to use the technology, and (iii) overall experience. Study insights can directly aid educators and software developers in enhancing the further implementation of VR technology in maritime education.
... Similar to findings from therapeutic interventions, iVR seems to be a promising tool for education because it requires fewer resources and offers increasingly sophisticated options for the learning environment as well as feedback compared to traditional teaching methods (e.g., Bailenson, Yee, et al., 2008;Giessing, 2021;Lavoie et al., 2023;Radianti et al., 2020). For example, complex police operations with multiple officers, offenders, and by-standers can be created and varied during training at lower personal and financial costs compared to in-situ trainings (Lavoie et al., 2023). ...
Full text open access from publisher: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2024.104485
Immersive virtual reality (iVR), that is, digital stereoscopic 360° scenarios usually presented in head-mounted displays, has gained much popularity in medical, educational, and consumer contexts in the last years. Recently, psychological research started to utilize the theoretical and methodological advantages of iVR. Furthermore, understanding cognitive, emotional, and behavioral processes in iVR similar to real-life is a genuinely psychological, currently understudied topic. This article briefly reviews the current application of iVR in psychological research and related disciplines. The review presents empirical evidence for opportunities and strengths (e.g., realism, experimental control, effectiveness of therapeutic and educational interventions) as well as challenges and weaknesses (e.g., differences in experiencing presence, interacting with VR content including avatars, i.e., graphical representation of a person). The main part discusses areas requiring additional basic research, such as cognitive processes, socio-emotional processes during social interactions in iVR, and possible societal implications (e.g., fraud, VR-addiction). For both research and application, iVR offers a contemporary extension of the psychological toolkit, offering new avenues to investigate and enhance core phenomena of psychology such as cognition, affect, motivation, and behavior. Still, it is crucial to exercise caution in its application as excessive and careless use of iVR can pose risks to individuals' mental and physical well-being.
... Self-representation is a central aspect of avatar creation and avatar usage. The theory of transformed social interaction (Bailenson et al., 2008) highlights that the transformation of self-representation is one of the main dimensions of avatar-mediated communication. This dimension describes the ability to change strategically the appearance and behaviour of the avatar regardless of the user's actual characteristics. ...
... Students typically report dissatisfaction regarding the traditional teaching techniques (8). Those who participate in a dental operator simulation acquire a higher level of knowledge than those who receive instructions only via standard lectures or preclinical laboratories (9)(10)(11). Using XR as a learning aid can facilitate a better understanding of dental operations among students (7). ...
Objective: Extended reality (XR) technology using head-mounted devices enables the operator to visu- alise anatomical structures. We aimed to investigate student perceptions regarding applying XR simu- lation for transferring endodontic educational information between a lecturer in Japan and students in Saudi Arabia.
Methods: In this study, the students engaged with an XR simulation system and viewed teeth in virtual reality (VR). Pictures of dental anatomy were shown in the VR space, allowing participants to manipulate them. Then, the participants viewed a patient-specific three-dimensional printed model and three-dimensional root canal access guide in a second VR area. Before the sessions, the students completed a questionnaire on demograph- ic data and information concerning their VR experience. After the sessions, they completed a questionnaire evaluating the XR simulation system. The questionnaire included questions on dental anatomy, root canal access, usability, emotional impression, and data transfer.
Results: Eleven 5th-year dental students, comprising six male and five female students, were enrolled; three of them had previous VR experience, whereas eight did not. The highest levels of satisfaction were noted in the tooth anatomy (4.6±0.4) and emotional impression (4.5±0.5) domains, whereas the lowest level was noted in the data transmission domain (3.5±0.9). Female participants and those without previous VR experience reported higher satisfaction levels across questionnaire domains compared to male participants and those with previous VR experience.
Conclusion: XR can be successfully used in dental education and integrated into online lectures. Restrictions on education caused by health crises can be averted by using XR. Further, fifth-generation networks can offer better data transmission than wireless fidelity.
Keywords: Endodontic education, extended reality, virtual reality, wireless fidelity network
... This may indicate limited effectiveness of online physical education in enhancing cardiorespiratory function. Compared to traditional high-intensity interval training, exercises in virtual environments may lack sufficient cardiorespiratory demands (Bailenson., et al, 2008). ...
Background
With rapid advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Virtual Online (VO) technologies in the field of education, Virtual Online Physical Education (VPE) as a novel instructional mode is gradually gaining traction. However, systematic research on the specific impacts of online physical education on the physical fitness of university students, particularly within the context of Chinese students, remains scarce.
Objective
This study aims to explore the effects of Virtual Online Physical Education on the physical fitness of university students, focusing on assessing its impacts on Body Mass Index (BMI), lung capacity, aerobic capacity, flexibility, explosive strength, and muscular strength, while analyzing gender differences.
Methods
A total of 17,000 undergraduate students from a university in southern China were involved in an 8-month Virtual Online Physical Education intervention. Paired-sample t-tests were employed to analyze changes in physical fitness data before and after the intervention, with stratified analysis by gender.
Results
Following the intervention, students showed a significant increase in BMI (p < 0.05) and a significant decrease in lung capacity (p < 0.01). Aerobic capacity improved significantly in male students (p < 0.05) but declined in female students (p < 0.05). Flexibility and explosive strength improved significantly in all students (p < 0.01), while muscular strength (sit-ups for females and pull-ups for males) slightly decreased (p < 0.05). Gender analysis revealed that females exhibited more significant improvements in flexibility and explosive strength, whereas males demonstrated better enhancement in aerobic capacity.
Conclusion
This study reveals the potential and limitations of Virtual Online Physical Education in enhancing the physical fitness of university students, particularly highlighting significant gender differences. While VPE excels in promoting flexibility and explosive strength, its effectiveness in managing BMI and improving cardiorespiratory function is limited. Future research and practices should focus on personalized training program designs and further explore how new technologies can enhance the effectiveness of Virtual Online physical education to comprehensively promote students' physical fitness.
... A study conducted by Stanford University researchers [13] explores the impact of virtual reality on human behavior. The study shows that the choice of virtual environments and avatars can significantly affect the way people interact with each other in virtual reality. ...
... The fields of instructional/educational technology and science education emerged as the most active departments conducting VR research, potentially owing to their inclination toward immersive learning environments. However, despite this inclination, VR applications have proven effective across various domains, showcasing positive impacts on learning outcomes (Bailenson et al., 2008;Dogan & Sahin, 2023;Koivisto et al., 2018;Merchant et al., 2014). A significant challenge in adopting VR lies in the technical complexity inherent in its implementation, as highlighted by Maples-Keller et al. (2017). ...
This systematic literature review (SLR) scrutinizes the trends and interrelationships prevalent in Virtual Reality (VR) applications within educational frameworks, analyzing a comprehensive pool of 43 theses conducted in a Eurasian country. The primary objectives encompass investigating learning-teaching theories, learning domains, design elements, VR typology, and the departments undertaking VR research. Findings from the SLR underscore a significant concentration of VR research activities within technology-oriented departments. The prevalent approach involves experimental assessments of diverse variables within VR learning environments, yet a conspicuous dearth of design-centric investigations is observed. This highlights a critical need for comprehensive studies elucidating the design and developmental processes within VR applications, especially in light of the current characterization of VR research as lacking established standards. Moreover, a noteworthy revelation is the prevalent absence of a robust theoretical framework across the majority of studies. This absence may pose impediments to the widespread adoption of VR within educational paradigms, given the pivotal role of learning-teaching theories in guiding pedagogical processes. Examination of design elements highlights the prominence of realistic experiences, passive observation, mobility, and interaction with the environment. Recognizing the potential impact of diverse design elements on enhancing realism, aligning specific elements with distinct learning domains holds promise for augmenting the immersive quality of VR experiences. This research emphasizes the critical need for more comprehensive, theory-guided, and design-focused VR studies to propel its integration effectively within educational landscapes.
... Therefore, within this context, the term has changed from "something abstract made bodily" to "something bodily made" (Ekdahl and Osler, 2023). Bailenson et al. (2008) defined "avatars" as digital representations of their users, enabling them to communicate and interact in shared digital environments. An increasingly large amount of computer-based communication is based on avatars (Zimmermann et al., 2023). ...
Purpose
This paper aims to explore the multifaceted relationship between avatars, players, art and libraries in digital environments. Specifically, the paper investigates the artistic representation of avatars, the role of players in shaping avatar experiences and the integration of avatars and art in library settings. In addition, the paper seeks to examine the ethical implications of avatar representation, focusing on issues of diversity, privacy, authenticity, and accessibility.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper uses a systematic review to harvest literature from different accredited databases, such as the Web of Science and Directory of Open Access Journals. The review encompasses a wide range of scholarly papers, books and research papers spanning various disciplines such as computer science, information science and engineering.
Findings
The paper reveals that avatars serve as powerful tools for communication, self-expression and identity exploration in virtual environments. Avatars also play a significant role in facilitating social interaction, collaboration and engagement within digital communities, including libraries. Furthermore, the paper highlights the artistic potential of avatars as forms of creative expression and representation, showcasing how they can convey emotions, narratives and cultural symbolism in digital art spaces. However, the paper also identifies several ethical considerations associated with avatar representation, such as issues of diversity, privacy, authenticity and accessibility, which require careful attention and consideration by developers, designers and users.
Originality/value
The findings have several implications for theory, practice and policy related to avatar representation in digital environments, particularly within library settings. From a theoretical perspective, the paper contributes to the understanding of the complex interplay between avatars, players, art and ethics in digital culture. From a practical standpoint, the paper offers insights and recommendations for developers, designers and librarians on how to create inclusive, engaging and ethically responsible avatar experiences in virtual libraries. In addition, the paper underscores the importance of considering diverse perspectives and promoting ethical awareness and accountability in the design and implementation of avatar-based interactions in digital spaces.
... Sacks et al. [54] also adopted similar systems, except for the upgraded version EON Studio V7 for construction safety training. This system satisfies considerable but not all the requirements for a complete IVR environment, as indicated by Ref. [57]. It does not completely prevent all users from observing the physical environment; also, at any one time, only the user wearing the tracker glasses was able to observe the environment from their perspective (the others were unable to control their movement as they were limited to the sense of supporting them). ...
The construction industry contends with high injury rates, emphasizing the need for innovative preventive
measures in construction health and safety (CHS). While previous studies have investigated the potential ap
plications of virtual reality (VR) in the construction industry for different purposes, an in-depth study on VR in
the CHS context is lacking. Hence, this study provides a state-of-the-art analysis of VR applications in CHS,
employing a dual scientometric and systematic review approach. A scientometric analysis is conducted to
examine annual publication trends, keyword co-occurrences, and science mapping of publication outlets,
alongside mapping the contributions of leading countries in this domain. This analysis reveals a marked increase
in research interest and identifies central thematic connections within the body of literature. The systematic
review assesses VR technologies, including immersive, desktop-based, BIM-based, 3D game-based, and
augmented reality, addressing their roles in hazard identification and safety training. The study also underscores
challenges like infrastructure, content modeling, and interoperability and proposes directions for future research.
Recommendations include probing into VR’s role in cognitive safety risks and the impact of users’ prior safety
knowledge on learning outcomes. This study suggests that developing tailored VR experiences for specific user
groups could significantly advance safety practices in the construction industry.
... The first subgroup is the avatar, which is controlled by a human user. Avatars give human users on-screen representation and a visual means of interacting in the virtual world (Bailenson et al., 2008). The second subgroup is the agent, which is also referred to as animated agents, pedagogical agents, or synthetic humans. ...
Background
The voices virtual on‐screen characters use has been shown to impact learning and perception outcomes. Recent replication research on these voices showed that synthetic voices were not a detriment if produced by a high‐quality engine with clear articulation. The current manuscript examines previous accent research that utilized now outdated engines, to determine if the impact of accents still holds with high‐quality engines and voice actors.
Objectives
To investigate the impact on learning and perceptions with pedagogical agents speaking in accented voices, synthetic voices, and the interaction between the two using modern voice engines.
Methods
This study is a between‐subjects two (accent) by two (type) factorial design to determine the impact the voice accent, voice type, and the interaction have on learning retention, learning transfer, mental effort efficiency, and perception measures. 197 participants were recruited from the online Amazon's Mechanical Turk with qualifications of 18 years of age, “normal or corrected‐to‐normal hearing”, and located with the continental United States of America.
Results and Conclusions
There were no significant differences between the accented conditions or interaction effects, deviating from previous research that showed impact of accents on learning. The synthetic condition had significantly lower knowledge retention, knowledge transfer, mental effort efficiency, and perception measures than the human professional. These findings demonstrate the importance of considering voice quality when designing pedagogical agents. Previous research showed synthetic voices perform as well as the average voice, and this research continues the narrative of voice quality by showing professional recordings outperform modern synthetic engines.
... Many studies have explored digital transformation within this framework, presenting various perspectives (Schwertner, 2017;Prem, 2015;Rachinger et al., 2018;Nambisan et al., 2017;Hinings et al., 2018). Some studies have also looked at how digital transformation is used in innovative processes (Sen et al., 2022;Cetindamar et al., 2021;Westerman et al., 2014;Lee et al., 2021;Bailenson et al., 2008). However, focusing solely on innovation would not give an accurate picture. ...
The global attractiveness of digital transformation technologies leads many nations to increase their investments in these technologies and to achieve a stronger economic position. While this process can be considered in the context of many sectors, it has emerged more clearly in recent years, especially in the defence industry. Not only in many developed countries but also in Turkey, especially with the developments in the last 15 years, the defence industry sector can find a place among the notable countries in the world. Therefore, the use of these technologies can be expressed as a dynamic structure whose potential increases daily thanks to the added value it creates and the ecosystem it has created. However, this process is not only the application field of the private sector but also creates value in the context of the theoretical framework and concepts revealed by scientific studies. This study, it is aimed to develop a scale to determine the ‘digital transformation effectiveness’ in defence industry enterprises. In this framework, the scale and questionnaire questions were sent to companies operating in the Turkish defence industry, and 65 companies responded. The data was subjected to validity and reliability analyses using SPSS 26 and AMOS 26 programs, followed by statistical testing through exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. The findings showed that the scale has sufficiently high internal consistency, has explanatory and confirmatory factor validity, and also has criterion validity based on sub-dimensions.
... Virtual reality technology, an advanced modern resource, is now commonly integrated into training throughout several skills-based professions. Virtual reality technology is used in training methods for industries such as aviation, surgery, engineering, construction, and countless more (Whitney & Stephens, 2014, Bailenson, et al., 2008. Virtual reality technology allows for computer-generated simulations to create a virtual environment in which users experience and conduct various training tasks. ...
Virtual reality (VR) technology is an advanced modern resource commonly integrated into various forms of training. VR training simulations are customizable in that quality-grading parameter settings, physical environment, and user capacity can be modified to personal or professional preference. In this study, VR technology training practices are utilized to enact meaningful learning. Meaningful learning is achieved by providing visual and audial cues within the virtual training environment, weld performance skill development, and adequate skill practice time over a four-week span. This method of practice will reflect a new training style where beginning welders receive personalized feedback from both the VRTEX 360 virtual reality welding simulator and welding instructor. This training method benefits learners by expediting and enhancing their skill acquisition, adjusting their performance according to the various feedback they receive, and thereby experiencing meaningful learning. Results indicate that with each round of VR welding training participants’ test weld scores continuously increased, as well as consistently scoring 80% and higher. This enhanced performance of beginning welders implies VR welding training can effectively aid in developing complex welding skills. We recommend that future research investigate the effectiveness of parameter cues and total cost-savings of integrated VR technology into welding training methods.
... The term "avatar" originally refers to a deity in Indian mythology who, by assuming a human form, aimed to provide humanity with new perspectives, self-awareness, and selfrealization. In the context of virtual environments, avatars serve as digital representations of their users [Bailenson et al. 2008]. Widely utilized in online games, virtual stores, online messaging, and forums, avatars have been found to wield influence over users' perceptions and behaviors. ...
Avatars, digital representations of users in virtual environments, play a central role online, especially in the emerging context of the Metaverse. The customization of avatars provides individuals with the capability to craft personalized depictions, yet the process of self-representation is intricately influenced by various factors, encompassing identity, self-expression, and contextual considerations. However, there are gaps in research on the inclusive representation of avatars. This study investigates self-representation through avatars in virtual environments. We collected data through an online questionnaire with 133 participants. The findings are promising and underscore the need to make avatars more inclusive and representative, promoting diversity in virtual environments.
... They can then reflect on their own nonverbal behaviors and how they relate to students. For example, teachers can visualize students' gaze in virtual classrooms (Rahman et al., 2020) to gage attention, or use visualization techniques to judge their own eye contact in a classroom setting (Bailenson et al., 2008). ...
The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the significance of the virtual classroom as a tool for learning steeped in social experience. Social interactions play a vital role in the classroom. However, traditional remote learning alone, such as asynchronous online instruction, has limitations. In such cases, the use of virtual experiences with XR technology can help facilitate social interactions with teachers and classmates that would typically occur in a traditional, face-to-face pedagogical space. This essay focuses on three challenges of teaching in XR that can also have pedagogical value to stimulate fruitful discussions in communication classrooms.
... They can then reflect on their own nonverbal behaviors and how they relate to students. For example, teachers can visualize students' gaze in virtual classrooms (Rahman et al., 2020) to gage attention, or use visualization techniques to judge their own eye contact in a classroom setting (Bailenson et al., 2008). ...
... Virtual Reality (VR)-Lernumgebungen können Inhalte und Vorgänge interaktiv simulieren, deren Betrachtung und Durchführung in der 'Realität' sehr gefährlich, kostenintensiv oder schlichtweg überhaupt nicht möglich ist (Bailenson et al. 2008). Deshalb werden sie für die berufliche Bildung immer wichtiger. ...
In Virtual Reality (VR)-Umgebungen können Auszubildende, Umzuschulende und Weiterzubildende vergleichsweise kostengünstig, risikoarm und methodisch vielfältig - wie zum Beispiel in Form von virtuellen Rollenspielen - wichtige Handlungs- und Sozialkompetenzen für ihre aktuelle oder zukünftige berufliche Tätigkeit trainieren. Mit dem vorliegenden Beitrag möchten wir Organisationen der beruflichen Bildung, wie zum Beispiel Bildungsträger oder Betriebe, in diese Thematik einführen. Dazu geben wir zunächst einen Überblick über die Potenziale und Forschungsergebnisse zur bildungsbezogenen Nutzung von VR-Technologie sowie speziell zu VR-gestützten Rollenspielen. Zur Veranschaulichung ihrer Einsatzmöglichkeiten beschreiben wir anschließend drei Anwendungsfälle aus den Bereichen Tourismus, Immobilienwirtschaft und Gesundheit. Um Organisationen eine Unterstützung bei der Erwägung und Implementierung von VR-gestützten Lernszenarien bereitzustellen, erarbeiten wir abschließend einen Handlungsleitfaden mit sechs Schritten.
... For example, user reactions to the anthropomorphism of a robot are likely to differ from those to the anthropomorphism of graphic design or virtual characters. As such, research needs a better understanding of the effects of anthropomorphism under a business scenario, such as VIs (Bailenson et al., 2008;Miao et al., 2022). ...
Virtual influencers (VIs), digitally created characters with a significant presence on social media, are progressively engaged to promote products and brands. Understanding the impact of these influencers' anthropomorphic design is crucial to their marketing effectiveness. Drawing from anthropomorphism literature, this research evaluates the effect of four types of anthropomorphism—namely, appearance, moral virtue, cognitive experience, and conscious emotionality—on followers' perceptions of VI credibility and parasocial relationships, as well as their purchase intention. The results of a survey reveal that anthropomorphism in moral virtue and cognitive experience has a positive effect on both credibility and parasocial relationships, while anthropomorphism in appearance has a positive effect only on parasocial relationships. Anthropomorphism in conscious emotionality has no significant effect. Both credibility and parasocial relationships have a positive effect on purchase intention, with the impact of parasocial relationships being stronger. Influencer–product congruence positively moderates the impact of credibility on purchase intention. The study advances the understanding of VI marketing and underscores the importance of considering the different aspects of anthropomorphism and their impacts on followers’ perceptions and behavior. The findings inform business strategy and decision-making in developing and promoting VI marketing campaigns.
... Digital and interactive visualizations have, for some time now, been used as tools for computer-supported collaborative learning; however, recent developments in VR technologies have expanded the potential for student learning in schools (Ferguson et al., 2020;Maas & Hughes, 2020;Pellas et al., 2021). These technologies provide students with innovative embodied ways of accessing and engaging with knowledge (Huang et al., 2023;Johnson-Glenberg, 2018), and the ability to engage with simulated environments may enhance student motivation and engagement (Bailenson et al., 2008;Maas & Hughes, 2020). They also potentially offer students learning situations in which abstract ideas and concepts become more concrete (Salzman et al., 1999;Winn, 1993), making it possible to observe and engage with phenomena more directly at different levels of detail and from multiple perspectives (Dede, 2009;Fauville et al., 2021;Lindgren & Johnson-Glenberg, 2013;Sobocinski et al., 2023). ...
By adopting a situated and interactional approach, we explore students’ immersive VR experiences as resources for collaborative meaning making and learning. We draw on data from a project in which teachers and researchers co-developed a learning design for upper secondary students involving immersive VR technology. In this learning design, students viewed a cinematic VR film where they encountered different people telling personal stories about exclusion and discrimination, followed by reflective group dialogues with their teacher about their experiences in this environment. Through a detailed interaction analysis of these dialogues, we identify four dimensions that characterize students’ meaning making: (1) the feeling of taking part in conversations, (2) attending to bodily expressions of others, (3) students’ own bodily responses, (4) teacher guidance. We discuss how the findings from our analysis contribute to the field of CSCL, and which also have implications for instructional work that includes the use of immersive VR environments.
... In contrast, desktop virtual environments have limited interaction, as the visual experience is limited to a 2D screen. The higher level of immersion, realism, and interaction in VR environments allows for better adaptation to the sensory needs of learners in real time [78], which is a possible explanation for the better performance in the VR than in CS settings. In fact, using VR-based paradigms provides a higher immersion level than 2D screens, as supported by various studies [79][80][81][82]. ...
Spatial cognition plays a crucial role in academic achievement, particularly in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) domains. Immersive virtual environments (VRs) have the growing potential to reduce cognitive load and improve spatial reasoning. However, traditional methods struggle to assess the mental effort required for visuospatial processes due to the difficulty in verbalizing actions and other limitations in self-reported evaluations. In this neuroergonomics study, we aimed to capture the neural activity associated with cognitive workload during visuospatial tasks and evaluate the impact of the visualization medium on visuospatial task performance. We utilized functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) wearable neuroimaging to assess cognitive effort during spatial-reasoning-based problem-solving and compared a VR, a computer screen, and a physical real-world task presentation. Our results reveal a higher neural efficiency in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) during 3D geometry puzzles in VR settings compared to the settings in the physical world and on the computer screen. VR appears to reduce the visuospatial task load by facilitating spatial visualization and providing visual cues. This makes it a valuable tool for spatial cognition training, especially for beginners. Additionally, our multimodal approach allows for progressively increasing task complexity, maintaining a challenge throughout training. This study underscores the potential of VR in developing spatial skills and highlights the value of comparing brain data and human interaction across different training settings.
... The pedagogical-didactic literature on VRLabs, together with that on blended learning just presented, while considering the increase in learning methods related to digital developments, offers some elements for reflection to qualify the adoption of these innovative teaching practices. In the light of the current situation, i.e. the shift from the Information Age to the Experience Age (Wadhera, 2016), large evidence underlines the educational value of VRLabs in the Experience Age (Bailenson et al., 2008;Dalgarno & Lee, 2010;Lau & Lee, 2015), where "the best way to use virtual reality in learning is to create experiences that help students to understand the learning context better" (Lau & Lee, 2015). In line with these preliminary considerations, the meta-analysis by Kaplan et al. (2021) aims to explore, through empirical research, the transferring of training from virtual (VR), augmented (AR), and mixed reality (MR), and to determine whether such extended reality (XR)-based training is as effective as the traditional training methods. ...
A great number of educational institutions worldwide have had their activities partially or fully interrupted following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Consequently, universities have had to take the necessary steps in order to adapt their teaching, including laboratory workshops, to a fully online or mixed mode of delivery while maintaining their academic standards and providing a high-quality student experience. This transition has required, among other efforts, adequate investments in tools, accessibility, content development, and competences as well as appropriate training for both the teaching and administrative staff. In such a complex scenario, Virtual Reality Laboratories (VRLabs), which in the past already proved themselves to be efficient tools supporting the traditional practical activities, could well represent a valid alternative in the hybrid didactic mode of the contemporary educational landscape, rethinking the educational proposal in light of the indications coming from the scientific literature in the pedagogical field. In this context, the present work carries out a critical review of the existent virtual labs developed in the Engineering departments in the last ten years (2010-2020) and includes a pre-pandemic experience of a VRLab tool - StreamFlowVR - within the Hydraulics course of Basilicata University, Italy. This analysis is aimed at highlighting how ready VRLabs are to be exploited not only in emergency but also in ordinary situations, together with valorising an interdisciplinary dialogue between the pedagogical and technological viewpoints, in order to progressively foster a high-quality and evidence-based educational experience.
In an era of globalization, countries and people are progressively interconnected with soft power playing a crucial role in expanding influence through collaboration and cultural exchange. The Thai film industry, despite its global recognition, encounters challenge due to limited English language proficiency among its professionals, which hampers its potential for international engagement and actions. This study intends a virtual learning model designed to enhance language skills and support the growth of soft power within the Thai film industry. Employing technologies such as the Metaverse, the model integrates learning across all stages of film production—pre-production, production, and post-production. Lining up with SDG 4 and national policies, the study adopts an action research approach to gauge the impact of this model on industry professionals. Ultimately, this research aims to provide a sustainable framework for developing language skills and flourishing Thailand's soft power, driving the future growth of the Thai film industry on the macro stage.
In an era of globalization, countries and people are progressively interconnected with soft power playing a crucial role in expanding influence through collaboration and cultural exchange. The Thai film industry, despite its global recognition, encounters challenge due to limited English language proficiency among its professionals, which hampers its potential for international engagement and actions. This study intends a virtual learning model designed to enhance language skills and support the growth of soft power within the Thai film industry. Employing technologies such as the Metaverse, the model integrates learning across all stages of film production—pre-production, production, and post-production. Lining up with SDG 4 and national policies, the study adopts an action research approach to gauge the impact of this model on industry professionals. Ultimately, this research aims to provide a sustainable framework for developing language skills and flourishing Thailand's soft power, driving the future growth of the Thai film industry on the macro stage.
The integration of technology in education has revolutionized teaching and learning, significantly boosting student engagement and fostering a sense of connectedness. Over time, educational tools have evolved from simple instruments to sophisticated digital platforms, transforming interactions between educators and learners. This chapter explores the impact of various technologies, including Learning Management Systems (LMS), Virtual Reality (VR), and hybrid learning models, on enhancing engagement and connectedness, offering valuable insights for educators. Utilizing a comprehensive literature review, the chapter aims to analyzes existing studies to assess how these technologies influence learning experiences. Findings indicate that technology facilitates personalized learning, encourages collaboration, and enhances academic performance, with engaged students demonstrating greater motivation. In conclusion, leveraging technology in education is essential for improving student outcomes and requires ongoing professional development for educators.
Towards the end of the twentieth century, academic systems around the world were witnessing significant transformations, in various forms, all of which were primarily aimed at the betterment of academic outcomes as the world, in the twenty-first century, was inherently delving into the 4th industrial revolution. Many academic establishments had already determined that their outcomes were anything but sufficiently market worthy due to the outdated educational routines that had been in place throughout the preceding couple of centuries. The industrial sector found itself having to retool college graduates so that their skills were more suitable for the various industrial establishments that were accepting them for jobs and careers. In the meantime, and as part of the underlying professional development objectives, various industrial organizations were already hosting entities of their own which they often referred to as “universities”. However, none of these entities had the infrastructures or the type of organized course offerings that were characteristic of proper academic institutions. These “industrial university entities” endeavored to promote professional development to suit the underlying needs of the organization. Some of these endeavors were accomplished by means of technically relevant short courses and training workshops. Such activities often involved specialist lecturers in addition to materials circulated to the audiences in paper and/or electronic formats. Other industrial organizations that were involved in employee preparedness and professional development efforts often produced their training programs solely in electronic digital formats which were delivered to the constituents in person or by mail at the request of the seekers. A few other organizations had in place digital material that was rendered in interactive formats, which often also involved automated smart-assessment activities of the participants. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, most of the academic institutions the world over found themselves having to prepare to counter similar situations in the future and were compelled to re-orient their offered academic courses to handle similar emergency circumstances. In the process, academic institutions had to leverage ongoing forms of technology to deliver their academic courses by adapting one or more of the prevailing known forms of course delivery paradigm, which included online learning, hybrid and in-person modes of learning, or any viable mix thereof. As educational systems throughout the world had been witnessing transformations of various forms, all of which were aimed towards the amelioration and betterment of the academic delivery systems, there was inherently an imminent need for automation of the different processes and protocols involved. Commensurate with that, processes were already in place to reorient the various academic outcomes to better suit the needs of the industrial sector to cope with the fourth industrial revolution. Going hand in hand with the COVID-19 transformations that impacted, in one way or another, academic systems in the Arab world, there is now a stark need for these systems to move one step further and put together an academic process that can be delivered entirely and reliably in an automated digital format. Hoping that we can leverage what has been achieved thus far in Jordan, and possibly other places around the Arab world, there is now the need to study how best academic systems in Arab countries can transform in such a way that all evolving technology-based, artificial intelligence (AI)-leveraging industries will be better served by steering the academic processes into more student-centric outcome-based endeavors, where the remaining question will always be: “How far can digitization/automation of academic courses carry a successful academic transformation into the smart digital age?” This chapter will attempt to answer the question by recommending ways and approaches that can help the academic sectors in Jordan, and those around the Arab world, implement the most appropriate digital transformations that would serve to enhance the fourth industrial revolution.
This paper explores the complementary roles of humans and machines in the collaborative evaluation of creative speech, aiming to enhance the accuracy, reliability, and efficiency of creativity assessments. Traditional methods of evaluating creative speech primarily rely on human judges, who bring intuition and contextual understanding but are limited by subjectivity and scalability challenges. Conversely, artificial intelligence offers computational power and consistency but lacks the complex judgment that human evaluators provide. This research aims to investigate the divergent and convergent aspects of each evaluation and highlight the importance of co-creative collaboration between humans and machines. We utilize the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking to assess the 22 creative speech samples of 11 participants, comparing evaluations conducted by human experts, and an AI system (the GPT4). While the results demonstrate a certain degree of correlation between human and AI evaluation especially in evaluating Flexibility, they also reveal the differences in how humans and machines perceive Originality in text.
Over the past few decades, the use of extended reality environments for the purpose of teaching
and learning has become increasingly popular. Such environments provide an opportunity for
perceptual presence and immersion through multisensory experience and interaction and thus
mimicking the real-world [1], [2]. Extended reality (XR) encompasses environments and
technologies such as Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and Mixed Reality (MR)
[3], [4]. AR overlays information such as images, texts, video and sounds on the real world or
the user's viewing device [5]. VR provides an environment for sensory immersion and simulates
the real world. It offers an interactive environment where users are immersed in a virtual
environment and cannot see the real environment around them [5], [6]. MR uses technology to
influence the human perception of an experience. It provides a view of the physical world with
an overlay of virtual information where physical and virtual elements can interact [4], [7].
XR environments can help students practice and develop skills that might be difficult to learn in
a traditional teaching and learning environment [8]. They also provide an opportunity for
students to “see” concepts/structures that are difficult to see and/or are invisible [9] or interact
with materials that might be hazardous in real life [10], [11]. Review studies have indicated other
benefits of virtual environments such as improved learning outcomes, cognitive, psychomotor
and affective skills, as well as enhanced enjoyment, engagement and motivation [12]-[15]. di
Lanzo et al. reviewed the use of virtual reality specifically in engineering education [16].
Findings indicated that virtual reality can be beneficial for cognitive and skill-based learning
outcomes. However, shortcomings with respect to evaluation metrics and small sample size were
noted. The authors further argue that those shortcomings can even question the reported benefits
of using VR in engineering education.
Despite recent trends in integrating XR environment in education, there is an absence of
theoretical frameworks in studies of XR applications for learning [17]-[20]. Learning theories
and educational frameworks, however, can play a key role in supporting educational technology
implementation. This paper, thus, seeks to identify, and synthesize theoretical frameworks that
support the design and/or implementation and evaluation of XR as a guide for faculty,
educational researchers and instructional designers. It will present a systematic review that
addresses the following questions:
1. What theoretical frameworks/technological factors are used in educational XR studies?
2. How are theoretical frameworks/technological factors applied in educational XR studies?
3. How is the effectiveness of XR evaluated?
This paper uses the perspective of the theory of experience preference (IPOP) and applies its characteristics of interaction and experience to explain the transformation process of the Metaverse in future education. We consider the internal mechanism, practice path and innovation strategy of the Metaverse for the promotion of future education from the perspectives of cognition, experience and reaction. This study is expected to enrich the connotation of education, to change the educational model, and to expand the space of educational practice. In the end, it will activate individual initiative and freedom, and then form a future educational ecology that integrates virtual and actual reality and provides an immersive experience in the Metaverse.
In recent years, the metaverse has gained popularity in the business world. It is a virtual space where individuals or groups can interact with each other using different digital objects in real time, thus creating a new dimension of social, economic, entertainment activities, and interests. Rapidly emerging business opportunities have triggered organisations to adapt the metaverse as a new engaging platform so that they can gain higher competitive advantage. However, the metaverse adaptation rate is low, the best practices are yet to emerge, and the discussions related to practitioners and scholars are in nominal existence. Deriving from the same question, this chapter tries to enrich the dearth of discussion by analysing the metaverse with and inclination toward the consumer's consumption and financial viability. The chapter may act as a guiding source to practitioners for rational policy making and may be helpful to scholars in extending interdisciplinary research paths across different knowledge domains.
One of the first revolutions of Web 3.0 technology has been the metaverse, which is an alternative world formation where people can experience three-dimensional virtual realities through their avatars. The only way for higher education to survive in the metaverse era is to do an in-depth examination of the current situation and create strategies, regulations, and policies for all segments of this novice field considering also the ethical challenges it will bring to humanity. In a metaverse environment, there will be personalized avatars that represent real people, and in a university setting with virtual classes held in the metaverse, many ethical dilemmas and moral concerns can develop due to the utilization of avatars. The study narrowed its attention to examining these ethical issues raised by avatar customization and potential solutions to design a healthy metaverse in higher education. The study conducted an in-depth exploration with fourteen higher education lecturers, who are also key people specialized in the metaverse and web 3.0 technologies. The data obtained from the interviews were clustered under seven thematic nodes including anonymous identities; socially equal & diverse avatars; avatar policy; honesty & transparency; non-resemblance with the physical realities; avatar clothes codes; and avatars’ intellectual property. Key Words: Avatar, Ethics, Metaverse, Higher Education, Metaverse Universities
This study aims to analyze the use of virtual reality and gamification in education by examining the existing literature. In addition to virtual reality, this study focuses on gamified virtual reality learning environments which refer to virtual reality learning environments that integrate gamification elements and mechanisms. Based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement, a systematic literature review was carried out. No limitations were set regarding educational level, type of study, subject, and publication year. The related articles were retrieved from 5 databases (ERIC, Google Scholar, IEEE, SCOPUS, and Web of Science). A total of 112 articles were included, 16 research questions were explored, and a thematic analysis was conducted. To evaluate the quality of the articles included, the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) was used. According to the findings, gamification and virtual reality support several pedagogical theories and approaches. Their adoption to and integration into education can enrich and transform traditional teaching and learning and were assessed positively by students and teachers. Gamification elements significantly affected students’ achievements. In comparison to traditional learning environments, gamified virtual reality learning environments were more motivating, engaging, and interactive and offered more opportunities for personalized and collaborative learning. Through the realistic and interactive experiences offered, students’ immersion and social presence can be enhanced, knowledge acquisition can be improved, and material comprehension can be facilitated. Positive changes in student attitude, behavior, and mentality as well as improved cognitive, physical, and social–emotional development were observed. When using learning environments that integrate both virtual reality and gamification, students’ learning outcomes, motivation, engagement, and self-efficacy were increased. Additionally, students’ academic performance, active involvement, and satisfaction were improved. Students’ curiosity, imagination, focus, and interest were enhanced and their skills and competences were developed. Finally, gamified virtual reality emerged as an effective educational tool that can improve learning at all educational levels, subjects, and contexts.
We address the telling/not-telling dilemma in mathematics education. Telling is instructionally important, but has been downplayed because of (a) perceived inconsistencies between telling and constructivism, (b) increased awareness of the negative consequences of relying too heavily on telling, and (c) a focus on "non-telling" actions as pedagogical implications of constructivism. In response, we advance a theoretical reformulation of telling as the set of teaching actions that serve the function of stimulating students' mathematical thoughts via the introduction of new ideas into a classroom conversation. We reformulate telling in three ways: (a) in terms of the function (which involves attention to the teacher's intention, the nature of the teaching action, and the students' interpretations of the action) rather than the/own of teachers' communicative acts; (b) in terms of the conceptual rather than procedural content of the new information; and (c) in terms of its relationship to other actions rather than as an isolated action. This reformulation resolves some of the concerns with teaching as telling and helps establish the legitimacy of providing new information within a constructivist perspective on learning.
Developing effective instructional plans from both a traditional approach (e.g., instructivist) as well as a constructivist approach is clearly important for preservice teacher education. This study was designed to validate and compare two cognitive tools, the Instructional Planning Self-Reflective Tool (IPSRT), and the Constructivist Planning Self-Reflective Tool (CPSRT), which were each found in prior research to significantly improve instructional planning performance and motivation/attitude for preservice teachers. In a repeated-measures design, forty-two preservice teachers received both the IPSRT and the CPSRT in differing order and wrote two instructional plans on the same topic, one with each tool. Results validated the IPSRT for its efficacy in facilitating the development of instructivist plans and the CPSRT for constructivist plan development. No significant differences were found between the IPSRT and CPSRT in participants' instructional planning performance, motivational/attitudinal impact, and perceived tool value, thus confirming that neither tool is more effective than the other. Differences were revealed in preservice teachers' perceptions of metacognitive value of each tool, where the IPSRT was found to better support self-monitoring whereas the CPSRT better supported cognitive flexibility. Implications for implementing these two tools for instructivist and constructivist planning are discussed.
Historically, at least 3 methodological problems have dogged experimental social psychology: the experimental control-mundane realism trade-off, lack of replication, and unrepresentative sampling. We argue that immersive virtual environment technology (IVET) can help ameliorate, if not solve, these methodological problems and, thus, holds promise as a new social psychological research tool. In this article, we first present an overview of IVET and review IVET-based research within psychology and other fields. Next, we propose a general model of social influence within immersive virtual environments and present some preliminary findings regarding its utility for social psychology. Finally, we present a new paradigm for experimental social psychology that may enable researchers to unravel the very fabric of social interaction.
The Virtual Environments Laboratory at the University of Southern California (USC) has ini- tiated a research program aimed at developing virtual reality (VR) technology applications for the study, assessment, and rehabilitation of cognitive/functional processes. This technol- ogy is seen to offer many advantages for these aims and an introductory section of this arti- cle will discuss the specific rationale for VR applications in the area of clinical neuropsy- chology. A discussion of attention processes will follow and issues for the development of a head-mounted display (HMD) VR system for the study, assessment, and possible rehabilita- tion of attention disorders will then be presented. Our efforts to target this cognitive process are supported by the widespread occurrence and relative significance of attention impair- ments seen in a variety of clinical conditions across the human lifespan. Most notably, at- tention difficulties are seen in persons with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders (ADHD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and as a feature of various neurodegenerative disor- ders (i.e., Alzheimer' s Disease, Vascular Dementia, etc.). Virtual Environment (VE) technol- ogy appears to provide specific assets for addressing these impairments that are not available using existing methods. VEs delivered via HMDs are well suited for these types of applica- tions as they serve to provide a controlled stimulus environment where cognitive challenges can be presented along with the precise delivery and control of " distracting" auditory and vi- sual stimuli. This level of experimental control allows for the development of attention as- sessment tasks that are more similar to what is found in the real world and could improve on the ecological validity of measurement and treatment in this area. A recent project in our lab has involved the development of a virtual " classroom" specifically aimed at the assess- ment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The system uses a Virtual Re- search V8 HMD, Ascension Systems head, hand, and leg tracking, and is run on an SGI Onyx platform. The scenario consists of a standard rectangular classroom environment containing student desks, a teacher' s desk, a virtual teacher, a blackboard, a large window looking out onto a playground with buildings, vehicles, and people, and a pair of doorways on each end
An abstract is not available.
There is growing interest in learning that occurs is non-formal environments such as museum. Unfortunately, learning at museums can be limited by access -- students rarely visit museums more than once a year. Potentially, informal learning on the internet has the advantage that learners have far greater access to the site allowing for more in-depth and extended learning experiences. There remains a significant challenge to create an online experience that matches the appeal and impact of a visit to a real museum. The development of multi-user virtual environments (MUVEs) makes it possible to replicate some of the social atmosphere of a museum on the internet. One of the innovators in this area is a website called Whyville (Numedeon Inc. 1999) which provides a virtual village for kids to learn about science. Although Whyville attracts a large number of users and includes rich science activities, science accounts for very little of the discussion on the site (Foley, Jones, McPhee-Baker, & Aschbacher, 2002). In order to make science more ubiquitous in the environment, the site management instigated a virtual virus called the Why-Pox which quickly infected users on the site causing spots to appear on their avatars. We examine the impact of the Why-Pox on the community and how it led to increased interest and inquiry in science.
This National Science Foundation funded project utilizes graphical multi-user virtual environments (MUVEs) as a vehicle to study (1) classroom-based situated learning and (2) the ways in which virtual environments may aid the transfer of learning from classroom contexts into real world settings. In the project's River City curriculum, teams of middle school students are asked to collaboratively solve a simulated 19 th century city's problems with illness, through interaction with each others' 'avatars', digital artifacts, tacit clues, and computer-based 'agents' acting as mentors and colleagues in a virtual community of practice. This paper describes the design-based research strategy by which we are currently extending an educational MUVE environment and curriculum developed with prior NSF funding. We are implementing a series of studies to determine if such virtual environments can sufficiently replicate authentic contexts and multi-leveled communities of practice to provide students with classroom experiences in situated learning.
Many researchers are exploring the types of learning that occur in informal out-of-school technology use (such as videogame play), yet the content of these environments tends not to align to national standards for academic content. This paper presents research on how a multi-user virtual environment centered on content related to national standards and assessments in biology and ecology offers new types of immersive learning for engaging grades 7 and 8 students in learning science.
This article describes the Quest Atlantis (QA) project, a learning and teaching project that employs a multiuser, virtual environment to immerse children, ages 9-12, in educational tasks. QA combines strategies used in commercial gaming environments with lessons from educational research on learning and motivation. It allows users at participating elementary schools and after-school centers to travel through virtual spaces to perform educational activities, talk with other users and mentors, and build virtual personae. Our work has involved an agenda and process that may be called socially-responsive design, which involves building sociotechnical structures that engage with and potentially transform individuals and their contexts of participation. This work sits at the intersection of education, entertainment, and social commitment and suggests an expansive focus for instructional designers. The focus is on engaging classroom culture and relevant aspects of student life to inspire participation consistent with social commitments and educational goals interpreted locally.
Many learning environments, computer-based or not, have been developed for either students or teachers alone to engage them
in mathematical inquiry. While some headway has been made in both directions, few efforts have concentrated on creating learning
environments that bring both teachers and students together in their teaching and learning. In the following paper, we propose
game design as such a learning environment for students and teachers to build on and challenge their existing understandings
of mathematics, engage in relevant and meaningful learning contexts, and develop connections among their mathematical ideas
and their real world contexts. To examine the potential of this approach, we conducted and analyzed two studies: Study I focused
on a team of four elementary school students designing games to teach fractions to younger students, Study II focused on teams
of pre-service teachers engaged in the same task. We analyzed the various games designed by the different teams to understand
how teachers and students conceptualize the task of creating virtual game learning environment for others, in which ways they
integrate their understanding of fractions and develop notions about students' thinking in fractions, and how conceptual design
tools can provide a common platform to develop meaningful fraction contexts. In our analysis, we found that most teachers
and students, when left to their own devices, create instructional games to teach fractions that incorporate little of their
knowledge. We found that when we provided teachers and students with conceptual design tools such as game screens and design
directives that facilitated an integration of content and game context, the games as well as teachers' and students' thinking
increased in their sophistication. In the discussion, we elaborate on how the design activities helped to integrate rarely
used informal knowledge of students and teachers, how the conceptual design tools improved the instructional design process,
and how students and teachers benefit in their mathematical inquiry from each others' perspectives. In the outlook, we discuss
features for computational design learning environments.
Immersive virtual environment (IVE) technology has great promise as a tool for basic experimental research in psychology.
IVE technology gives participants the experience of being surrounded by the computer-synthesized environment. We begin with
a discussion of the various devices needed to implement immersive virtual environments, including object manipulation and
social interaction. We review the benefits and drawbacks associated with virtual environment technology, in comparison with
more conventional ways of doing basic experimental research. We then consider a variety of examples of research using IVE
technology in the areas of perception, spatial cognition, and social interaction.
This paper provides an introduction to the technology of virtual reality (VR) and its possibilies for education and training. It focuses on immersion as the key added value of VR, and analyzes what cognitive variables are connected to immersion, how it is generated in synthetic environments, what immersion is, and what its benefits are. The central research question is the value of tracked, immersive visual displays over non-immersive simulations. The paper provides a brief overview of existing VR research on training and transfer, education, and procedural, cognitive and maintenance training.
This sketch presents the design and preliminary results of a study that investigates the transference of motor skills learned in a haptic-enabled virtual environment to performance on a surgically-relevant task in the real world. The chosen task, which requires skills similar to those needed in a number of surgical procedures, including stapedotomy and cochleostomy, is drilling holes through an eggshell using a surgical drill without penetrating the egg's inner membrane. Results reflect a learning curve for task proficiency and indicate a benefit to haptic training, but a planned follow-up study will be required for this claim to be statistically conclusive.
This paper summarizes some of the progress that has been made toward populating such a world with embodied conversational agents
This paper presents the design and implementation of a distributed virtual reality (VR) platform that was developed to support the training of multiple users who must perform complex tasks in which situation assessment and critical thinking are the primary components of success. The system is fully immersive and multimodal, and users are represented as tracked, full-body figures. The system supports the manipulation of virtual objects, allowing users to act upon the environment in a natural manner. The underlying intelligent simulation component creates an interac- tive, responsive world in which the consequences of such actions are presented within a realistic, time-critical scenario. The focus of this work has been on the training of medical emergency-response personnel. BioSimMER, an application of the system to training first responders to an act of bio-terrorism, has been imple- mented and is presented throughout the paper as a concrete example of how the underlying platform architecture supports complex training tasks. Finally, a prelimi- nary field study was performed at the Texas Engineering Extension Service Fire Protection Training Division. The study focused on individual, rather than team, in- teraction with the system and was designed to gauge user acceptance of VR as a training tool. The results of this study are presented.
Computer-mediated communication systems known as collaborative virtual environments (CVEs) allow geographically separated individuals to interact verbally and nonverbally in a shared virtual space in real time. We discuss a CVE-based research paradigm that transforms (i.e., filters and modifies) nonverbal behaviors during social interaction. Because the technology underlying CVEs allows a strategic decoupling of rendered behavior from the actual behavior of the interactants, conceptual and perceptual constraints inherent in face-to-face interaction need not apply. Decoupling algorithms can enhance or degrade facets of nonverbal behavior within CVEs, such that interactants can reap the benefits of nonverbal enhancement or suffer nonverbal degradation. Concepts underlying transformed social interaction (TSI), the ethics and implications of such a research paradigm, and data from a pilot study examining TSI are discussed.
During the past decade, high-performance computer graphics have found application in an exciting and expanding range of new domains. Among the most dramatic developments has been the incorporation of real-time interactive manipulation and display for human figures. Though actively pursued by several research groups, the problem of providing a synthetic or surrogate human for engineers and designers already familiar with computer-aided design techniques was most comprehensively solved by Norman Badler's computer graphics laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania. The breadth of that effort as well as the details of its methodology and software environment are presented in this volume. The book is intended for human factors engineers interested in understanding how a computer-graphics surrogate human can augment their analyses of designed environments. It will also inform design engineers of the state of the art in human figure modeling, and hence of the human-centered design central to the emergent concept of concurrent engineering. In fulfilling these goals, the book additionally documents for the entire computer graphics community a major research effort in the interactive control of articulated human figures.
Nature - the world's best science and medicine on your desktop
Some nonverbal signals, like gestures, are not available in computer-supported communication based on audio and textual messages. Therefore computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) is subjected to restrictions concerning the process of communication. The effects of nonverbal signs and their relevance in collaborative virtual environments are reported. An experimental study was performed to investigate the effects of the availability of nonverbal signs on the communication process, performance measures and subjective ratings regarding the 3D virtual environment and the communication. Differences concerning objective communication variables, such as number of interruptions, did not reach the level of statistical significance. Providing nonverbal signs in collaborative virtual environments, however, leads to higher motivation and a smoother communication process. The results are discussed with regard to CSCL applications.
For hundreds of years verbal messages - such as lectures and printed lessons - have been the primary means of explaining ideas to learners. In Multimedia Learning Richard Mayer explores ways of going beyond the purely verbal by combining words and pictures for effective teaching. Multimedia encyclopedias have become the latest addition to students' reference tools, and the world wide web is full of messages that combine words and pictures. Do these forms of presentation help learners? If so, what is the best way to design multimedia messages for optimal learning? Drawing upon 10 years of research, the author provides seven principles for the design of multimedia messages and a cognitive theory of multimedia learning. In short, this book summarizes research aimed at realizing the promise of multimedia learning - that is, the potential of using words and pictures together to promote human understanding.
A series of five studies, employing 146 college students, investigated the positive effects of gaze upon recall. Various experimental designs were implemented. In each study the experimenter delivered a verbal presentation to subjects in gaze and no-gaze conditions. Questions pertaining to the topic of the verbal presentation served as the measuring device for recall. It was concluded that examiner's gaze significantly affects subjects' recall.
32 male subjects were asked a series of intimate questions by a liked or disliked male confederate who either avoided eye-contact or shifted to continuous directed gaze in the middle of an interview session. Analyses of subjects' cardiovascular responses showed a relative increase in heart-rate following eye-contact in the negative affect condition compared to a decrease in heart-rate following eye-contact in the positive affect condition. No differences in heart-rate changes were observed between positive and negative affect conditions in the no eye-contact group. Results are discussed in relation to M. Patterson and his colleagues' arousal and multistage models of exchange of nonverbal intimacy.
This paper analyzes the tension between the traditional foundation of efficacy in teaching mathematics and current reform efforts in mathematics education. Drawing substantially on their experiences in learning mathematics, many teachers are disposed to teach mathematics by "telling": by stating facts and demonstrating procedures to their students. Clear and accurate telling provides a foundation for teachers' sense of efficacy--the belief that they can affect student learning--because the direct demonstration of mathematics is taken to be necessary for student learning. A strong sense of efficacy supports teachers' efforts to face difficult challenges and persist in the face of adversity. But current reforms that de-emphasize telling and focus on enabling students' mathematical activity undermine this basis of efficacy. For the current reform to generate deep and lasting changes, teachers must find new foundations for building durable efficacy beliefs that are consistent with reform-based teaching practices. Although productive new "moorings" for efficacy exist, research has not examined how practicing teachers' sense of efficacy shifts as they attempt to align their practice with reform principles. Suggestions for research to chart the development of, and change in, mathematics teachers' sense of efficacy are presented.
The effects of interpersonal cooperation, competition, and individualistic efforts were compared on math and reading drill-review, story problems, sequencing, triangle identification, and visual sorting according to attributes tasks. Sixty-four first-grade students were included in the study. Subjects were randomly assigned to conditions stratifying on the basis of sex and reading ability so that an approximately equal percentage of males and females and high, average, and low readers were included in each condition. The results indicate that on all six tasks subjects in the cooperative condition achieved higher than did subjects in the competitive condition on all six tasks, and higher than the subjects in the individualistic condition on the drill-review, sequencing, and visual sorting according to attributes tasks. On the triangle identification tasks subjects in the individualistic condition achieved higher than did the subjects in the competitive condition. In general, subjects in the cooperative condition felt that the tasks were easier than did the subjects in the competitive and individualistic conditions.
Eighty male and female university students were verbally reinforced for agree-disagree responses when they expressed favorable attitudes to intercollegiate sports. The distance that the interviewer stood apart from the S was varied and the interviewer engaged in eye contact or no eye contact with the S. The results indicated that the magnitude of attitude change was adversely affected when the interviewer stood “close” and gave no eye contact to the S. An explanation of the results was offered using a two-factor interpretation of attitudinal verbal reinforcement and interpersonal attraction.
In this paper, we propose a framework for understanding technology-mediated social interaction that attempts to synthesize theory and research from the fields of social psychology, communications, sociology, and computer science. Although this perspective has developed primarily to describe the social dynamics of interactions occurring within collaborative virtual environments (CVEs), we believe this general framework will be of use to those who study other types of mediated and non-mediated interactions as well.
This article presents an overview of what we know about two perspectives, coined instructionist and constructionist, to games for learning. The instructionists, accustomed to thinking in terms of making instructional educational materials, turn naturally to the concept of designing instructional games. Far fewer people have sought to turn the tables: by making games for learning instead of playing games for learning. Rather than embedding “lessons” directly in games, constructionists have focused their efforts on providing students with greater opportunities to construct their own games—and to construct new relationships with knowledge in the process. Research has only begun to build a body of experience that willmake us believe in the value of playing and making games for learning.
Animations are a versatile media for displaying changes over time. They can show cellular processes, a billion years of continental drift, the assembly of a desk, and even the invisible shifting of political tides. Most animations depict changes to a situation, such as a desk being assembled. In this chapter, we describe a series of software environments, called Teachable Agents (TAs) that use animations in another way. Rather than displaying a situation, the TAs animate the thoughts an individual might use to reason about that situation. For example, using the same well-structured representations as experts, TAs can visually model how to reason through the causal chains of an ecosystem. This is worthwhile, because the goal of learning is often to
emulate an expert’s reasoning processes, and animations of thought make that reasoning visible. For novices, learning to reason with an expert’s knowledge organization is as important as learning the bare facts themselves.
Forty adult participants tested the hypothesis that an important aspect of learning-by-teaching is the opportunity to watch one's student perform. Participants studied a passage on the body's mechanisms for causing fever. They then completed one of four conditions. (a) Teach and then observe their student answer questions. (b) Teach and then self-study the same questions oneself. (c) Self-study and then observe a student answer questions. (d) Self-study and then self-study again. Results indicated that teaching and observing one's student led to greatest learning gains both for the questions one's student tried to answer and new questions that had not been raised. In some cases, it is better to observe than do.
In this chapter, I review the theoretical and empirical work on the use of animated pedagogical agents (APAs) in multimedia learning. After defining APAs and reviewing some of the existing applications, I present a cognitive theory of multimedia learning (CTML) from which predictions for APA design are derived. More specifically, I contrast the potential beneficial and detrimental effects for using APAs in interactive multimedia environments. Then, I provide a critical analysis of the literature summarizing what we know about APAs and discuss the implications of this research for instructional design. Finally, I explore future directions for advancing our understanding about the role of APAs in multimedia learning. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Used a repeated-measures design in 2 studies to compare the story-recall performances of 24 male and 22 female primary-school children who were read stories under 2 conditions: presence vs absence of teacher's gaze. Analysis indicated a significant positive relationship between gaze and recall, especially among males. Findings are discussed in terms of the literature on the effects of eye contact and teacher's expectancies. (21 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
After being given positive or negative feedback on a digit coding pretest and being exposed to a female "instructor" who read directions while exhibiting little or much eye contact with the S, male undergraduates completed an objective digit coding task. It was found that prior feedback, regardless of its nature, improved digit coding performance and that high eye-contact Ss correctly encoded more digits than low eye-contact Ss. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
The present study compared the potency of a why-questioning strategy called elaborative interrogation to self-selected strategies and repetition when students studied familiar and unfamiliar materials independently or in an interactive study context. Introductory psychology students (N=120) were randomly assigned to one of three strategy conditions (elaborative interrogation, self study, or repetition) and one of two study contexts (dyad or individual). Dyad members were told to work together to learn the 60 facts about animals. Students in the elaborative interrogation (EI) conditions were instructed to answer ‘why’ questions about each fact. Students in the repetition condition rehearsed each fact. In the self-study condition, students used any strategy(ies) that they thought would help them to remember the information. Both the EI and self study students outperformed repetition for facts about familiar animals. There were no significant differences between EI and self study. A greater number of repetition based strategies were generated when studying unfamiliar materials. In contrast, more higher order strategies were generated when studying familiar materials. Most important, the findings clearly support the effectiveness of interactive learning.
This book, first published in 1996, argues that language use is more than the sum of a speaker speaking and a listener listening. It is the joint action that emerges when speakers and listeners - writers and readers - perform their individual actions in coordination, as ensembles. The author argues strongly that language use embodies both individual and social processes.
Immersive collaborative virtual environments (CVEs) are simulations in which geographically separated individuals interact in a shared, three-dimensional, digital space using immersive virtual environment technology. Unlike videoconference technology, which transmits direct video streams, immersive CVEs accurately track movements of interactants and render them nearly simultaneously (i.e., in real time) onto avatars, three-dimensional digital representations of the interactants. Nonverbal behaviors of interactants can be rendered veridically or transformed strategically (i.e., rendered nonveridically). This research examined augmented gaze, a transformation in which a given interactant's actual head movements are transformed by an algorithm that renders his or her gaze directly at multiple interactants simultaneously, such that each of the others perceives that the transformed interactant is gazing only at him or her. In the current study, a presenter read a persuasive passage to two listeners under various transformed gaze conditions, including augmented gaze. Results showed that women agreed with a persuasive message more during augmented gaze than other gaze conditions. Men recalled more verbal information from the passage than women. Implications for theories of social interaction and computer-mediated communication are discussed.
This research examines the effects of a computer-mediated colearner agent that manifests caring orientations toward human learners. Just as caring orientations have positive effects on trust and learning in human–human interaction, caring orientations manifested by a computer-mediated colearner agent resulted in positive consequences. We conducted an experiment using a computer application designed to test the effects of colearner agents that manifest caring orientations in the English idiom–learning context. The findings demonstrate that a caring colearner agent led to greater trust and learning measured by recall memory when compared with a noncaring colearner agent; recognition memory, which was another measure of learning, did not show a significant difference. Two intervening variables, namely, feelings of social support and perceived intelligence of the colearner agent, were tested for mediation; the results showed that the effects of caring orientations of the colearner agent on trust were mediated both by feelings of social support and by perceived intelligence of the agent, whereas the effects of caring orientations on recall memory were mediated by feelings of social support only. The authors discuss implications for incorporating positive social virtues, such as caring orientations, into interactive media to enhance communication and learning.
Virtual environments, such as online games and web-based chat rooms, increasingly allow us to alter our digital self-representations dramatically and easily. But as we change our self-representations, do our self-representations change our behavior in turn? In 2 experimental studies, we explore the hypothesis that an individual’s behavior conforms to their digital self-representation independent of how others perceive them—a process we term the Proteus Effect. In the first study, participants assigned to more attractive avatars in immersive virtual environments were more intimate with confederates in a self-disclosure and interpersonal distance task than participants assigned to less attractive avatars. In our second study, participants assigned taller avatars behaved more confidently in a negotiation task than participants assigned shorter avatars. We discuss the implications of the Proteus Effect with regards to social interactions in online environments.
Experimental subjects evaluated a political candidate whose face was digitally altered to absorb the subjects' facial structure. For half of the subjects, the photograph of the candidate was morphed such that the image presented was a blend composed of 60% of the unfamiliar Caucasian male and 40% of the subject. For the other half the photograph was unaltered. Given previous research on implicit familiarity (Zajonc, 1968, 1980), we predicted that the morph would advantage the candidate. The results demonstrated no main effect of the similarity manipulation. However, there was a robust similarity by gender interaction. Male subjects evaluated the morphed candidate more favorably than the unaltered photograph, while female subjects rated him more negatively. We discuss potential explanations for this interaction effect and explore the possible implications of facial similarity as a political cue in both high- and low-information elections.
This article lays out a program of research designed to address one specific need of young children—to learn how to write—based on one specific ability of young children—the ability to tell stories. The model underlying this research program describes how non-screen-and-keyboard-based technologies that listen to children can be used to support their emergent literacy behaviors and have an effect on their subsequent writing skills. Four components comprise the model: the importance of emergent literacy behaviors, which are features of literate language that are demonstrated in children's oral language; the critical role played by a socially situated peer; the design of non-keyboard-based computational technologies; and the potential of information technologies that encourage construction rather than consumption. This article presents information about one kind of technology that fits the model—the story listening system (SLS)—and describes a number of implemented SLS and an evaluation of their use by children.
AutoTutor is a computer tutor that simulates the discourse patterns and pedagogical strategies of a typical human tutor. AutoTutor is designed to assist college students in learning the fundamentals of hardware, operating systems, and the Internet in an introductory computer literacy course. Most tutors in school systems are not highly trained in tutoring techniques and have only a modest expertise on the tutoring topic, but they are surprisingly effective in producing learning gains in students. We have dissected the discourse and pedagogical strategies these unskilled tutors exhibit by analyzing approximately 100 hours of naturalistic tutoring sessions. These mechanisms are implemented in AutoTutor. AutoTutor presents questions and problems from a curriculum script, attempts to comprehend learner contributions that are entered by keyboard, formulates dialog moves that are sensitive to the learner’s contributions (such as short feedback, pumps, prompts, elaborations, corrections, and hints), and delivers the dialog moves with a talking head. AutoTutor has seven modules: a curriculum script, language extraction, speech act classification, latent semantic analysis, topic selection, dialog move generation, and a talking head.