3D Skill Trees in Mixed Reality for Creating and Visualizing Learning Plans

Abstract

Curricula at university and learning paths in self-regulated learning span a complex planning space that is difficult to visualize. Students need to plan their decisions ahead to take a valid order of courses that align with their learning goals. Previous approaches used 2D skill tree visualizations to map the dependencies which, however, cannot convey mixtures of long-term goals and short-term action plans well. We present an approach that realizes learning plans as 3D skill tree structures in mixed reality. With the extra dimension, clearer layouts can be found which combine views on long-term goals and specific actions. By bringing the 3D learning plans to mixed reality, depth perception can help the students to understand the 3D structure of the tree. Moreover, nodes of the tree can be anchored at places in the real world which aids the students’ spatial memory to help them remember the plan. The application is evaluated in two user studies with 17 and 53 participants, respectively. Although the amount of text and typing should be minimized, the results show that 3D learning plans are understood by students. As the hardware becomes more available, the 3D learning plans can help students to structure their studies.