Computers & Education: X Reality最新文献

Gaze sharing (GS) technology enhances communication between human interlocutors. Essentially, GS consists of sharing information regarding one's visual attention with another person, by automatically marking one's current point of interest on a digital display. The benefits of this technology for education have been demonstrated by researchers. However, since most GS systems relay gaze information using flat monitors, they impede natural communication between interlocutors who are co-located (as glancing at the display diverts their attention from the physical space). Acknowledging this limitation, immersive gaze sharing (IGS) systems have been recently developed. IGS systems utilize the power of Extended Reality (XR) technology to superimpose gaze information directly onto one's visual environment, and are therefore a promising tool for enhancing human communication in education. Currently, we know little regarding how users experience IGS, to guide its development. To bridge this gap, we have executed an exploratory user study of IGS with learners and instructors, using Mixed Reality (MR) technology. A quantitative and qualitative analysis of users' feedback and behavior has shed light on the differences between instructors and learners in terms of their needs, abilities and preferences. On this basis, guidelines for developing IGS systems are proposed, towards their integration into our future educational practices.

It has been suggested that media and technology effectiveness in pedagogy is a myth. An intervention is not automatically effective simply by virtue of it being new. Yet, so often, initial hype leads to inflated expectations and subsequent disappointments. Virtual and augmented reality, the metaverse, and collaborative virtual learning environments that utilise an increasingly wide range of digital platforms have all made appearances within this narrative. However, initial failures to meet expectation, especially when value is taken for granted, should not condemn these technologies to being dismissed. With the burgeoning opportunity for heterogenic design (asynchronous and asymmetrical roles, tasks, interface platforms, user capabilities, etc.) their technical capabilities and pedagogic potential are too significant. The need is for deeper learning through meaningful experience, the latter facilitated through affective and cognitive engagement derived from user-experience factors that include presence, flow, and self-efficacy. The central assertion of this article is that the effectiveness of these technologies for learning can be greatly enhanced through user-centred software designs that focus upon evoking these factors. Hardware configurations and software designs should deliver training scenarios that are built upon research-informed interaction design. The twist here is that in this article, we look to the oft underappreciated field of auditory perception, specifically that pertaining to human interactions with (and through) digital technologies, to present a novel set of interaction design principles with the goal of enhancing extended reality collaborative learning.

In contemporary educational settings, understanding and assessing student engagement through non-verbal cues, especially facial expressions, is pivotal. Such cues have long informed educators about students' cognitive and emotional states, assisting them in tailoring their teaching methods. However, the rise of online learning platforms and advanced technologies such as virtual reality (VR) challenge the conventional modes of gauging student engagement, especially when certain facial features become obscured or are entirely absent. This research explores the potential of Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), specifically a custom-trained model adapted from the ResNet50 architecture, in recognizing and distinguishing subtle facial expressions in real-time, such as neutrality, boredom, happiness, and confusion. The novelty of our approach is twofold: First, we optimize the power of CNNs to analyze facial expressions in digital learning platforms. Second, we innovate for the context of VR by focusing on the lower half of the face to tackle occlusion challenges posed by wearing VR headsets. Through comprehensive experimentation, we compare our model's performance with the default ResNet50 model and evaluate it against full-face and VR-occluded face datasets. Ultimately, our endeavor aims to provide educators with a sophisticated tool for real-time evaluation of student engagement in technologically advanced learning environments, subsequently enriching the teaching and learning experience.

Despite the recognized efficacy of immersive Virtual Reality (iVR) in skill learning, the design of iVR-based learning units by subject matter experts (SMEs) based on target requirements is severely restricted. This is partly due to a lack of flexible ways of authoring instruction flows to arrange the learning activities in alignment with the desired learning objectives. Our research provides a workflow design enabling SMEs to author the flow of learning activities developed by the Virtual Reality (VR) developers, with an aim to enable learners achieve desired goals progressively in a virtual environment. Additionally, this outcome-oriented flow authoring utilizes a scalable learning framework that categorizes learning activities into four instructional phases: Introduction, Presentation, Practice, and Application. Such frameworks can be easily integrated into the instruction to plan a class or a series of classes to cover an entire concept or chapter. Using a welding use case, our user study evaluation with 12 experienced welders indicated positive ratings about the usefulness of such workflows for flexible planning of training scenarios. We envision adoption of such methods could facilitate greater and more efficient adoption of the iVR technologies in pedagogical settings.

Previous research has explored virtual reality in wine education, but has primarily focussed on instructional design and learning outcomes, neglecting user interface and experiential (UI/UX) aspects. Therefore, challenges remain for incorporating VR technology in wine classrooms in a blended classroom format, such as limited VR expertise, inadequate technical preparation, and student resistance to pedagogical change. To complement and optimize these gaps, the researcher designed a VR experience system to transform sommelier courses into immersive blended learning experiences. Using a mixed-method approach combining experiments and interviews with 40 participants, this study explored the differences between gaming and instructional VR design in wine education. The study highlighted key considerations in terms of user interface/user experience, including overcoming the difficulty of replicating real-world sensations, increasing engagement through controllers, and providing adequate space for movement. Ensuring comfort and mitigating physical discomfort is critical to a good VR learning experience. This study explores learners' perceptions of blended virtual reality (VR) learning in wine education, including the advantages, issues, and design strategies for improving the VR learning experience and addressing wine education challenges. The findings suggest that to improve the efficacy of VR in wine education, problems must be addressed through improved UI/UX design. This includes pedagogical labelling, sensory integration, active engagement, stability, comfort and language skill development. Enhancing immersion and realism by replicating sensory stimuli and facilitating authentic interactions is critical, as is customising the VR experience for a specific topic and implementing a holistic strategy. The addition of VR technology to the wine classroom can provide learners with feedback and a balanced and immersive blended learning experience, which can in turn improve the effectiveness of wine education.

“Comunicazione Digitale XR” is a project that exploits the EON-XR platform to enrich Information Technology education by incorporating interactive 360-degree visuals and 3D models to complement traditional teaching methods. This study probes the efficacy of Extended Reality (XR) technologies in augmenting educational experiences through the integration of gamification techniques within the curriculum. The evaluation, involving twenty-six students, delved into factors such as engagement levels, comprehension of material, and the contributory role of XR in exam readiness. Data collection was conducted using electronic log files, which provided detailed quantitative metrics on student interactions, and a post-intervention survey that assessed changes in comprehension and engagement. Additionally, qualitative data was gathered through semi-structured interviews. Quantitative data from surveys and log files were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data from interviews were subjected to thematic analysis. This investigation has demonstrated substantial enhancements in student comprehension and engagement with the educational content facilitated by XR technologies. These findings underscore the potential of XR to augment the educational paradigm and improve students’ preparedness for academic evaluations.

Using the metaverse can impact how information is interacted with in educational settings. However, despite extensive research on the topic, there is still a lack of understanding of how learners perceive and experience this technology. To design learning experiences, designers must know the current landscape of metaverse implementation and digestion by student users. This article provides an overview of metaverse implementation examples to address this gap and then examines learners' perceptions of using the metaverse in education. Through a qualitative study, we aim to explore the potential advantages and obstacles of applying the metaverse to learning from an informal learning perspective, as perceived by learners. Compared to current implementation strategies, student feedback suggests a diversity of motivations and experiences in valuing the Edu-metaverse. Therefore, our study provides valuable insights into how the metaverse learning design can enhance learner engagement, interaction, and collaboration while identifying potential challenges and limitations. Ultimately, this research helps designers and educators better understand how metaverse technology can impact and improve learning experiences.

Learning in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is often challenging due to the abstract and counterintuitive nature of some concepts. Computer-based learning has emerged as an alternative method to help improve students' comprehension of these complex topics, even though technological tools must be supported with pedagogical strategies, technology affordances, sound design, and structured activities to teach scientific concepts properly. In that sense, we propose the design of an immersive virtual reality (IVR) experience, including visual and haptic cues to facilitate learning about electric fields (EFs) and charged particles (CPs) concepts. We scaffolded our design tool based on embodied design principles and cognition. The IVR experience allows learners to manipulate the components of point charges (e.g., particles, distance between particles, and charges) to learn electricity concepts. We conducted a qualitative study (N = 8) to assess the designed application. The sample included undergraduate students (five male and three female) from technology-related fields with some or no prior knowledge of high school or higher education physics. We assessed study participants' conceptual understanding through a pretest-posttest and conducted a brief interview to identify their expected interaction with the designed affordances. Screen recording and the System Usability Scale (SUS) are the other metrics of interest in defining study participants’ performance and experience. The collected data and thematic analysis suggested that participants recognized the included affordances based on the embodied design principles and used them to interact, link previous knowledge, and identify the different factors to explain the physics phenomenon. Additionally, we provided insights for designing IVR experiences to promote conceptual understanding of complex STEM topics based on embodied learning principles.