Examining Low-Cost Virtual Reality for Learning in Low-Resource Environments (original) (raw)
Related papers
Asia Pacific Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, 2017
Virtual Reality is fast becoming a breakthrough in education technology and is headed towards a path where learning has become immersive. Virtual reality (VR) offers both learners and educators a great opportunity to bridge gaps in the pedagogical sense. With the emergence of the Google Cardboard (GCB) platform, a low-cost, virtual reality gadget comes a wide range of opportunities for educators and institutions to bring about an immersive type of learning environment for the 21st-century learner. Using Grade 6 Middle school students, this research explores the learning outcomes and student reactions using the GCB and Google Expeditions application. The study showed no significant difference in pre-test scores of the control and experimental group. There is however, a significant difference in the scores of the experimental group compared to the control group after post-test. Utilizing t-test in comparing the two groups, it was found that the mean of the post-test scores for Group A (experimental) was significantly higher than Group B(control). The result of the independent samples t-test was significant, t(18) = 2.33, p = .032, suggesting that the mean of posttest score was significantly different between Groups A and B. This difference in score performance gives light to how VR can be used as a tool that enhances the learning experience. By using VR technology that is low cost and effective, more institutions will be able to help students learn better.
Learning to Teach with Virtual Reality: Lessons from One Elementary Teacher
TechTrends, 2019
In this article we make recommendations based on our qualitative inquiry into one elementary teacher's iterative processes of designing and implementing technology-enhanced instruction using virtual reality (VR). The use of VR has gained more attention from educational researchers and practitioners but evidence-based demonstrations of how teachers can use this emerging tool effectively in K-12 classroom settings is rare. Therefore, we provide reflections on our observations of and interviews with one teacher, providing a model for how teachers might integrate VR into their own curricula and use emerging technologies to enhance their teaching practices more generally. Some instructional design suggestions include needs assessment for students' prior exposure to VR, communication with parents, modification of existing lessons and selection of VR content to align with learning objectives, plan for alternative experiences as well as physical and technological setup.
Virtual reality in education: a tool for learning in the experience age
International Journal of Innovation in Eduction, 2017
Educators face major challenges as a result of the shift from the Information Age to the Experience Age (Wadhera, 2016). For example, students are passive and disengaged (Capps and Crawford, 2013) and may struggle to see the relevance of what they are learning to their lives (Gee, 2009); also, important skills needed for 21st century learners-such as empathy, systems thinking, creativity, computational literacy, and abstract reasoning-are difficult to teach (Smith and Hu, 2013). Virtual reality, an immersive, hands-on tool for learning, can play a unique role in addressing these educational challenges. In this paper, we present examples of how the affordances of virtual reality lead to new opportunities that support learners. We conclude with a discussion of recommendations and next steps.
2023
Since quite some time ago, research has been conducted on the potential benefits of employing virtual reality (VR) in educational settings. In the published research, there are descriptions of a great number of VR applications; nevertheless, there is no necessity for a comprehensive analysis of these goods. The usage of virtual reality (VR) in educational settings is becoming increasingly common. It is necessary for students to have experience in a virtual business environment in order to adequately prepare them for the obstacles that they will face in the real business world. Because students frequently grow fatigued when learning new information, we need to use virtual reality to assist students in becoming experts. The utilisation of virtual environments as a teaching tool in the fields of computer science, physical science, and biological science is becoming increasingly important. Numerous studies have been conducted to investigate the usefulness of virtual reality (VR) in the field of science education, with a special emphasis on how students' learning, motivation, and attitude change as a result of utilising VR. Although there is not a significant difference in learning results when comparing virtual reality (VR) to other active learning experiences, there have been favourable effects reported in some studies that compare VR to more conventional learning environments. [Citation needed] Studies on the application of virtual reality (VR) in the classroom have shown positive effects on students' academic performance as well as their levels of interest and their overall learning experiences. One example of a scientific talent that has been found to improve with the introduction of virtual reality is the user's capacity to conceptualise abstract ideas (VR). Virtual reality (VR) is becoming an increasingly popular topic of discussion among teachers of foreign languages. As a result of the rapid pace at which both the functionality of this technology and the potential advantages it could bring to educational settings are undergoing development, it can be challenging for educators to acquire a comprehensive understanding of both aspects. When it was brought up in the commercial sector vs when it was debated in academic settings during the 1990s, the phrase "virtual reality" appeared to have different implications in each context. Consumer literature from the same era, on the other hand, almost invariably refers to it as a headmounted display or headset that enables interaction via head and/or body rotation and/or motion. Under the general heading of "virtual reality," there are three distinct categories of interactive experiences that are based on these aspects(VR).
Virtual Reality, 2018
The purpose of this review article is to present state-of-the-art approaches and examples of virtual reality/augmented reality (VR/AR) systems, applications and experiences which improve student learning and the generalization of skills to the real world. Thus, we provide a brief, representative and non-exhaustive review of the current research studies, in order to examine the effects, as well as the impact of VR/AR technologies on K-12, higher and tertiary education students' twenty-first century skills and their overall learning. According to the literature, there are promising results indicating that VR/AR environments improve learning outcomes and present numerous advantages of investing time and financial resources in K-12, higher and tertiary educational settings. Technological tools such as VR/AR improve digital-age literacy, creative thinking, communication, collaboration and problem solving ability, which constitute the so-called twenty-first century skills, necessary to transform information rather than just receive it. VR/AR enhances traditional curricula in order to enable diverse learning needs of students. Research and development relative to VR/AR technology is focused on a whole ecosystem around smart phones, including applications and educational content, games and social networks, creating immersive three-dimensional spatial experiences addressing new ways of human-computer interaction. Raising the level of engagement, promoting selflearning, enabling multi-sensory learning, enhancing spatial ability, confidence and enjoyment, promoting student-centered technology, combination of virtual and real objects in a real setting and decreasing cognitive load are some of the pedagogical advantages discussed. Additionally, implications of a growing VR/AR industry investment in educational sector are provided. It can be concluded that despite the fact that there are various barriers and challenges in front of the adoption of virtual reality on educational practices, VR/AR applications provide an effective tool to enhance learning and memory, as they provide immersed multimodal environments enriched by multiple sensory features.
Creating an Optimal Education Experience, 2010
Virtual Reality is produced by a combination of technologies that are used to visualize and provide interaction with a virtual environment. These environments often depict threedimensional space which may be realistic or imaginary, macroscopic or microscopic and based on realistic physical laws of dynamics or on imaginary dynamics. The multitude of scenarios that VR may be used to depict make it broadly applicable to the many areas in education. A key feature of VR is that it allows multi-sensory interaction with the space visualized. Here we look at how this combination of multi-sensory visualization and interactivity make VR ideally suited for effective learning and try to explain this effectiveness in terms of the advantages afforded by active learning from experiences. We also consider some of the applications of VR in education and the draw-backs associated with this technology.