Developing a virtual physics world (original) (raw)

We report on the successful implementation of a development cycle for a physics teaching package based on game-like virtual reality software. The cycle involved several iterations of evaluating students' use of the package followed by instructional and software development. The evaluation used a variety of techniques including ethnographic observation, surveys, student focus groups and conventional assessment. The teaching package included a laboratory manual, instructional support materials, and the Real Time Relativity software that simulates a world obeying special relativistic physics. Although the iterative development cycle was time consuming and costly, it provided substantial improvements in the software user interface and in the student's learning experience.