scholarly journals A methodology for the design of pedagogically adaptable learning environments.

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julien Saunier ◽  
Mukesh Barange ◽  
Bernard Blandin ◽  
Ronan Querrec

In the last decades, the industry has profoundly integrated the use of digital resources in their production process. However, these assets are rarely re-used for the training of the users, operators and technicians that have to interact with these objects. Furthermore, although training and learning environments are classical applications of virtual reality, the design of these environments is generally ad hoc, i.e. dedicated to specific operations on specific objects, hence requiring the intervention of programmers whenever a modification of the pedagogical scenario is required. In this article, we propose a methodology to design adaptable virtual environments, by separating the role of the different protagonists that play a part in the creation of learning environments. In particular, its goal is to allow the teachers to implement different scenarios according to the level of the trainees and to the pedagogical objectives without the intervention of computer scientists. An example of adaptable wind turbine environment is shown, with three different learning situations: simulator, safety training and preventive maintenance training.

Author(s):  
Kosmas Dimitropoulos ◽  
Athanasios Manitsaris

This chapter aims to study the benefits that arise from the use of virtual reality technology and World Wide Web in the field of distance education, as well as to further explore the role of instructors and learners in such a network-centric mode of education. Within this framework, special emphasis is given on the design and development of web-based virtual learning environments so as to successfully fulfil their educational objectives. In particular, the chapter includes research on distance education on the Web and the role of virtual reality, as well as study on basic pedagogical methods focusing mainly on the efficient preparation, approach and presentation of the learning content. Moreover, specific designing rules are presented considering the hypermedia, virtual and educational nature of this kind of applications. Finally, an innovative virtual reality environment for distance education in medicine, which reproduces conditions of the real learning process and enhances learning through a real-time interactive simulator, is demonstrated.


2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 343-364 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eileen A. O’Connor ◽  
Jelia Domingo

With the advent of open source virtual environments, the associated cost reductions, and the more flexible options, avatar-based virtual reality environments are within reach of educators. By using and repurposing readily available virtual environments, instructors can bring engaging, community-building, and immersive learning opportunities to students. Based on many years of academic research and development within this environment, the authors suggest educationally productive, research-supported ways to create learning environments that can motivate, engage, and educate participants. Instructors can develop virtual communities as centers for meetings, collaborations, and shared experiences, moving distance experiences beyond the limitations of engagement and collaboration in nonimmersive settings. The authors explain how instructors can develop useful learning interactions, pilot their learning environments, assess learners, and evaluate the environment. Specific experiences, images, and videos from the authors’ work are shared as well as broader application that could suit multiple purposes in guiding an instructor’s development and instructional efforts.


Obra digital ◽  
2016 ◽  
pp. 61-83 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neiky Machado Flores ◽  
Arantxa Capdevilla Gómez

Este artículo toma posición respecto al debate relacionado con la transformación de la comunicación política en escenarios virtuales y el papel de los partidos noveles en dichos cambios. Analiza si las campañas electorales en Twitter del PSOE y de Podemos, previas a las elecciones locales y autonómicas de 2015, aprovechan las potencialidades de interacción online o si mantienen códigos de los medios tradicionales. Para responder a los objetivos, recurre a dos programas informáticos, creados para la descarga automática de tuits y para procesar cuantitativamente los datos. Además se aplican métodos cuantitativos y cualitativos en el análisis de los resultados. Interaction and discussion on Twitter in the Spanish elections of May 2015: technological promise or virtual reality? Abstract In this paper, we take a position regarding the debate on the transformation of political communication in virtual environments and the role of new parties in these changes. We analyse whether the election campaigns of PSOE and Podemos on Twitter, before the local and autonomous elections of 2015, exploited the potential of online interaction or if traditional media codes were maintained. To meet the objectives, we use two programmes: one to automatically download tweets, and another to process the data quantitatively. We also apply quantitative and qualitative methods for analysing the results. Keywords: elections, campaign, Twitter, interaction, innovation  


Author(s):  
Zeoli Antonio Maldonado

Virtual reality has captured the attention of people. Since virtual reality has become more realistic, with the evolution of the technology like the innovation of smartphones, it has been more accessible for society, and many industries have begun research on the application of VR for training and for learning about certain specific topics as it allows reducing accidents and maximizes safety. Their use in the education industry has been best seen as a tool to complement certain issues that may be difficult to understand since it can allow one to virtually move to certain areas from safe areas. However, the development virtual environments is not fully specialized to implicitly include and promote learning, much less the consideration of people with disabilities. The main objective of this chapter is the presentation of a design process for the development of virtual learning environments that allows accessibility.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annie Wang ◽  
Meredith Thompson ◽  
Cigdem Uz-Bilgin ◽  
Eric Klopfer

Virtual reality has become an increasingly important topic in the field of education research, going from a tool of interest to a tool of practice. In this paper, we document and summarize the studies associated with our 4-year design project, Collaborative Learning Environments in Virtual Reality (CLEVR). Our goal is to share the lessons we gleaned from the design and development of the game so that others may learn from our experiences as they are designing, developing, and testing VR for learning. We translate “lessons learned” from our user studies into “best practices” when developing authentic, interactive, and collaborative experiences in VR. We learned that authentic representations can enhance learning in virtual environments but come at a cost of increased time and resources in development. Interactive experiences can motivate learning and enable users to understand spatial relationships in ways that two dimensional representations cannot. Collaboration in VR can be used to alleviate some of the cognitive load inherent in VR environments, and VR can serve as a context for collaborative problem solving with the appropriate distribution of roles and resources. The paper concludes with a summation of best practices intended to inform future VR designers and researchers.


Author(s):  
Ya-Chun Shih

This chapter explores the role of collaborative virtual environments (CVE) in the language learning immersion experience. Despite the lack of strong empirical evidence, CVE assisted language learning has become an interesting point in recent research on technology-supported language learning. The current work reviews specific issues in the context of CVE assisted language learning: (a) current research, theory and practice; (b) virtual reality assisted language learning; (c) link between CVEs and Web 2.0.


2005 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Franz Fischnaller ◽  
Alex Hill

This paper presents the CITYCLUSTER project, a virtual-reality networking matrix, in a high-tech framework with original technological features, navigation, interactivity, graphic, and content style, in which multiple environments, ambiences, and cities, both real and imagined, can be hosted, coexist, and be interrelated within themselves through a common virtual territory. It can be interconnected by high-speed network, enabling remote participants to access, interact, and collaborate in shared environments and work together in a common virtual space over distance in real time. The framework can be expanded and modified in accordance with the digital environment to be incorporated. Meta-Net-Page, a virtual-reality collaborative networking tool, was designed and implemented ad hoc for CITYCLUSTER. “From the Renaissance to the Megabyte Networking Age” is the first CITY-CLUSTER virtual-reality networked application, which offers visitors a thrilling interactive journey, from the Renaissance to the Super Broadband Networking and Electronic Age. Florence represents the “Renaissance Age”, Chicago the “Gigabits Networking Age.” Each virtual city is inhabited by a group of avatars: David, Venus, and Machiavelli in Florence, and Mega, Giga, and Picasso in Chicago. The implementation of CITYCLUSTER has given rise to a range of technological challenges, which in turn have revealed innovative aspects and salient features relative to content management, the development of juxtaposed virtual environments, networking interactive techniques, avatar design, architecture, and virtual effects. A series of special features and enhancements have been added to the software Ygdrasil, to satisfy content and quality levels of interactivity. In consequence, the Ygdrasil system was further refined as software tools that aid the rapid and intuitive development of interactive virtual environments for artists and other nontechnical users. The CITYCLUSTER project is primarily designed to run in the CAVE and on the AGAVE (Access Grid Augmented Virtual Environment). It can run either locally or through remote networking in both SGIs and the Linux platform.


Author(s):  
Susan Turner

This chapter considers the role of sound, and more specifically, listening, in creating a sense of presence (of “being there”) in “places” recreated by virtual reality technologies. We first briefly review the treatment of sound in place and presence research. Here we give particular attention to the role of sound in inducing a sense of presence in virtual environments that immerse their users in representations of particular places. We then consider the phenomenology of listening, the nature of different types of listening, and their application: listening is active, directed, intentional hearing, and is not merely egocentric, it is body-centric. A classification of modes of listening that draws on work in film studies, virtual reality, and audiology is then proposed as a means of supporting the design of place-centric virtual environments in providing an effective aural experience. Finally, we apply this to a case study of listening in real and simulated soundscapes, and suggest directions for further applications of this work


Author(s):  
Nicola Bellini ◽  
Massimo Bergamasco ◽  
Rémi Brehonnet ◽  
Marcello Carrozzino ◽  
Joëlle Lagier

This article presents the results of an interdisciplinary research work on the emergence and impact of virtual technologies on the valorization of cultural experience. After reviewing the literature on immersive museography and the concepts of immersion, interaction and social interaction within a cultural experience, we focus our analysis on the drivers of the users’ satisfaction through a three-step research path. Firstly, we realized a preliminary qualitative overview of users’ reactions to virtual environments in a series of selected cultural experiences. Secondly, we designed a model focusing on immersion and social interaction as the two potentially critical drivers of satisfaction. Thirdly, we realized a quantitative study of a project concerning an intangible cultural asset. The results of this study give evidence to the link between immersion and emotion and emphasize the essential mediating role of social interaction. These conclusions are consistent with present technological and market trends, concerning the integration of virtual reality and social networks.


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