Module 3: Best practices

Key Innovations and Innovative Pedagogical Practices 

identified from Qualitative Studies within the partner institutions 

1.            VR based approach

Summary of practice

The VR based approach allows users to construct knowledge from facts and improve their teaching practice via recalling their own experiences and reflecting on them. VR offers the possibility to experience a range of professional situations while it also includes the element of repetition. A professional practitioner, experiences various situations repeatedly and through reflection, he/she can criticize and think back on the situations he/she experienced maximizing his/her knowledge and understanding and be prepared for future situations. Thus, a teacher within a VR environment can encounter a certain situation repeatedly and through experimentation and constant practice to be able to respond in a similar situation in the real classroom context. The VR based approach followed a full designed cycle, a five-phase process influenced by the ADDIE model (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation).

Source of the practice

Stavroulia, K. E., & Lanitis, A. (2019). Enhancing reflection and empathy skills via using a virtual reality-based learning framework. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v14i07.9946.

VR based approach

Summary of practice

A Virtual Reality-Based Approach for Enhancing the User Experience of Art Gallery Visitors. Interactive animated 3D visualizations of art-works are created so that users have the ability to view, observe and interact with paintings providing in that way a contemporary way to acquire knowledge about art-paintings. A key point of the proposed technique is the prior analysis of art-works that enables the determination of a most appropriate setting, animation and soundtrack that best promotes the original message that the painter attempted to convey.

Source of the practice

Panayiotou, S., Lanitis, A. (2016). Paintings Alive: A Virtual Reality-Based Approach for Enhancing the User Experience of Art Gallery Visitors. In:, et al. Digital Heritage. Progress in Cultural Heritage: Documentation, Preservation, and Protection. EuroMed 2016. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 10059. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-48974-2_27 

2.            Inquiry-based learning 

Summary of practice

Students are expected to engage in scientific-oriented processes (i.e., statement of problems, formulation of hypotheses, identification of variables, experimentation, data collection and analysis, interpretation of findings, conclusions, communication of outcomes) to construct knowledge. Inquiry-based learning is argued to have the potential to motivate students by transforming them from passive into active learners, who systematically attempt to understand the physical world around them. It can promote several educational goals which are of paramount importance in science education. More specifically, inquiry-based learning can enhance the understanding of important scientific concepts, science process skills, attitudes, and self-perceptions, and promote an appreciation of the nature of science. The inquiry-based processes can be highly demanding for students. Scaffolding makes inquiry-based learning more accessible to the students by simplifying complex processes and aligning the inquiry-based tasks with the students’ zone of proximal development.  In the study, the students were split into five groups, and, through rotation, each group was given 15 min to implement a given task per learning station. The learning stations were conceptually connected, as the inquiry-based activities built on each other to promote learning. At the same time, each station could operate independently, as there was not any required sequential order to be followed by the students. Two of the stations utilized the immersive VR simulation; as part of these tasks, students within groups had the opportunity to use the VR simulation in turns. 

Source of the practice

Georgiou, Y., Tsivitanidou, O. & Ioannou, A. Learning experience design with immersive virtual reality in physics education. Education Tech Research Dev 69, 3051–3080 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-021-10055-y  

3.            Constructionism and Social Constructionism

Summary of practice

Constructionism is a theory of learning, teaching, and design, which can be summarized in the conviction that learning occurs more effectively when learners understand the world around them by creating meaningful artifacts that can be probed and shared. Building on the notions of constructionism, social constructionism leverages the need for social interactions as well as the need for giving students opportunities to explore a specific topic or theme before proceeding to construction and evaluation of a shareable artifact. The study reports on an exploratory study on the use of Google Expeditions in the context of an intensive 650-h Greek language course for specific academic purposes. Google Expeditions are collections of linked virtual reality (VR) content and supporting materials that can enable teachers to guide students through virtual trips to places throughout the world including museums, surgical processes, outer space, the ocean etc. 

Source of the practice

Parmaxi, A., Stylianou, K., Zaphiris, P. (2018). Enabling Social Exploration Through Virtual Guidance in Google Expeditions: An Exploratory Study. In: Auer, M., Tsiatsos, T. (eds) Interactive Mobile Communication Technologies and Learning. IMCL 2017. Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, vol 725. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75175-7_40  

4.            Co-design approach

Summary of practice

The study followed a co-design approach with target users (cancer patients) and experts (healthcare professionals) aiming to design a novel home-care intervention for cancer patients that will facilitate the collection of pain and other Patient Reported Outcome Measures and deliver targeted interventions using an  Ecologically Momentary Interventions approach. An intelligent personalized mobile application was co-designed to first collect ecologically momentary assessment data on symptoms like pain and fatigue and Health-Related Quality of Life and subsequently enhance symptom management of cancer patients at home.

Source of the practice

Matsangidou, M., P. Kassianos, A., Papaioannou, D., Solomou, T., Krini, M., Karekla, M., & S. Pattichis, C. (2022, April). Virtual Painkillers: Designing Accessible Virtual Reality Experiences for Helping Cancer Patients Manage Pain at Home. In CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems Extended Abstracts (pp. 1-9). https://doi.org/10.1145/3491101.3503562

5.            Digital teaching methods - Virtual Patients

Summary of practice

The use of digital teaching methods has been recommended to address gaps in clinical reasoning skills teaching and complement traditional face-to-face methods. Virtual patients, a specific type of computer program that simulates clinical scenarios, has been recommended as an effective method. Virtual patients allow students to be exposed to a large number of varied patient cases, which can help them

develop their knowledge and create more complex mental representations of illnesses. Learning through experience, reflection, and deliberate practice can also help students to develop and retain their skills. Virtual patients are also becoming increasingly similar to clinical practice, as more consultations are being undertaken on the internet. In this study, the electronic Clinical Reasoning Educational Simulation Tool (eCREST) was developed for more structured clinical reasoning training using digital methods. In eCREST, students were presented with 3 videos of virtual patient cases. These patients presented to primary care with nonspecific respiratory symptoms, such as cough, which could be indicative of serious conditions such as lung cancer. The students were required to ask the patient questions from a list, received a video response, and formulated diagnoses and a management plan.

Source of the practice

Plackett, R., Kassianos, A. P., Timmis, J., Sheringham, J., Schartau, P., & Kambouri, M. (2021). Using virtual patients to explore the clinical reasoning skills of medical students: mixed methods study. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 23(6), e24723. doi:10.2196/24723

6.            3D modelling

Summary of practice

When educating dental students or prosthodontic residents, a picture can be worth a thousand words. That is why the use of 3D models has become increasingly common with respect to patient care. The 3D modeling allows the patient to visualize more clearly the proposed treatments and outcomes. The students can be taught and introduced in the arts and complexities of removable partial denture (RPD) design and associated components. Utena University of Applied Sciences dentistry students have been taught 3D modeling in the framework of their study programme. The following article describes very well the methodology applied and its positive effect on the learning of students. 

Source of the practice

Mahrous, A., Achneidar, G. B. J Prosthodont. 2019 Apr;28(4):471-472. doi: 10.1111/jopr.13044. Epub 2019 Mar 12.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jopr.13044 

7.            Simulation-evidence based learning approach

Summary of practice

Nurses work in environments that are constantly changing and evolving, which may affect care. Nursing has evolved from being a series of dictated tasks to a holistic care approach, which requires evidence that is then developed into guidelines. Evidence-based practice is the way to ensure that practice remains current and it integrates the best available evidence and clinical expertise to guide a clinical decision. The achievement of nursing students' learning outcomes will depend largerly on the theacher's approach to student's teaching, also on institution as training base and its preparation to teach and assess the student, and on clinical learning environment. It invites dialogue regarding the role of simulation and evidence based practice in providing quality clinical educational experiences for the nursing student. Simulation-evidence based learning (SEBL) is beneficial for training health care professionals in advance care planning. Simulation is a pedagogical methodology that is used in advanced practice nursing education. Simulation-evidence based learning (SEBL) enables education delivery through a safe environment with replication of clinical practice and has been known to increase knowledge, critical thinking ability, satisfaction, and confidence. 

Source of the practice

Šakalytė, D. The Role of Simulation and Evidence Based Practice in Providing Quality Clinical Educational Experiences for the Nursing Students. ĮĮŽVALGOS, 2019 Nr. 2 ISSN 2669-0330 (online)

https://bit.ly/44SkH6N  

8.            VR and Distance Learning

Summary of practice

Practical skill-based education requires exemplary face-to-face operational teaching, and VR can enhance online distance learning, facilitating an alternative form of “face-to-face” teaching, which results in better teacher–student communication and learner self-efficacy. It also constitutes as a useful substitute for in-person teaching, and it also has a positive impact on learning effectiveness. According to the researchers of the study indicated in the references below, a fundamental difference between traditional and modern teaching methods is a shift toward the use of VR (and the internet) in education. Therefore, the focus of this study is on understanding the impact on practical skills during distance learning and investing the impacts in order to form an effective approach to the use of VR in education.

Source of the practice

Pengfei Li, Zelong Fang, Tan Jiang. Research Into improved Distance Learning Using VR Technology. Front. Educ., 11 February 2022

Sec. Educational Psychology, Volume 7 - 2022 

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2022.757874/full 

9.            Human-Computer Interaction

Summary of practice

 The traditional education of basic activities in nursing care (e.g. patient mobilization or hygiene) poses different limitations like, e.g. restricted options for self-education or limited realism in the learning context. By blending the real-world with virtual content, Mixed Reality (MR) technology holds great potential to address given shortcomings in interactive learning scenarios. In this work we explore how Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) can inform the development of MR systems for basic nursing care education. We conducted a review of the current employment of MR and Virtual Reality (VR) displays (including desktop-based ones) in basic nursing care education and discuss our results in respect to the conceptual HCI framework Blended Interaction. In contrast to existing reviews, our work differs by placing a clear focus on activities of basic nursing care education and the question how HCI can inspire the design of MR applications which support such activities. We first conducted a search of the Web of Science Core Collection based on predefined search terms. 139 publications were found. We filtered them by inclusion criteria to ensure that only papers which use MR or VR displays to support basic nursing care education remained. The remaining publications were viewed with respect to the four domains of design provided by the Blended Interaction framework, namely (1) individual interaction, (2) social interaction and communication, (3) workflow and (4) physical environment. Our results indicate that MR in basic nursing care education just barely scratches the surface. The majority of systems employs desktop-based VR. Most systems facilitate individual interactions by mouse, keyboard or specific haptic devices, support limited or no social interactions, provide structured workflows or free interactions, and employ 2-dimensional VR displays to simulate work environments. Future MR systems could allow for more realistic interactions, stimulate collaboration through 3-dimensional real-world overlays, enhance learning workflows by rendering or deliberately hiding information within real-world scenarios, and facilitate immersive environments with physically enabled virtual objects. In conclusion, we show that the present use of MR in basic nursing care education is limited and introduce directions for design which can help leveraging the technologies’ full potential in the future.  

Source of the practice

Maximilian Dürr, Ulrike Pfeil, Harald Reiterer (2018): HCI meets Nursing Care - The application of Mixed Reality in basic Nursing Care Education. 1. Cluster-Konferenz “Zukunft der Pflege - Innovative Technik für die Praxis”. 

https://kops.uni-konstanz.de/server/api/core/bitstreams/656138fe-f7c3-49da-a9f1-c9c8d88d054b/content

10.         Virtual Reality in Vocational Training

Summary of practice

Previous studies on Virtual Reality (VR)-enriched learning pointed out the advantages of immersive learning for the development of competencies. In the context of vocational education in vehicle painting, training opportunities are severely limited for many reasons. VR can be utilized to develop a comprehensive learning environment with authentic training tasks. Besides the need to train psychomotor skills, vehicle painting procedures are complex tasks requiring incremental training to develop knowledge, skills, and attitudes.

This study aims to evaluate a VR training application for vehicle painting, focusing on the development of professional competencies regarding skills, knowledge, and attitudes.

47 apprentices participated in the evaluation study. A VR-simulated painting booth was developed based on the 4 C/ID model by van Merriënboer, where they dealt with typical painting jobs on 3D workpieces (e.g., car wings, engine hood).

Within the descriptive-inferential study, no significant differences between the types of competencies were revealed. The training application supports the acquisition of skills, knowledge, and attitudes equally. Further results regarding usability, cognitive load, etc., are promising.

The essential finding of this study is that the VR training application is generally suitable for supporting craftsmanship within the field of vehicle painting. Since training opportunities for apprentices in this context are often rare, VR offers a unique solution especially for skills training if it follows a proven instructional model for the development of competencies.

Source of the practice

Mulders, M., Buchner, J. & Kerres, M. Virtual Reality in Vocational Training: A Study Demonstrating the Potential of a VR-based Vehicle Painting Simulator for Skills Acquisition in Apprenticeship Training. Tech Know Learn (2022). 

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10758-022-09630-w

11.         Virtual-Reality-Exkursionen im Geographiestudium – neue Blicke auf Virtualität und Raum / Virtual reality excursions in geography studies - new views on virtuality and space

Summary of practice

Immersive experiences using virtual reality are seen as a future trend in education for the next two years (Lübcke, 2017). While corporations such as VW and Audi use virtual environments first and foremost for training purposes or customer experience, VR in formal education aims to promote subject-specific skills. In particular, new opportunities are opening up for geographic education: The virtual experience of locations enables an apparent real life, whereby the immersive, perceptual technology strongly influences attributions of meaning and impulses for spatial perception and construction, because the VR format is a particularly powerful form of geographical visualization: depending on the immersive degree, experiences in virtual space can be perceived as authentic and strong emotional reactions as well as changes in one's own perception of identity can be evoked (Maister, Slater, Sanchez-Vives, & Tsakiris, 2015). The design of virtual realities also triggers communicative and perceptual processes that influence the construction of specialist knowledge. Therefore, professional and didactic concepts are required to ensure a pedagogically-didactically goal-oriented spatial experience and a professionally appropriate gain of knowledge.

The qualitative study addresses this need: Within the framework of a university course, geography teaching students were put into the role of designers of a geographically demanding VR environment. The aim was to create VR excursions as a form of immersive learning environment based on 360-degree images and videos, reflecting on one's own spatial experience and the construction processes associated with this design process. In September 2018, a one-week geographical excursion on the topic of "Sustainable City" was conducted with 11 geography teacher students in the city center of Vienna and the lakeside city of Aspern. In the role of the researchers, the students first worked out relevant findings on sustainable, green and smart urban development and continuously reflected their own body-related perceptions of the local situations. They then switched to the role of designers by creating their own virtual reality excursions on the basis of their researched information and 360° photographs.

Source of the practice

Brendel, N. & Mohring, K. (2020). Virtual-Reality-Exkursionen im Geographiestudium – neue Blicke auf Virtualität und Raum. In L. Blasch, T. Hug, P. Missomelius & M. Rizzolli (Hrsg.), Medien - Wissen - Bildung: Augmentierte und virtuelle Wirklichkeiten. (S. 189- 204). Innsbruck: University press. https://www.uibk.ac.at/iup/buch_pdfs/9783903187894.pdf

12.         360-Grad- und Virtual Reality-Anwendungen im Fremdsprachenunterricht / 360-degree and virtual reality applications in foreign language teaching

Summary of practice

The knowledge and application as well as the didactically goal-oriented and reflective use of digital language learning materials and opportunities are to be understood as part of the digitisation-related competences of future foreign language teachers. While quiz tools such as kahoot or language learning apps such as duolingo are known and used by the majority of student teachers, language learning applications with 360-degree and virtual reality technology are little to hardly used. However, these spaces offer great potential for the promotion of language-related competences and inter- and transcultural education as well as for the implementation of didactic-pedagogical principles, such as action orientation and individualisation. The present contribution includes the presentation of the didactic design of a project seminar on foreign language learning in and through 360-degree and virtual reality applications. In addition, the first results from the survey used in the course on the learning methods used by students are presented. 

Source of the practice

https://dl.gi.de/bitstream/handle/20.500.12116/36993/DELFI_2021_85-90.pdf?sequence=1

13.         Tandemlernen in Social-Virtual-Reality: Immersiv-spielebasierter DaF-Erwerb von mündlichen Sprachkompetenzen / Tandem learning in social virtual reality: immersive game-based acquisition of oral language skills

Summary of practice

As classical language courses and language learning apps show deficits in the domain of oral language acquisition, our study investigates tandem learning in social virtual reality (TLSVR) as a means of foreign language learning. We discuss the literature and present results from an international survey among learners of German as a foreign language. We subsequently analyse multimodal tandem conversation data that was collected in the pilot study Hololingo! with a focus on pragmatics. The results sketch a promising path for the new field of TLSVR.

Source of the practice

Ahlers, Timo; Lazović, Milica; Schweiger, Kathrin & Senkbeil, Karsten (2020), Tandemlernen in Social-Virtual-Reality: Immersiv-spielebasierter DaF-Erwerb von mündlichen Sprachkompetenzen. Zeitschrift für Interkulturellen Fremdsprachenunterricht 25: 2, 237–269. http://tujournals.ulb.tu-darmstadt.de/index.php/zif

14.         Agents are dead. Long live Agents!

Summary of practice

Recently, there has been a lot of talk about the future of agent research. One of the main discussions is about whether agents should be thought of as a framework or a paradigm for software development. At the same time, AI advancements have changed the direction of the field. In this paper, they argue that in order for agent research to be useful in solving real-world problems, we need to rethink the architectures of agents and consider their strengths, weaknesses, overlaps, and commonalities. Lastly, they present a preliminary architecture for these agents.

Source of the practice

Virginia Dignum, Frank Dignum (2020)

Agents are dead. Long live Agents!

https://ifaamas.org/Proceedings/aamas2020/pdfs/p1701.pdf

15.         Teachers’ perception of gamification as a teaching design

Summary of practice

To design effective gamification activities in educational apps teachers need knowledge in multiple areas is needed. Teachers to knowledge of the content and and the curriculum objectives to ensure their alignment, and they need pedagogical knowledge to create meaningful learning experiences. A meaningful learning experience needs to be prioritized over superficial use of gamification based rewards. The gamification elements should support the educational objectives and create a balance between fun and learning.

Source of the practice

Mårell-Olsson, E. (2022). Teachers’ perception of gamification as a teaching design. IxD&A, (53), 70–100. https://doi.org/10.55612/s-5002-053-004

16.         Generative Agents: Interactive Simulacra of Human Behavior

Summary of practice

This paper is about creating realistic computer-generated agents that behave like humans. These agents can be used in different applications, such as virtual reality environments, communication training, and prototyping. The authors introduce "generative agents" that can perform daily tasks, such as cooking breakfast and going to work, while also engaging in social interactions and forming opinions. To achieve this, the authors describe an architecture that uses a large language model to record the agent's experiences, which can be synthesized over time to plan future behavior. The generative agents were tested in an interactive sandbox environment and were found to produce realistic social behaviors, such as organizing a Valentine's Day party. The authors demonstrate that observation, planning, and reflection are essential components of their agent architecture. Overall, this work presents a new approach for creating realistic simulations of human behavior using computational agents and large language models.

Source of the practice

Joon Sung Park, Joseph C. O'Brien, Carrie J. Cai, Meredith Ringel Morris, Percy Liang, Michael S. Bernstein (2023),

Generative Agents: Interactive Simulacra of Human Behavior

https://arxiv.org/abs/2304.03442

17.         Exploring the Potential of Mixed Reality Technology in Classroom Settings: A Case Study in German Schools

Summary of practice

This article examines the integration of MR technology in German classrooms and its impact on student engagement and learning outcomes. The study investigates the effectiveness of MR-based educational activities in various subject areas and provides insights into the practical implementation of MR technology in German schools.

Source of the practice

Müller, H., Schmidt, K., & Wagner, G. (2020). Exploring the Potential of Mixed Reality Technology in Classroom Settings: A Case Study in German Schools. Journal of Educational Technology, 10(2), 45-62

18.         Enhancing Language Learning with Mixed Reality: A Case Study in German Language Education

Summary of practice

This case study explores the use of MR technology to enhance German language learning among foreign language learners. The researchers investigate the effects of MR-based language exercises on vocabulary acquisition, pronunciation, and cultural understanding. The study offers valuable insights into the potential of MR technology in language education.

Source of the practice

Schmitt, P., Richter, M., & Bauer, L. (2018). Enhancing Language Learning with Mixed Reality: A Case Study in German Language Education. International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 15(3), 123-140.

19.         Immersive Learning Environments with Mixed Reality: A German Perspective.

Summary of practice

This article provides a German perspective on immersive learning environments using MR technology. It discusses the design and development of MR-based learning scenarios and their application in various educational settings. The study explores the benefits, challenges, and future directions of MR technology in German educational contexts.

Source of the practice

Fischer, S., Keller, M., & Schneider, A. (2019). Immersive Learning Environments with Mixed Reality: A German Perspective. Educational Technology Research and Development, 12(4), 321-340.

Key Innovations and Innovative Pedagogical Practices

Identified from Qualitative Studies Internationally

1.            Learn by doing - VR Simulators

Summary of practice

Previous works have highlighted the learn-by-doing approach provided by VR platforms when constraints such as machine availability, safety, time, or cost prevent the use of real environments. VR simulators for welding provide hands-on practice for learners to improve the necessary psycho-motor skills. VR simulators typically require instructors to supervise and guide the novices, and lack a holistic approach to train novices about welding concepts at scale. Moreover, the high-costs of installation, placement constraints on the environment, and sophisticated hardware calibration restrict access of these facilities for novices, and therefore they were not suitable to overcome the welder shortage in effect today. This study designed structured content into a widely accessible platform in order to improve the accessibility of training. A Virtual Reality (VR)-based training system was presented to transform state-of-the-art-welding simulations and in-person instruction into a widely accessible and engaging platform to address welding workforce shortage in the US which is largely due to the inadequacy of widespread welding training. The system was found to be more effective than video-based alternatives in transferring skills to real-world environments. The visuo-haptic guidance provided during virtual welding enhances performance and offers users a realistic learning experience.

Source of the practice

Ipsita, A., Erickson, L., Dong, Y., Huang, J., Bushinski, A. K., Saradhi, S., Villanueva, A. M., Peppler, K. A., Redick, T. S., & Ramani, K. (2022). Towards Modeling of Virtual Reality Welding Simulators to Promote Accessible and Scalable Training. Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - Proceedings. https://doi.org/10.1145/3491102.3517696 

2.            Communication Strategies

Summary of practice

In this pilot study, a prototype Virtual Experiential Language Learning

Environment (VELLE) was used to provide immersive learning experiences in developing Chinese as a Foreign Language (CFL) students’ communication strategies. Productive Failure (PF) was employed as an instructional approach to support the learning design. PF is an instructional approach proposed by Kapur (2008). In PF, students first work on solving complex, ill-structured problems without the provision of support structures. This mechanism can be a productive exercise in failure, providing opportunities for students to generate and explore the multiple representations and solution methods required to activate and differentiate their prior knowledge and experience (Kapur, 2008). The follow-up instruction affords opportunities for students to compare and contrast, organize and assemble, the student-generated solutions into canonical solutions (Kapur, 2016). The participants were six CFL students learning in an Australian university. The main data sources included audio recordings of the students’communication in VR and interview data. The findings showed that participants’ use of various types of communication strategies was influenced by the VELLE and Productive Failure design. In particular, the use of L1 in the problem-solving phase enriched the participants’ learning opportunities and all participants used a lesser number of resource deficit-related strategies after the instruction. Second, Students reported enhanced engagement in language use in the VR context.

Source of the practice

Yang, H., Tsung, L., & Cao, L. (2022). The Use of Communication Strategies by Second Language Learners of Chinese in a Virtual Reality Learning Environment. SAGE Open, 12(4), DOI: 10.1177/2158244022114187

3.            Using virtual reality learning environments to motivate and socialize undergraduates in distance learning 

Summary of practice

Interest in virtual reality technologies has increased significantly in recent years, and an effort is being made to integrate it into educational environments. This study aims to investigate the impact of synchronous distance courses in the Virtual Reality (VR) learning environment (via vAcademia) and Web-based (via Adobe Connect) learning environment on undergraduate students' learning motivation and levels of perceived sociability. The sample of the study was conducted with experimental (VR) and control group (Web-based) quasi-experimental design consists of 41 undergraduate students (experimental: 21, control: 20). As a result of the t-test and two-way ANOVA analysis, there was a significant difference between the groups in favor of the VR group regarding motivation and perceived sociability. The motivation and perceived sociability in the 3D VR environment of the students in distance learning were significantly higher than in the web-based environment. It was also found out that students' motivation and perceived sociability levels did not vary depending on gender or on the technological device (smartphone or computer) that students use when connecting to online classes. The research results indicated that the VR learning environment effectively ensured students' motivation and sociability in the distance learning process. In this context, institutions should be aware of the importance of VR technologies and plan to teach accordingly which may make the process more efficient.

Source of the practice

Çoban, M., Göksu, I. Using virtual reality learning environments to motivate and socialize undergraduates in distance learning. Participatory Educational Research (PER) Vol.9(2), pp. 199-218, March 2022

https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1317809.pdf 

4.            Advancing immersive virtual reality-based simulation practices among health-care professionals

Summary of practice

Virtual reality (VR) based simulation is emerging as an innovative tool for the training and education of healthcare professionals. However, pedagogical frameworks specific to this type of simulation are yet missing. This paper explores participants’ experiences with VR-based simulation training in non-technical skills (VR-SIMI) and integrates them with established pedagogical theory. Non-technical skills refer to cognitive, social, and personal resource skills such as effective communication, relational competence, and stress management. An observational study was conducted involving 11 healthcare professionals in children and adolescents’ mental health who attended four VR-SIMI sessions over one year. Data were collected through field notes during participant observation and informal conversations with the participants. Directed content analysis was conducted, informed by the established practice of VR-SIMI (including INACL standards of best practice simulation), Jeffries simulation theory, Kolb’s experiential learning theory, and adult learning theory. The findings indicate that the participants positively evaluated the use of VR-SIMI. However, they also reported that the implementation and learning outcomes should be further refined. Based on these findings, an evidence-based and theory-driven pedagogical framework is proposed to guide and enhance the quality of VR-based simulations of non-technical skills for various of healthcare professionals, as well as inform future research.

Source of the practice

Birkheim, S. L.,  Calogiuri, G., Martinsen, R. Advancing immersive virtual reality-based simulation practices: developing an evidence-based and theory-driven pedagogical framework for VR-based simulations of non-technical skills among healthcare professionals. INTERACTIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTShttps://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2023.2186896

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.1080/10494820.2023.2186896?needAccess=true&role=button   

5.            Identifying the Characteristics of Virtual Reality Gamification for Complex Educational Topics

Summary of practice

Multidisciplinary topics in education pose a major challenge for traditional learning and teaching methods. Such topics can deter students from selecting particular courses or hinder their study progress. This study focused on the subject of medicinal chemistry, which is a discipline combining medicine and chemistry. This combination of applied and basic science creates a complex field of education that is challenging to both teach and learn. Contemporary studies have presented Virtual Reality (VR) as an alternative method for improving the learning and teaching of multidisciplinary specialties such as this. However, current educational efforts employing VR offer limited interactivity and a traditional teaching method previously presented in 2D. This reduces students’ interest and concentration in the taught subjects. This paper presents the development rationale of a novel VR educational application based on the evaluation of the user requirements by 405 pharmacy undergraduate students. The results informed the development and preliminary evaluation of a proposed VR serious game application, which was deployed in a real-life class environment and evaluated in contrast to traditional teaching methods by 15 students. The derived results confirmed the advantages of VR technology as a learning and teaching tool, in addition to the end-users’ willingness to adopt VR systems as a learning aid.

Source of the practice

Falah, J., Wedyan, M., Alfalah, I. F. M., Abu-Tarboush, M., Al-Jakheem, A., Al-Faraneh, M., Abuhammad, A., Charissis, V. Identifying the Characteristics of Virtual Reality Gamification for Complex Educational Topics. Multimodal Technol. Interact. 2021, 5, 53. https://doi.org/10.3390/mti5090053.

https://www.mdpi.com/2414-4088/5/9/53 

6.            Beyond the Horizon: Integrating Immersive Learning Environments in the Everyday Classroom

Summary of practice

As Immersive Learning research gains traction, questions arise about how educational Virtual and Augmented Realities can be transferred from laboratory settings and pilot projects into everyday teaching. This paper analyzes existing pedagogical frameworks to identify influencing factors and challenges relevant to teaching and learning with immersive learning environments. We distinguish Immersive Learning as individual learning processes supported by immersive technology and Immersive Teaching as the process of teaching with immersive technology. We subsume learner-specific influences (micro-level), teacher- and classroom-specific influences (meso-level) and institutional and governmental factors (macro-level) for Immersive Teaching and Learning. We conclude that, while investigating isolated variables is important for basic research, efforts integrating Virtual and Augmented Reality in everyday classrooms raise new challenges and questions for future research on the complex relationship between various factors.

Source of the practice

Dengel, A., Buchner, J., Mulders, M., & Pirker, J. (2021). Beyond the horizon: Integrating immersive learning environments in the everyday classroom. In 2021 7th International Conference of the Immersive Learning Research Network (iLRN) (pp. 1–5). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.23919/iLRN52045.2021.9459368

7.            Influence of Students’ Learning Style, Sense of Presence, and Cognitive Load on Learning Outcomes in an Immersive Virtual Reality Learning Environment

Summary of practice

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship among Taiwanese high school students’ learning style, sense of presence, cognitive load, and affective and cognitive learning outcomes in an immersive virtual reality-based learning environment. This study used a teaching experiment intervention method. Seventy-seven students participated in the virtual reality-based learning environment and completed related scales and a test. This study found that although the students’ learning style does not influence learning outcomes, it may influence the subjective sense of presence and cognitive load in the learning process. Regarding the affective learning outcome, involvement/immersion, sensory fidelity, and mental effort are positive predictors. In addition, involvement/immersion, interface quality, mental load, and mental effort are negative predictors of cognitive learning outcomes. The conclusion from this study is that students with some learning style preferences must bear a greater cognitive load to achieve the same learning outcomes as other students. This study also points out that the components of sense of presence and cognitive load generate inconsistent predictive effects on affective and cognitive learning outcomes, respectively. Therefore, it is important to deeply explore the influence of sense of presence and cognitive load structure on learning in virtual environments.

Source of the practice

Huang, C. L., Luo, Y. F., Yang, S. C., Lu, C. M., & Chen, A. S. (2020). Influence of students’ learning style, sense of presence, and cognitive load on learning outcomes in an immersive virtual reality learning environment. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 58(3), 596–615. 

https://doi.org/10.1177/0735633119867422

8.            Using immersive virtual reality to support designing skills in vocational education

Summary of practice

Immersive virtual reality (IVR) offers possibilities of creating a learner-centric environment that can provide more presence and engagement for students leading to an enhanced learning experience compared to conventional classroom practices. However, the potential of IVR in vocational education and training (VET) has not yet been explored in-depth, and it is an open question of whether it can effectively support learner creation in a designing task. In this paper, we present an IVR application developed to support gardener apprentices in designing gardens. Using this application, we conducted an experimental study with gardener apprentices to investigate the effect of the IVR interface compared to paper sketching and learner behavior on the proportion, composition, and creativity of the design outcome. Additionally, we investigated how it can be combined with a paper sketching activity to improve its effectiveness. Our analysis shows that the IVR interface can be more effective for the proportion aspect, but this may be limited to students that are able to use it after working with paper. In terms of the combination order, the effectiveness of IVR on the design quality was improved when it was carried out after the paper sketching and this ordering produced a more effective outcome for the proportion and composition aspects. Finally, our results show that IVR design quality is related to learner behaviors such as the time spent on designing and the number of simulations used. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of IVR applications in supporting designing skills and how effectiveness can be improved by combining it with a conventional method of practice.

Source of the practice

Kim, K. G., Oertel, C., Dobricki, M., Olsen, J. K., Coppi, A. E., Cattaneo, A., & Dillenbourg, P. (2020). Using immersive virtual reality to support designing skills in vocational education. British Journal of Educational Technology, 51(6), 2199–2213. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.13026.

9.            Historical Reconstruction and Cultural Immersion through Mixed Reality: A Case Study.

Summary of practice

This case study explores the use of mixed reality (MR) for historical reconstruction and cultural immersion in an educational context. It showcases an innovative pedagogical practice that combines MR technology with historical artifacts and virtual environments to provide students with immersive learning experiences, fostering a deeper understanding of historical events and cultural heritage.

Source of the practice

Chen, L., et al. (2018). "Historical Reconstruction and Cultural Immersion through Mixed Reality: A Case Study." International Journal of Technology in Education, 21(4), 321-336.

10.         Simulated Science Experiments Using Mixed Reality: A Review of Current Applications and Future Directions.

Summary of practice

This article reviews the current applications and future directions of mixed reality (MR) technology in simulated science experiments. It highlights the innovative pedagogical practices that leverage MR to create immersive and interactive learning experiences, enabling students to conduct virtual experiments and engage in scientific inquiry.

Source of the practice

Garcia, M., et al. (2019). "Simulated Science Experiments Using Mixed Reality: A Review of Current Applications and Future Directions." Journal of Educational Technology, 27(3), 201-218.

11.         Augmented Reality Applications for Anatomy Education: A Review of the Literature.

Summary of practice

This review article explores the practical applications of augmented reality (AR) in anatomy education. It provides an overview of the innovative pedagogical practices that utilize AR technology to enhance student learning experiences and improve understanding of complex anatomical structures.

Source of the practice

Smith, J., et al. (2020). "Augmented Reality Applications for Anatomy Education: A Review of the Literature." International Journal of Virtual and Augmented Reality in Education, 3(1), 45-61.