More Like this

1. Digitally-empowered learning: Teaching archaeology through virtual reality and game-based learning

   Shackelford, L ; Huang, WD ; Craig, A ; LaValle, S ; Merrill, C ; Zeng, Y ( April 2018 , Paleoanthropology)

   null (Ed.)

   Like many natural sciences, a critical component of archaeology is field work. Despite its importance, field opportunities are available to few students for financial and logistical reasons. With little exposure to archaeological research, fewer students are entering archaeology, particularly minority students (Smith 2004; Wilson 2015). To counter these trends, we have leveraged the ongoing revolution in consumer electronics for the current, digitally-empowered generation by creating a game-based, virtual archaeology curriculum to 1) teach foundational principles of a discipline that is challenging to present in a traditional classroom by using sensory and cognitive immersion; and, 2) allow wider access to a field science that has previously been limited to only select students. Virtual reality (VR) is computer technology that creates a simulated three-dimensional world for a user to experience in a bodily way, thereby transforming data analysis into a sensory and cognitive experience. Using a widely-available, room-scale, VR platform, we have created a virtual archaeological excavation experience that conveys two overarching classroom objectives: 1) teach the physical methods of archaeological excavation by providing the setting and tools for a student to actively engage in field work; and, 2) teach archaeological concepts using a scientific approach to problem solving by couching them within a role-playing game. The current prototype was developed with the HTC Vive VR platform, which includes a headset, hand controllers, and two base stations to track the position and orientation of the user’s head and hands within a 4x4 meter area. Environments were developed using Unreal Engine 4, an open source gaming engine, to maximize usability for different audiences, learning objectives, and skill levels. Given the inherent fun of games and widespread interest in archaeology and cultural heritage, the results of this research are adaptable and applicable to learners of all ages in formal and informal educational settings. 

   more » « less
2. Virtual Reality Laboratory Experiences for Electricity and Magnetism Courses

   Ilie, R. ( July 2021 , 2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access)

   A solid understanding of electromagnetic (E&M) theory is key to the education of electrical engineering students. However, these concepts are notoriously challenging for students to learn, due to the difficulty in grasping abstract concepts such as the electric force as an invisible force that is acting at a distance, or how electromagnetic radiation is permeating and propagating in space. Building physical intuition to manipulate these abstractions requires means to visualize them in a three-dimensional space. This project involves the development of 3D visualizations of abstract E&M concepts in Virtual Reality (VR), in an immersive, exploratory, and engaging environment. VR provides the means of exploration, to construct visuals and manipulable objects to represent knowledge. This leads to a constructivist way of learning, in the sense that students are allowed to build their own knowledge from meaningful experiences. In addition, the VR labs replace the cost of hands-on labs, by recreating the experiments and experiences on Virtual Reality platforms. The development of the VR labs for E&M courses involves four distinct phases: (I) Lab Design, (II) Experience Design, (III) Software Development, and (IV) User Testing. During phase I, the learning goals and possible outcomes are clearly defined, to provide context for the VR laboratory experience, and to identify possible technical constraints pertaining to the specific laboratory exercise. During stage II, the environment (the world) the player (user) will experience is designed, along with the foundational elements, such as ways of navigation, key actions, and immersion elements. During stage III, the software is generated as part of the course projects for the Virtual Reality course taught in the Computer Science Department at the same university, or as part of independent research projects involving engineering students. This reflects the strong educational impact of this project, as it allows students to contribute to the educational experiences of their peers. During phase IV, the VR experiences are played by different types of audiences that fit the player type. The team collects feedback and if needed, implements changes. The pilot VR Lab, introduced as an additional instructional tool for the E&M course during the Fall 2019, engaged over 100 students in the program, where in addition to the regular lectures, students attended one hour per week in the E&M VR lab. Student competencies around conceptual understanding of electromagnetism topics are measured via formative and summative assessments. To evaluate the effectiveness of VR learning, each lab is followed by a 10-minute multiple-choice test, designed to measure conceptual understanding of the various topics, rather than the ability to simply manipulate equations. This paper discusses the implementation and the pedagogy of the Virtual Reality laboratory experiences to visualize concepts in E&M, with examples for specific labs, as well as challenges, and student feedback with the new approach. We will also discuss the integration of the 3D visualizations into lab exercises, and the design of the student assessment tools used to assess the knowledge gain when the VR technology is employed. 

   more » « less
3. Shrink or grow the kids? Scale cognition in an immersive virtual environment for K-12 summer camp

   https://doi.org/10.1109/VRW58643.2023.00203  

   Wu, Linfeng ; Chen, Karen B. ; Sekelsky, Brian ; Peterson, Matthew ; Harper-Gampp, Tyler ; Delgado, Cesar ( March 2023 , 2023 IEEE Conference on Virtual Reality and 3D User Interfaces Abstracts and Workshops (VRW))

   Virtual reality (VR) has been widely used for education and affords embodied learning experiences. Here we describe: Scale Worlds (SW), an immersive virtual environment to allow users to shrink or grow by powers of ten (10X) and experience entities from molecular to astronomical levels; and students’ impressions and outcomes from experiencing SW in a CAVE (Figure 1) during experiential summer outreach sessions. Data collected from post-visit surveys of 69 students, and field observations, revealed that VR technologies: enabled interactive learning experiences; encouraged active engagement and discussions among participating students; enhanced the understanding of size and scale; and increased interest in STEM careers. 

   more » « less
4. Educational Applications of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) to Enforce Teaching the “National Academy of Engineering Grand Challenges for Engineering in the 21st Century

   Bhattarai, Bibhav ; Marghitu, Daniela ( July 2021 , International journal on advances in software)

   Dini, Petre (Ed.)

   The National Academy of Engineering’s “Fourteen Grand Challenges for Engineering in the Twenty-First Century” identifies challenges in science and technology that are both feasible and sustainable to help people and the planet prosper. Four of these challenges are: advance personalized learning, enhance virtual reality, make solar energy affordable and provide access to clean water. In this work, the authors discuss developing of applications using immersive technologies, such as Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) and their significance in addressing four of the challenges. The Drinking Water AR mobile application helps users easily locate drinking water sources inside Auburn University (AU) campus, thus providing easy access to clean water. The Sun Path mobile application helps users visualize Sun’s path at any given time and location. Students study Sun path in various fields but often have a hard time visualizing and conceptualizing it, therefore the application can help. Similarly, the application could possibly assist the users in efficient solar panel placement. Architects often study Sun path to evaluate solar panel placement at a particular location. An effective solar panel placement helps optimize degree of efficiency of using the solar energy. The Solar System Oculus Quest VR application enables users in viewing all eight planets and the Sun in the solar system. Planets are simulated to mimic their position, scale, and rotation relative to the Sun. Using the Oculus Quest controllers, disguised as human hands in the scene, users can teleport within the world view, and can get closer to each planet and the Sun to have a better view of the objects and the text associated with the objects. As a result, tailored learning is aided, and Virtual Reality is enhanced. In a camp held virtually, due to Covid-19, K12 students were introduced to the concept and usability of the applications. Likert scales metric was used to assess the efficacy of application usage. The data shows that participants of this camp benefited from an immersive learning experience that allowed for simulation with inclusion of VR and AR. 

   more » « less
5. Using Unity for Scientific Visualization as a Coursebased Undergraduate Research Experience

   https://doi.org/10.22369/issn.2153-4136/15/1/7  

   Adeniji, Idunnuoluwa ; Casarona, Michael ; Bielory, Leonard ; Bancairen, Lark ; Menzel, Melissa ; Perigo, Nan ; Blackmon, Cymantha ; Niepielko, Matthew G. ; Insley, Joseph ; Joiner, David ( March 2024 , The Journal of Computational Science Education)

   We have developed a series of course-based undergraduate research experiences for students integrated into course curriculum centered around the use of 3D visualization and virtual reality for science visualization. One project involves the creation and use of a volumetric renderer for hyperstack images, paired with a biology project in confocal microscopy. Students have worked to develop and test VR enabled tools for confocal microscopy visualization across headset based and CAVE based VR platforms. Two applications of the tool are presented: a rendering of Drosophila primordial germ cells coupled with automated detection and counting, and a database in development of 3D renderings of pollen grains. Another project involves the development and testing of point cloud renderers. Student work has focused on performance testing and enhancement across a range of 2D and 3D hardware, including native Quest apps. Through the process of developing these tools, students are introduced to scientific visualization concepts, while gaining practical experience with programming, software engineering, graphics, shader programming, and cross-platform design. 

   more » « less