Using Virtual Reality in Electrostatics Instruction: The Impact of Training
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| Title: | Using Virtual Reality in Electrostatics Instruction: The Impact of Training |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Porter, C. D., Smith, J. R. H. (ORCID |
| Source: | Physical Review Physics Education Research. Jul-Dec 2020 16(2). |
| Availability: | American Physical Society. One Physics Ellipse 4th Floor, College Park, MD 20740-3844. Tel: 301-209-3200; Fax: 301-209-0865; e-mail: assocpub@aps.org; Web site: http://prst-per.aps.org |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 9 |
| Publication Date: | 2020 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Higher Education Postsecondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Physics, Science Instruction, Video Games, Computer Simulation, Teaching Methods, Energy, Learning Processes, Instructional Effectiveness, Comparative Analysis, Correlation, Scores, Science Tests, Undergraduate Students, Introductory Courses, Calculus, Telecommunications, Handheld Devices, Computer Software |
| DOI: | 10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.16.020119 |
| ISSN: | 2469-9896 |
| Abstract: | Recent years have seen a resurgence of interest in using virtual reality (VR) technology to benefit instruction, especially in physics and related subjects. As VR devices improve and become more widely available, there remains a number of unanswered questions regarding the impact of VR on student learning and how best to use this technology in the classroom. On the topic of electrostatics, for example, a large, controlled, randomized study performed by Smith et al. [A controlled study of stereoscopic virtual reality in freshman electrostatics, "Proceedings of the 2017 Physics Education Research Conference, Cincinnati, OH," PER Conference series (2017), pp. 376-379], found that VR-based instruction had an overall negligible impact on student learning compared to videos or images. However, they did find a strong trend for students who reported frequent video game play to learn better from VR than other media. One possible interpretation of this result is that extended videogame play provides a kind of "training" that enables a student to learn more comfortably in the virtual environment. In the present work we consider if a VR training activity that is unrelated to electrostatics can help prepare students to learn electrostatics from subsequent VR instruction. We find that preliminary VR training leads to a small but statistically significant improvement in student performance on our electrostatics assessment. We also find that student reported game play is still correlated with higher scores on this metric. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2020 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1267919 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Recent years have seen a resurgence of interest in using virtual reality (VR) technology to benefit instruction, especially in physics and related subjects. As VR devices improve and become more widely available, there remains a number of unanswered questions regarding the impact of VR on student learning and how best to use this technology in the classroom. On the topic of electrostatics, for example, a large, controlled, randomized study performed by Smith et al. [A controlled study of stereoscopic virtual reality in freshman electrostatics, "Proceedings of the 2017 Physics Education Research Conference, Cincinnati, OH," PER Conference series (2017), pp. 376-379], found that VR-based instruction had an overall negligible impact on student learning compared to videos or images. However, they did find a strong trend for students who reported frequent video game play to learn better from VR than other media. One possible interpretation of this result is that extended videogame play provides a kind of "training" that enables a student to learn more comfortably in the virtual environment. In the present work we consider if a VR training activity that is unrelated to electrostatics can help prepare students to learn electrostatics from subsequent VR instruction. We find that preliminary VR training leads to a small but statistically significant improvement in student performance on our electrostatics assessment. We also find that student reported game play is still correlated with higher scores on this metric. |
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| ISSN: | 2469-9896 |
| DOI: | 10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.16.020119 |
