The value of being there: toward a science of immersive virtual field trips
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S.I.: XR (VR, AR, MR) AND IMMERSIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS
The value of being there: toward a science of immersive virtual field trips Alexander Klippel1 · Jiayan Zhao1 · Danielle Oprean2 · Jan Oliver Wallgrün1 · Chris Stubbs3 · Peter La Femina4 · Kathy L. Jackson5 Received: 22 February 2019 / Accepted: 5 December 2019 © Springer-Verlag London Ltd., part of Springer Nature 2019
Abstract With immersive experiences becoming a medium for mass communication, we need pedagogies as well as scientific, evidence-based design principles for immersive learning. To foster evidence-based designs of immersive learning, we detail an empirical evaluation of a geosciences field trip, common in undergraduate education across numerous disciplines. The study builds on a previously proposed research framework in which we detailed a basic taxonomy of virtual field trips distinguishing between basic, plus, and advanced immersive virtual field trip experiences. The experiment reported here expands the original evaluation of basic field trips into the realm of plus versions using pseudo-aerial 360◦ imagery to provide embodied experiences that are not possible during the actual field trip. We also refined our original experimental design placing a stronger focus on the qualitative feedback elicited from the students. Results show an overwhelmingly positive response of students to virtual field trips with significantly higher-valued learning experience and enjoyment. Furthermore, the introduction of pseudo-aerial imagery (together with higher image resolution) shows a significant improvement in the participants spatial situation model. As contextualizing and spatially grounding is essential for place-based learning experiences, plus versions of virtual field trips have the potential to add value to the learning outcome and immersive virtual field trip experience. We discuss these encouraging results as well as critical feedback from the participants, such as the absence of touch in virtual experiences, and lay out our vision for the future of immersive learning experiences across environmental sciences. Keywords Immersive learning · Virtual field trips · STEM · Place-based learning
1 Introduction It is undisputed that contextualized, place-based learning offers a broad spectrum of advantages to students (Semken et al. 2018; Dede 2009; Elkins and Elkins 2007). While the * Alexander Klippel [email protected] 1
ChoroPhronesis, Department of Geography, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
2
School of Information Science and Learning Technologies, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
3
Teaching and Learning with Technology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
4
Department of Geosciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
5
School of Engineering Design, Technology, and Professional Programs, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, USA
number of field trips offered is typically relatively small, they are an integral part of many academ
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