Embodied immersive virtual reality to enhance the conceptual understanding of charged particles: A qualitative study
Learning in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is often challenging due to the abstract and counterintuitive nature of some concepts. Computer-based learning has emerged as an alternative method to help improve students' comprehension of these complex topics, even though t...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Computers & Education: X Reality |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949678024000254 |
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| author | Pedro Acevedo Alejandra J. Magana Yoselyn Walsh Hector Will Bedrich Benes Christos Mousas |
| author_facet | Pedro Acevedo Alejandra J. Magana Yoselyn Walsh Hector Will Bedrich Benes Christos Mousas |
| author_sort | Pedro Acevedo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Learning in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is often challenging due to the abstract and counterintuitive nature of some concepts. Computer-based learning has emerged as an alternative method to help improve students' comprehension of these complex topics, even though technological tools must be supported with pedagogical strategies, technology affordances, sound design, and structured activities to teach scientific concepts properly. In that sense, we propose the design of an immersive virtual reality (IVR) experience, including visual and haptic cues to facilitate learning about electric fields (EFs) and charged particles (CPs) concepts. We scaffolded our design tool based on embodied design principles and cognition. The IVR experience allows learners to manipulate the components of point charges (e.g., particles, distance between particles, and charges) to learn electricity concepts. We conducted a qualitative study (N = 8) to assess the designed application. The sample included undergraduate students (five male and three female) from technology-related fields with some or no prior knowledge of high school or higher education physics. We assessed study participants' conceptual understanding through a pretest-posttest and conducted a brief interview to identify their expected interaction with the designed affordances. Screen recording and the System Usability Scale (SUS) are the other metrics of interest in defining study participants’ performance and experience. The collected data and thematic analysis suggested that participants recognized the included affordances based on the embodied design principles and used them to interact, link previous knowledge, and identify the different factors to explain the physics phenomenon. Additionally, we provided insights for designing IVR experiences to promote conceptual understanding of complex STEM topics based on embodied learning principles. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-2aa788b9f1d44bf88976da1d90fd43fa |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2949-6780 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Computers & Education: X Reality |
| spelling | doaj-art-2aa788b9f1d44bf88976da1d90fd43fa2025-08-20T02:36:39ZengElsevierComputers & Education: X Reality2949-67802024-12-01510007510.1016/j.cexr.2024.100075Embodied immersive virtual reality to enhance the conceptual understanding of charged particles: A qualitative studyPedro Acevedo0Alejandra J. Magana1Yoselyn Walsh2Hector Will3Bedrich Benes4Christos Mousas5Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States; Corresponding author.Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United StatesCosta Rica Institute of Technology, Cartago, Costa RicaUniversity of Evansville, Evansville, IN, United StatesPurdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United StatesPurdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States; Corresponding AuthorLearning in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is often challenging due to the abstract and counterintuitive nature of some concepts. Computer-based learning has emerged as an alternative method to help improve students' comprehension of these complex topics, even though technological tools must be supported with pedagogical strategies, technology affordances, sound design, and structured activities to teach scientific concepts properly. In that sense, we propose the design of an immersive virtual reality (IVR) experience, including visual and haptic cues to facilitate learning about electric fields (EFs) and charged particles (CPs) concepts. We scaffolded our design tool based on embodied design principles and cognition. The IVR experience allows learners to manipulate the components of point charges (e.g., particles, distance between particles, and charges) to learn electricity concepts. We conducted a qualitative study (N = 8) to assess the designed application. The sample included undergraduate students (five male and three female) from technology-related fields with some or no prior knowledge of high school or higher education physics. We assessed study participants' conceptual understanding through a pretest-posttest and conducted a brief interview to identify their expected interaction with the designed affordances. Screen recording and the System Usability Scale (SUS) are the other metrics of interest in defining study participants’ performance and experience. The collected data and thematic analysis suggested that participants recognized the included affordances based on the embodied design principles and used them to interact, link previous knowledge, and identify the different factors to explain the physics phenomenon. Additionally, we provided insights for designing IVR experiences to promote conceptual understanding of complex STEM topics based on embodied learning principles.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949678024000254Virtual realityVirtual worlds training simulationsInteractive learning environmentsElectromagnetism |
| spellingShingle | Pedro Acevedo Alejandra J. Magana Yoselyn Walsh Hector Will Bedrich Benes Christos Mousas Embodied immersive virtual reality to enhance the conceptual understanding of charged particles: A qualitative study Computers & Education: X Reality Virtual reality Virtual worlds training simulations Interactive learning environments Electromagnetism |
| title | Embodied immersive virtual reality to enhance the conceptual understanding of charged particles: A qualitative study |
| title_full | Embodied immersive virtual reality to enhance the conceptual understanding of charged particles: A qualitative study |
| title_fullStr | Embodied immersive virtual reality to enhance the conceptual understanding of charged particles: A qualitative study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Embodied immersive virtual reality to enhance the conceptual understanding of charged particles: A qualitative study |
| title_short | Embodied immersive virtual reality to enhance the conceptual understanding of charged particles: A qualitative study |
| title_sort | embodied immersive virtual reality to enhance the conceptual understanding of charged particles a qualitative study |
| topic | Virtual reality Virtual worlds training simulations Interactive learning environments Electromagnetism |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949678024000254 |
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