Testing Two Different VR Environments in Educational Value

Table of Contents

1 Introduction 3

    1.1 Explanation of the project overview 3

 1.2 Background literature………………………………………………………………………………….. 3

    1.3 Project scope ………………………………………………………………………………………………. 4

 1.4 Reason for project ……………………………………………………………………………………… 5

2 Objectives  6

    2.1 Aim and objective ………………………………………………………………………………………. 6

2.2 SMART analysis…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 6

3 Project Scope  8

   3.1 Deliverables 8

3.2 Functionality  8

3.3 Milestones  9

4 Sources Requirement  10

   4.1 List of resources 10

4.2 List of sources  10

5 Project Risks 11

6 Gantt Chart  12

7 Evaluation of PSEL  13

   7.1 Professional 13

7.2 Social  13

   7.3 Ethical 13

7.4 Legal  14

8 References  15

1 Introduction

1.1   Explanation of the project overview

This project will test two different types of VR environment and compare the difference in educational value. Overview, one of VR environment is called a non-immersive VR environment that represents the traditional design media models, such as some 3D sketching models used in math class that students will respond for creating, explore, and move objects. Usually, non-immersive VR environment uses some traditional models to build up and interact with the mouse in the screen interface. Another VR environment is an immersive collaborative virtual environment that gives the user a feeling of being in a VR experience. It uses VR equipment to close and connect the user’s visual, auditory, and sensing systems to provide an immersive and dedicated environment. In this environment, students can sketch the models, and enable students to interact with the environment. Thus, this report will test the non-immersive and immersive collaborative VR environment for as a teaching aid.

In this project, except testing the non-immersive VR environment and immersive collaborative VR environment, it will also explain the difference between two types of environment. Representing the different main features or qualities based on the educational value such as resolution, sense of immersion, focus field and so on. It also gives the pieces of evidence about the advantages and disadvantages of two different types used in education. So that, to receive the result, which VR environment is the best and recommendation teaching tool to use in the class.

1.2   Background literature

Today’s the history of virtual reality technologies build on the date the back to early 1800s. In 1838, Charles Wheatstones demonstrated that using a stereoscope to view two side-by-side images would give the user a sense of immersion (Brown, 2017).  In 1960s, Ivann Sutherland created the first VR headset for use in a military training exercise.  Until 2014, Oculus VR represented a new technology with fully functioning VR systems for users, and it creates an immersive experience to play the games (Brown, 2017). In recent years, there are more applications by using 3D graphics and virtual reality experiences to present images, movies, and products. Therefore, VR technology becomes more popular in various fields, especially in education. Comparison with traditional education, the advantages of VR education is that gives students an immersive environment to experience or interact with some difficult subject, in order to understand the aims of teaching. It means students can study through different senses, “the benefits of sensory integration and a constructivist view of learning, support the use of learning paradigms in which the learner is allowed to form knowledge through context and experience.” (Christou, 2010). Thus, it will make more convenient use of VR technological method to replace the traditional education in the future. 

1.3   Project scope

In a wider context, the objective of this project is to test the two different VR educational environments and make a comparison and analysis.  The scope of this project that needs to achieve a satisfactory result, for example, which VR environment is more effective and beneficial for educational value, and the development of building a comfortable VR environment for education. Thus, for this project, it will develop a specific studying environment which can teach children languages based on some existing models. And then, testing the differences between non-immersive an immersive collaborative virtual environment for educational value.

1.4   Reason for the project

In recent year, the Virtual reality is a fashion and development technology which used in healthcare, training, video game, business, education aspects and so on. Education is one of popular application and the biggest beneficiaries with the development of teaching and learning (Virtual Reality Society, 2017). Moreover, according to Higgin (2018) researched, “70% of kids (ages 8 to 15) express interest in it,” and many teachers are looking and developing for new experiences to help students. Hence, the reason for this project is to conclude which VR educational environment is the best methodology for learning and teaching. Also giving students an immersive and efficient study environment to reinforce their sense of class participation, and giving a teacher an efficient and convenient teaching process assistant tool.

2        Objectives

2.1   Aim and objective

To aim this project, it will develop the VR environment for teaching languages based on some existing models. Also, testing the difference between a non-immersive environment and an immersive collaborative environment. Identify the result which one VR environment is more efficient and helpful teaching process assistant tool to use in education. Yet, the environment should look more friendly and professional.

The following list of objectives has been created and applied to the project to ensure that the required needs were met:

• The design of the interface must be friendly
• The design must look professional and clear
• The user will be provided with the option to move and click the items, and enter the answer of questions
• The design with an immersive sense of environment
• The user will be provided with the option of how to view the results
• Navigation on the screen is easy to follow

2.2   SMART analysis

• Specific: to develop and design a well-done and immersive VR educational environment for teaching languages, and testing the differences between the non-immersive and immersive VR environment. To set the objectives are that the project is languages studying application for teachers and students to access and learn the basic languages.
• Measurable: identify exactly the user can use this application to study languages and interact with items on the interface. The user will gain the information successfully, and easy to follow and use the application.
• Achievable: to achieve the aim, the project will use some existing model and environment setting, and try to develop them to become more professional and friendly to use.
• Realistic: the objective behind the goal is because VR is an efficient teaching process assistant tool to help students and teachers for learning and teaching.
• Time Bound: to keep the timeline flexible and realistic for this project, keep going the researches and developing before the deadline.

3        Project Scope

3.1   Deliverables

The Project Deliverables in a VR environment development project, the “object models-use 3D Max to create different items”, “background-colour, location”, “interface design-navigation, button, structure”, and “environment setting- use Unreal to build for the position, indoors or outdoor environment ” are the deliverables. In the testing part, there are differences including advantages and disadvantages in educational value between two environments, are the deliverables. All deliverables might take for few months are required to complete. Yet, all deliverables will identify for all activities including all models, design image, research documents, and demo.

3.2   Functionality

There is a list of functional and non-functional requirements would be created so there would be a better understanding of achieving the aims.

Functional requirement:

• Help user easy to use
• Help user to study efficiently
• The Virtual Reality application must have a navigation/button system
• The Virtual Reality application must show sentences of each question with answer options
• The Virtual Reality application must display models professionally and friendly
• The Virtual Reality application must show details of each model when the user clicked or selected

However, there are a few non-functional requirements which will meet. The VR environment would have shown the different types of products or objects with explanations to help the user interact with it and understanding clear. Another non-functional requirement is to change the location of the environment, for example, this VR environment hs not included all of objects or goods that the user has seen before in the real world. These would be something that will develop in the future.

3.3   Milestones

Milestones are checkpoints chart in this project including each content of the project that helps to check the tasks and deliverables have been completed, and then it allows to move on to the next aspect of the project. Depending on this project, use 3D Max to create models is the first important process that should mention with start date and ending date in milestones.  All of the significant events have to be completed successfully; it helps to determine whether each event to proceed as planned.

4        Sources Requirement

4.1   List of resources

• Software: 3D Max (basic models), Unreal (environment setting), Photoshop (help for creating models)
• Hardware: VR headset, sensors, camera (3D images)
• Company: ClassVR (2018) Company designed VR interface for students and teachers, provide an exciting but simple interface to allow students and teachers to access the educational content. Students just use their hands to move and select the options and activities.  The ClassVR shows more simple and non-immersive VR environment for students and teachers to use, without any immersive sense of feeling.  It can be an example model to manage and develop a new environment and compare with it.

4.2   List of sources

• Dictionary: an explanation with objects
• Academic research about non-immersive and immersive VR environment in educational value

5         Project Risks

VR has a physical impact on a person’s health and kind of mind mental issue; especially make sure children use the VR headset safety and health.

Oculus Company warned before “Some individuals may also experience severe dizziness, epileptic seizures or blackouts when exposed to certain flashing lights or patterns” (Korolov, 2014). In additional, to ensure that children should take breaks and avoid overtime to use because the flashing lights or other patterns will have a negative effect on children’s eyes and dizziness. Thereby, the limit of time in this project should no more than 30 minutes, and the interface will display a flashing prompt message like “Have a break!” every 30 minutes. Also, family and teacher should monitor them the time of using VR headset, in order to any safety and health issue whether happened or not after children used. Furthermore, in the VR educational environment interface, there are some aspects of items or models including for teaching languages, for instance, display the area of food, clothes, or others basis for children to learn. Unfortunately, it might have risks for a shortage of information or information incomplete because there are huge numbers of models and details for languages lectures must to build and created. Thus, to recover the situation, more time and references supporting are needed to build a completed and professional environment system in the project.

6        Gantt Chart

7        Evaluation of PSEL

7.1   Professional

The project will protect the Computer Misuse Act (1990) right included that “personal data shall be kept safe and secure”, so the user’s details would be responded by the data storage, and cannot be changed without authorization. For this project, the VR system just for the educational experience and assessment evaluation, so it cannot be used for the purposes of direct marketing (DPA, 1998). Thus, all of the data and personal information must be protected and safe without any problems of damage or loss.

7.2   Social

The social issue of this project that impacts on educational value, it is already to recreate a VR environment with 3D objects to learn the knowledge. The immersive environment allows students to interact with objects and instead of traditional experiences. Thus, the interesting and enthusiasm of students are improved by using VR education. However, Passig (2010) discussed that misuse and ineffectiveness of shared decision making. Thus, the education programs cannot be changed and modified and all application should consist with the social facts.

7.3   Ethical

Ethical issues were addressed throughout the BERA and Market Research Society ethical Guidelines (2011). This project must ensure the language appropriate to a user even children age to use. They were having the chance to provide the opinion or feedback for this project, also can quit the VR interface at any point. On the other hand, there is an ethical issue about the desensitisation of VR, in this protect, all models and items are unreal and virtual 3D meshes to set up the environment, as a consequence, some user starts blurring the real and virtual world. It may lead to a false or negative knowledge or memory, thus, it is important to proceed with caution and try to provide an age-appropriate environment in this project.

7.4   Legal

There are legal issues that may be related to this project, include privacy content, and safety problems. Depending on the educational environment, the data privacy and education system related to each other, and the user personal information also included. When the system developed, the data privacy will update and improved, but sometimes without the knowledge or consent. This will raise questions of ownership and privacy about that the 3D models such as shape, colour or appearance are very similar to the other systems displayed. Moreover, immersive VR environment should be evaluated for safety and health issue. If the user spends more time on the immersive experiences, they will appear symptoms of dizziness, eyestrain, etc.

8        References

• Brown, L., 2017. A Brief History of Virtual Reality [Online]. Wondershare: Filmora. Available at: https://filmora.wondershare.com/virtual-reality/history-of-vr.html [Accessed 26 October 2018].
• Christou, C., 2010. Virtual Reality in Education [Online]. 1 (12) (June), pp. 228-243. Available via: Research Gate [Accessed 30 October 2018].
• ClassVR, 2018.  A Virtual Reality User Interface Made for Education [online]. ClassVR: Avantis System. Available at: http://www.classvr.com/school-virtual-reality/education-student-vr-interface/ [Accessed 31 October 2018].
• Computer Misuse Act, 1990. Computer Misuse Act 1990: Computer misuse offences [online]. Available at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1990/18 [Accessed 01 November 2018].
• Costello, P.J., 1997. Health and Safety Issues associated with Virtual Reality – A Review of Current Literature [Online]. pp. 1-23. Available via: Advisory Group on Computer Graphics [Accessed 25 October 2018].
• Digility, 2015. Children and Virtual Reality: Emerging Possibilities and Challenges [online]. Available at: http://digilitey.eu/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/CVR-Final-PDF-reduced-size.pdf  [Accessed 01 November 2018].
• Higgin, T., 2018. What the Research Says About VR in Classrooms. Common Sense Education [online blog].  03 April. Available at: https://www.commonsense.org/education/blog/what-the-research-says-about-vr-in-classrooms [Accessed 30 October 2018].
• Korolov, M., 2014. The Real Risks of Virtual Reality. Risk Management [online blog]. 01 October. Available at: http://www.rmmagazine.com/2014/10/01/the-real-risks-of-virtual-reality/ [Accessed 01 November 2018].
• Lexis, 2018. Data protection and computer misuse offences: Data Protection Act 1998 [online]. Available at: https://www.lexisnexis.com/uk/lexispsl/corporatecrime/document/391421/55KB-9471-F188-N2K4-00000 00/Data_protection_and_computer_misuse_offences_overview# [Accessed 01 November 2018].
• Okeil, A., 2010. Hybrid design environments: immersive and non-immersive architectural design [Online]. 15 (March), pp. 202-216. Available via: Journal of Information Technology in Construction [Accessed 25 October 2018].
• Passig, D., 2010. The Future of Virtual Reality in Education: A Future Oriented Meta Analysis of the Literature [online]. pp. 269-293. Available via: THEMES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION [Accessed 01 November 2018].
• Sharma, A., et al., 2018. Virtual Reality: Blessings and Risk Assessment [online]. 11 (20) (May), pp. 1-20. Available via: Research Gate. [Accessed 01 November 2018].
• Virtual Reality Society, 2017. History of Virtual Reality [Online].  UK: The Virtual Reality Society. Available at: https://www.vrs.org.uk/virtual-reality/history.html [Accessed 25 October 2018].
• Virtual Reality Society, 2017. Virtual Reality and Education [Online].  UK: The Virtual Reality Society. Available at: https://www.vrs.org.uk/virtual-reality-education/ [Accessed 26 October 2018].