Immersive Experience

I took ETEC 523 a few semesters ago which is a course with a similar format to this one. Our project ended up centering on this same topic and it really opened my eyes to what the potential is for this area within education. Many uses have already been explained and the sky really is the limit to how this technology will change education. Google Expeditions was something that I had never even heard of before - but now that I know about it, I always want to use it. Even if I'm just teaching my own children about topics that they have questions about. There are so many expeditions that are available from nearly every topic imaginable. Check out this mind-boggling list!! https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1uwWvAzAiQDueKXkxvqF6rS84oae2AU7eD8bhxzJ9SdY/edit#gid=0

In my professional practice I am a fitness instructor. I became aware of Immersive Fitness experiences a few years ago as a way technology is being used to deliver fitness classes. I had the opportunity to participate in an immersive fitness class on a trip to Europe. It was very cool to experience. One of the benefits and attractions of using this technology is that it makes fitness more engaging and appealing to participants. It makes working out into an experience and something that is more sensory and stimulating so that people are more excited about it. This helps improve exercise enjoyment and participation. I know that it has been limited in its usage because it is still very expensive so that is a bit of a drawback. But as technology evolves and interest and demands grow it will become more popular and we may see it become more prominent here.

This topic is particularly interesting for me as our company recently purchased a bus simulator. Trainee bus operators now have the opportunity to explore the driver's area, to "test drive" a bus virtually, and to identify and address potential road hazards before even stepping onto an actual bus. Needless to say, the simulator has not replaced actual driving lessons on the road, it does provide learners--especially the more anxious ones--with ample opportunities to reduce errors and to be more confident of themselves. The simulator's immersive design focuses on creating real-world scenarios that may be difficult for trainees to experience while on the road during training.

Immersive experiences integrate mind, body and emotion, offering a powerful learning opportunity that can engage all types of learners. They can lend themselves to gamification as well, further increasing engagement and subsequent learning. The virtual nature of immersive experiences can increase a sense of safety and reduce perceived risk of failure, allowing learners to try new tasks and experiences that they may avoid in the real world. They also allow learners to "try on" different characters which can lead to important insights about who they are and who they would like to be. With recent developments in VR that can even permit the experience of human touch by someone hundreds of kilometres away (https://player.fm/series/the-current-from-cbc-radio-highlights/vr-skin-that-lets-you-touch-someone-from-miles-away ), immersive experiences have outstanding potential for creating a truly connected, global classroom. All of these factors make immersive experiences a formidable force for expediting and enhancing learning.

Immersive experiences such as AR. VR and MR seem to be well positioned to expand greatly in the educational space in the near future. As others have mentioned, the ability to manipulate and interact with virtual objects can potentially allow for significant long-term savings in an educational context, as well as provide a safe environment when working with things that would normally be dangerous. I feel that the immersive aspect of having a user inhabit a character, role. or situation can be very beneficial in having that user demonstrate what they are learning. Allowing the user to see a situation through the eyes and perspective of someone or something else can engage them and help them so see the subject in new and creative ways, further expanding the potential for these technologies to be effective for learning.

The educational possibilities of AR, VR, and MR, while still in its infancy, have enormous potential to increase student engagement, creativity, and authenticity of the learning experience. As a science teacher, I can absolutely see the potential of AR and VR in teaching biology, chemistry, physics, earth science, and more. Many science topics are abstract in nature, and visuals are powerful ways to help learners understand and interact with the content; with VR and AR, students can manipulate (in 3-D) dangerous chemicals without fear and look inside a human heart without having to open up a cadaver. In the long run, VR and AR can create savings in the educational system by eliminating physical materials previously used for lessons and replacing them with virtual (non-expiring) versions. Another example of savings would be the use of virtual field trips, as mentioned in the 2017 Horizons Report for K-12 Education. Imagine taking a class to a field trip in the Amazon, or exploring Italy during the renaissance. Of course, there is still great merit in performing live chemistry demonstrations, filling a set of cow lungs with air (my professor did this in class!), and going on a real hike while breathing in the fresh mountain air; however, in the future, VR may be able to replicate enough of our human sensory inputs to create a fully immersive (or one very close to reality) experience.

I think its extremely exciting what is possible with AR / VR and mixed reality. I think this will eventually become fully intergrated in our day to day lives, infrastructure, processes at work at home and also I think in the field of learning and education. The current changes in the educational landscape has already asedk for a shift in the role of educators. One change is the shift form a traditional teaching approach to a constructivist role (The constructivist Classroom) (Bush, 2006). We have moved from information transformation, to engaging students by enforcing critical thinking, problem- or project -solving, collaboration, and self-directed learning. In these environments, students benefit from active learning experiences, and clear connections between study content (knowledge and skills) and the real world. This requests that educators explore new tools that match their learning materials and assignments to real-life scenario’s (Educause, 2017). Virtual reality seems to be ideal for this. VR, originates from the game industry. Game environments are supportive in i.e. empowering the learner, problem solving and understanding complex situations (Gee, 2015). VR enhances student motivation and engagement, even without the presence of an educator. A virtual world allows users to understand, create, analyze and recognize information. This stimulates to remember and evaluate information. It also helps to apply information in a new context; and to create new relevant connections (Connectivism theory, Bush, 2006). Immersion in “real life situations” stimulates the feeling of being “present”. Inherent, through VR students can be part of test environments on a smaller scale, and learn by doing, which otherwise not (always) would be possible. Using VR, through visuals and sounds it creates multi sensor stimulation, which can stimulate other emotions (Bohil, et al. 2011). These stimulating effects can have a positive effect on the learning experience. Magic leap used to be at the forefront of this VR / AR in he entertainment and education field. Now it became slightly commercial with the use of google glasses. But still, I am amazed how quick this technology is changing and what we can do with this.

I am incredibly excited to see where VR/AR and MR technologies take us in education. Apart from its natural appeal to digital natives, these technologies can simulate not only the everyday world but also hypothetical environments such as the subatomic scale. For someone like me in Science education, this is a remarkable opportunity. There has never been a chance before this for a student to experience and manipulate the inner-workings of an atom or reactions between molecules in a way that makes them feel a part of that environment. This kind of embodiment has been suggested to play an important role in learning and as such, embodied cognition is a term often associated with VR in education (see https://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/PRES_a_00263). This year, I hope to evaluate whether this takes place first hand as I undertake a project that will investigate student experiences using VR for learning in Chemistry and Biology courses. Where the technology was once bulky and expensive we are seeing more and more affordable options entering the market and I look forward to seeing the many uses that this technology could find in education. These might include virtual field trips to remote locations such as the Antarctic or planets that have not yet been explored to simulating dangerous laboratory reactions that would otherwise be impossible to attempt.

Immersive Experiences can be attained through VR, AR and MR. These technologies provide an incredible opportunity for students to learn, including becoming part of a history lesson or taking part in a novel that is being read in an Language Arts/English. They have the ability to bring concepts to life which is immensely helpful. Personally, I have not used any of these technologies, but I can see both the practical and exciting features of these. Practically, using AR/VR/MR would be helpful in a woodworking/shop environment. Students would be able to practice using tools before they actually use the real ones, preventing injuries and building confidence. Students would also be able to dive into a historical context or novel that they are reading to better understand what is going on. Immersive Experience technologies are becoming increasingly popular and there are many benefits to using them within education. If this is to happen teacher training and the number of programs that could be used within educational would need to be increased. These technologies provide an exciting opportunity to truly deepen students’ learning experiences.