Reflection of Introduction to VR-Enabled Instructional Design
Yupei Duan
School of Information and Learning Technology, University of Missouri
2023FS-IS_LT 4888/7888 Intro to VR-enabled Instructional Design
Dr. Xinhao Xu
October 15, 2023
Reflection of Introduction to VR-Enabled Instructional Design
Introduction
When I stood at the finish line of the course: Introduction to VR-Enabled Instructional Design, I first asked myself whether I met this course’s expectations. Scores on the assignments are just minimal requirements for graduate students since they don’t only learn the course for a certificate but for doing research. The unknown questions are more important than the known ones. The research about VR just began when I finished this course. In this personal reflection, I will cover my basic takeaways from the course, some proposals for my future research based on this course, and the concerns I currently have but may get answers in the future.
What is Virtual Reality?
The term VR came from Jaron Lanier, who is the founder of VPL Research. However, it was in 1965 that Ivan Sutherland published a paper entitled “The Ultimate Display” which described how one day; the computer would provide a window into virtual worlds (Mandal, 2013). After that, many technologies related to reality simulation were developed, including different types of VR systems, which were classified according to different usage of technological supply. Those various supplies and equipment were represented in various displayed hardware and interaction devices. “VR systems are classified according to the level of immersion they provide, ranging from semi-immersive (or desktop) VR to fully immersive VR to augmented reality (AR)” (Saeed et al., 2017).
Meanwhile, the conception of VR was getting more and more clear: the computer-generated simulation of images or whole environments that can be experienced using special electronic equipment – is progressing in several ways, including traditional virtual reality that crates environments, allowing people to be “present” in an alternative environment; augmented reality that starts with the real world and overlays virtual objects and information; and spherical or 360-degree video that captures an entire scene in which the viewer can look up, down, and around (Virtual Reality | Tools, Publications & Resources, n.d.).
A desk-top VR platform OpenSimulator was used in this course, which was an open-source multi-platform, multi-user 3D application server. It can be used to create a virtual environment (or world) that can be accessed through a variety of clients, on multiple protocols (OpenSimulator, n.d.).
Creation in OpenSimulator
I used Opensimulator in my master’s degree program as a user, this course gave me an opportunity to be a developer. I started by personalizing my avatar, constructing my virtual environment, and setting up my OpenSimulator Server. The comparison of using Mozilla Hubs with OpenSimulator let me find more possibilities for using VR to learn and teach.
The teamwork with my groupmates Shreya and Xaviera was a dream work I enjoyed. Although Xaviera was based in South Africa, which was 6 hours ahead of Mizzou, we used emails, Canvas forum, Google Docs/Slide, and Slack to update the progression of the group project. The real-time audio talk function in OpenSimulator was also used when we did our real-time collaborations. We combined our personal VRLEs into a series of learning project which isn’t just a learning opportunity; it’s a profound platform fostering comprehension of the profound relationships between humanity, our beloved Earth, and the boundless universe that surrounds us.
A Video link to the Real-time Collaboration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOfb-Dxi2GU
VR and Learning
“People do not learn from technology; they learn from thinking. When technologies can enhance students thinking, they should be used. Otherwise, they are probably no better than no technology.” David H. Jonassen commented to the relationships between learning and technology during an interview (Simsek, 2012). When I used OpenSimulator to design my instructional content, I used more energy to decide which learning content I should create than thinking about what technologies I should use during my personal project. What kind of scenarios can I create in the virtual reality learning environment (VRLE) to provide the learners with a better learning experience than in the real learning environment? My initial thinking was the environment contains more barriers and constraints for the learners in the real world. Both the small-sized and large-sized worlds meet my assumption. E.g., a planet cell or a solar system is impossible for common learners to experience in real life, but in the VRLE, the answer is OK. Plus, in OpenSimulator, the avatar can fly to check the virtual creation from more dimensions, making it easier and more beneficial for learners who want to learn space science. Then, I created my personal VRLE, a Mini Solar System. The group project From the Moon to the Universe was created under the same consideration.
The future of VR-enabled Learning is bright and potential. This course gave me a basic understanding and fundamental skills in using VR to design learning environments. In my future research, I would like to try more different types and platforms to try more possibilities of using VR to enhance learning.
There are more possibilities waiting for me. Everyone has been talking about the Metaverse since 2022. However, the metaverse is still in its nascent stage and evolving continuously. It has a huge potential in health care to combine the technologies of AI, AR/VR, web 3.0, Internet of medical devices, and quantum computing, along with robotics, to give a new direction to the healthcare system (Bhugaonkar et al., 2022). I was so lucky to be involved in a research program to use Metaverse to enhance clinical instructions and training. I am sure there are more meaningful experiences from it.
References
Bhugaonkar, K., Bhugaonkar, R., & Masne, N. (2022). The Trend of Metaverse and Augmented & Virtual Reality Extending to the Healthcare System. Cureus. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.29071
Mandal, S. (2013). Brief Introduction of Virtual Reality & its Challenges. 4(4).
OpenSimulator. (n.d.). Retrieved October 15, 2023, from http://opensimulator.org/wiki/Main_Page
Saeed, A., Foaud, L., & Fattouh, L. (2017). Environments and System Types of Virtual Reality Technology in STEM: A Survey. International Journal of Advanced Computer Science and Applications, 8(6). https://doi.org/10.14569/IJACSA.2017.080610
Simsek, A. (2012). Interview with David H. Jonassen: Looking at the Field of Educational Technology from Radical and Multiple Perspectives. Contemporary Educational Technology, 3(1). https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/6069
Virtual Reality | Tools, Publications & Resources. (n.d.). Retrieved October 15, 2023, from https://www.ala.org/tools/future/trends/virtualreality
Read More