VR in Education: How Virtual Reality Can Impact Learning

Education in VR Meetup“How VR Can Impact Learning

July 19th, 2016

This presentation was delivered at BuildNY on July 19th, at our “Education in VR”

meetup.

Goal of This Meetup:Create a community of education-minded VR

entrepreneurs, developers & content creators

Two Learning Theories to start us off:

• Cognitive Load Theory• Multi-Media Learning Theory

Cognitive Load Theory

Working Memory is Gateway to Learning

Working Memory is Limited

Working Memory gets used by all conscious

thought

Cognitive Load TheoryThree Ways to use Working Memory:1. “Intrinsic”

Understanding the material

2. “Germane” Learning the material

3. “Extraneous” Distractions

Cognitive Load

Theory Says:

Reduce Distractions

Emphasize effort on learning not just doing

Learning is enhanced by pointers & guided

exercises

Worked examples and ‘faded examples’ are

better than full problem solving

Multi-Media Learning Theory

The Mind is multiple-channel: Auditory &

Visual, (tactile?)

These Channels overlap but are additive

Complexity in presentation impedes

learning

Multi-Media Learning Theory

More effective to show than read

MultiMedia Learning Theory Says:

Use both channels

Minimize Distractions

Integrate text/narrative & graphics

“Situate” learning in context

How This Relates to VR & Immersive

Technologies

I thinkFour

Elements Might Have

an Effect

Immersion

Context & Content Together

Hardware Feedback

In a 3D Volume

One Way to Think of Immersive TechVisual, Tactile, Audio techniques that bring the user into content, data and experiences.

Data & Content Context

Virtual Reality:• Context is created or re-created,

presented within a dedicated headset or special smartphone viewer

• Data & content are presented at the same time

Content & Context

Augmented Reality:• Context is actual reality• Data & content are presented via

smartphone, tablet or headset

Immersion

Minimizes Distraction

Cognitive Load more easily directed at the

task, and at the process of learning

Guidance easier to provide in 100%

controlled presentation

Context & Content Together

Also Minimizes Distraction

Correlation between telling & showing

Hardware Feedback

Allows Pacing controlled by

attentionAllows System to

Understand Comprehension

More Intuitive Operation

In a Volume

Allows Additional Scaffolding with

ancillary ‘screens’

Learning Can Be Situated

More Sophisticated Mental Modeling can result from 3D scene

Discussion

Demo:Audio Fusion

Going forward:Format, Food & Call for Demos

Thank you

Who Am I?

Management Training technologies that Scaffold the Learner: • Mobile notifications

• Mobile VR

Run VR Hackathons, conferences, public VR Labs in Connecticut.