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Main Authors: Kalvakolu, Surya, Söbke, Heinrich, Hauge, Jannicke Baalsrud, Kraft, Eckhard
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
Subjects:
Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2409.05496
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author Kalvakolu, Surya
Söbke, Heinrich
Hauge, Jannicke Baalsrud
Kraft, Eckhard
author_facet Kalvakolu, Surya
Söbke, Heinrich
Hauge, Jannicke Baalsrud
Kraft, Eckhard
contents Virtual field trips (VFTs) have proven to be valuable learning tools. Such applications are mostly based on 360° technology and are to be characterized as single-user applications in technological terms. In contrast, Social VR applications are characterized by multi-user capability and user-specific avatars. From a learning perspective, the concepts of collaborative learning and embodiment have long been proposed as conducive to learning. Both concepts might be supported using Social VR. However, little is currently known about the use of Social VR for VFTs. Accordingly, the research questions are to what extent VFTs can be implemented in Social VR environments and how these Social VR-based VFTs are perceived by learners. This article presents an evaluation study on the development and evaluation of a VFT environment using the Social VR platform Mozilla Hubs. It describes the design decisions to create the environment and evaluation results from a mixed-method study (N=16) using a questionnaire and focus group discussions. The study highlighted the opportunities offered by Social VR-based VFTs but also revealed several challenges that need to be addressed to embrace the potential of Social VR-based VFTs to be utilized regularly in education.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2409_05496
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Educational Virtual Field Trips based on Social VR and 360° Spaces
Kalvakolu, Surya
Söbke, Heinrich
Hauge, Jannicke Baalsrud
Kraft, Eckhard
Human-Computer Interaction
Multimedia
68U35
H.5.1; H.4.3; J.2
Virtual field trips (VFTs) have proven to be valuable learning tools. Such applications are mostly based on 360° technology and are to be characterized as single-user applications in technological terms. In contrast, Social VR applications are characterized by multi-user capability and user-specific avatars. From a learning perspective, the concepts of collaborative learning and embodiment have long been proposed as conducive to learning. Both concepts might be supported using Social VR. However, little is currently known about the use of Social VR for VFTs. Accordingly, the research questions are to what extent VFTs can be implemented in Social VR environments and how these Social VR-based VFTs are perceived by learners. This article presents an evaluation study on the development and evaluation of a VFT environment using the Social VR platform Mozilla Hubs. It describes the design decisions to create the environment and evaluation results from a mixed-method study (N=16) using a questionnaire and focus group discussions. The study highlighted the opportunities offered by Social VR-based VFTs but also revealed several challenges that need to be addressed to embrace the potential of Social VR-based VFTs to be utilized regularly in education.
title Educational Virtual Field Trips based on Social VR and 360° Spaces
topic Human-Computer Interaction
Multimedia
68U35
H.5.1; H.4.3; J.2
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2409.05496