SIGGRAPH 2006

© Maria C.R. Harrington, 2006, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

[email protected] University of Pittsburgh



Situational Learning in Real and Virtual Space: Lessons Learned and Future Directions

Maria C.R. HarringtonSchool of Information SciencesDepartment of Information Science and TelecommunicationsUniversity of Pittsburgh135 North Bellefield AvenuePittsburgh, PA 15260 [email protected]

Human Computer Interaction

Spatial Information

Theory

Knowledge Acquisition Systems



Paradigm ShiftParadigm Shift

“Can Simulated Ecological Environments

of nature inspire independent exploration,

an intrinsic desire to learn and acts of

creation for the child?”



• Build Useable Educational Systems for Children

– What has worked?

• Ethnographic Study

• Survey of Literature, Research and Market

– What tools are available?

• Platforms, Software SDKs, Distribution Channels

Research GoalsResearch Goals



Start with Ethnographic StudyStart with Ethnographic Study

• In Classroom

– Traditional Approach

– Materials

– Standardized Tests

– Generalized

• Field Trips

– In Context / Situational

– Interactions / Explorations

– Expert Guide

– Personalized



Ecology

Education

Human ComputerInteraction

Simulated Ecological Environments for

Education

Research DomainsResearch Domains



Real World Situated LearningReal World Situated Learning

• Situated Learning Theory – [Lave and Wenger 1990; McLellan 1995]

• “Islands of Expertise” Informal Learning Theory

– [Crowley and Jacobs 2002]

• The Theory of Multiple Intelligences

– [Gardner 1993]

Education



Literature ReviewLiterature Review

• Explored over 400 sources of interest– Cut to 150 Core

• Main Categories• Ubiquitous & Collaborative

• Immersive Virtual Reality

• Classroom Virtual Reality

• Simulations & Artificial Life

• Theaters, Museums & Science Centers

• Desktop Virtual Reality

• Augmented & Mixed Reality

• Mobile & In the Field

• Creative Elements for ChildrenEcology

Education




Information Science

Philosophy

Psychology

EconomicsDecisionSupport

Real Time Systems

Ecology

Education

CognitiveScience


Virtual Reality

Data Visualization

Augmented Reality

Collaboration

Interactive Educational Technology

Intelligent Tudors

Simulations

Semantic Web

Semantic VR Web

Virtual Worlds and Artificial Intelligence And Artificial Life

Situated Learning

Plants

Science Education

Conceptual MapConceptual Map


Education



Ecology

Education



Education

Common ElementsCommon Elements



Simulated Ecological Environments for Education (SEEE)

Simulated Ecological Environments for Education (SEEE)

• SEEE Tripartite Model

– User to Expert

– Simulation and Virtual Environment

– User Interface

• A Useful Framework

• Help to Frame the Problem, Approach

• Solution



Findings of Literature, Research and MarketFindings of Literature, Research and Market• Child’s Mental Model & Situation Learning

– Novice to Expert transitions

– How does declarative and procedural knowledge change in situational learning environments?

• Virtual Environments of Nature

– 3DCG modeled virtual environments

– Parameters of 3DCG that impact realism?

– VE = terrain, sky, water, plants and animals

• User Interface

– Human Computer User interface required to support the activity and tasks of a child engaged in situational learning?

– Input and Output Devices

– Soft UI = search, navigation, augmentation & annotation.



Evaluation Criteria Evaluation Criteria

• Common Rubric to structure the Case Study Review

• All projects reviewed by– Overview

– Educational Objects

– Technology Used

– Subjects

– Content

– Methods and Results

– HCI Evaluation



Important ProjectsImportant Projects

• MIT Kids Room

• Project Science Space

• GeorgiaTech Virtual Gorilla

• EVL Field Work

• MyField Study

• Nerve Garden

• Plant Simulations

• Virtual Oceanarium

• MUVEs

• Equator Ambient Wood

• MagicLenses

• Digital EE

• The Tent

• Geist



MIT Kids RoomMIT Kids Room

KidsRoom

Images of the KidsRoom (Bobick et al., 1999). Top row are photographs of the room. The bottom row is showing a wall transitioning

from wall paper to a forest.



Project Science SpaceProject Science Space

Project Science Space Images of Project Science (Salzman, Dede, Loftin & Chen, 1999). The image on the left is from NewtonWorld, and the image on the right is from MaxwellWorld.



GeorgiaTech Virtual GorillaGeorgiaTech Virtual Gorilla

Virtual Gorilla ExhibitThe Virtual Gorilla Exhibit (Allison, Wills, Bowman, et al., 1997) was an immersive virtual environment created at the Georgia Institute of Technology and pilot tested on location at the Atlanta Zoo. The image on the far left is representative of the habitat with a gorilla on a mound. The image in the center is that of an alpha silver back male. The image on the right is an image of the gorilla’s habitat shelter.



EVL Field Work & MyFieldEVL Field Work & MyField

The FieldImages of children watching the Bee Dance in The Field (Johnson, Moher, Cho, Lin, Hass, et al., 2002). Educational objectives included theconcepts of inter-species relationships of plants, insects and pollination, as well as observation skills.



Empirical FindingsEmpirical Findings

• MaxwellWorld (Project Science Space)– Knowledge Gain has been reported in the experimental results

as close to 20% (Dede et al., 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999; Salzman et al., 1996 & 1999)

• MUVEs (River City)– Knowledge Gain has been reported in the experimental results

as close to 35% (Dede et al., 2003, 2005).

• Virtual Environment in Biology Teaching– Knowledge Gain has been reported in the experimental results

as close to 50% (Markopoulos, 2003)



Qualitative FindingsQualitative Findings

• Most Common

– Context

• Influences all signals

– Collaboration

• Helps to Reduce Inhibition & Increase Exploration

– Frames of Reference

• Help Focus Attention



Context as a Design ToolContext as a Design Tool

• Story (KidsRoom: Bobick et al., 1999; NICE: Roussou et al., 19997; MagicBook: Billinghurst et al., 2001; Looser, 2004; McKenzie, 2003; Geist: Braun, 2003; The Field (Johnson et al., 1999, 2000, 2001; Cho, 2003), MUVEs (Dede et al., 2003, 2005)

• Role Usage (Johnson et al., 1999, 2000, 200; Cho, 2003)

• Problems or a Goal Project Science Space (Dede et al., 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999; Salzman et al., 1996 & 1999), Global Change World (Jackson, 2000). The Round Earth Project (Johnson, et al., 1999), The Field (Johnson et al.,1999, 2000, 2001 and Cho, 2003), MUVEs (Dede et al., 2003 and Dede et al., 2005), Virtual Environment in Biology Teaching (Mikropoulos, 2003), the Virtual Field Station (Poland, 2003) and the subtle, delicate and elusive uses of the goals “to go and explore and reflect” suggested in The Ambient Wood Project (Weal, 2003 and Rogers, 2005) also showed encouraging results.

• The Visual Space DigitalEE II (Okada, 2003) with the implementation of the collaborative construction of a shared frame of reference necessitated by co-wayfinding, co-attending to objects of interest, and communication between real and virtual travelers with the subtle goal to appreciate nature. The user interface facilitated those unique activities with the Shared Eye.



Collaboration as a Design ToolCollaboration as a Design Tool

• Real or Virtual Peers or guides was shown to reduce inhibitions and increases the desire, rate and amount of exploration (Bobick, 1999).

• Guides are also context-agents, in that they can influence search and navigation strategies and provide hints or clues for problem solving. They also can be seen as mentors (Dede et al., 2003 and Dede et al., 2005). The research experiments tended to favor collaborative over individual experiences, with the majority of the studies in the category of paired or group work as contrasted to those designed for the individual.

• The interactive art pieces were open to individual choice, and The Tent (Waterworth, 2001) as it was originally conceived was a solo, meditative experience. There is room to conduct future research on designing and building effective systems for the individual.



Frames of Reference as a Design ToolFrames of Reference as a Design Tool

• Providing Multiple Frames of Reference, The Project Science Space MaxwellWorld, (Dede et al., 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999; Salzman et al., 1996 & 1999), DigitalEE II (Okada, 2003), The Round Earth, (Johnson, et al., 1999), and the MUVEs (Dede, 2003 and Dede et al., 2005)

• Virtual Environments are Constructs, the designer can intentionally select a visual frame of reference to increase the probability that the student will attend to the educationally important information in view.

• Multiple Views, by providing a user interface with multiple views of the information, understanding can be improved. This is yet another area for future research.



Critical Properties for DesignCritical Properties for Design

• Frames of Reference & Different Views

• Contextual & Perceptual

• Collaboration in Roles / Avatars

• Temporal Possibilities of Past, Present, Future Realities

• Scale can be Microscopic to Galactic

• Multi-Signal

• Cause & Effect Relationships

• Aesthetics & Natural Beauty

• Emotional Reactions…

…Awe & Wonder, a Need to Know, Share and Create…



Open QuestionsOpen Questions

• How to Replicate Real Experience?

– CBTs (some times Drill and Practice is good)

– Intelligent Tutors & Knowledge Acquisition Systems

– Simulations & Virtual Environments

• How to Distribute?

– Interactive DVDs/CDs?

– Internet / Web / P2P?

– Cell phones / Handhelds?



Spatial Cognitive EcologySpatial Cognitive Ecology



Simulated Ecological Environments for EducationSimulated Ecological Environments for Education



Demo & QuestionsDemo & Questions

• Simulated Ecological Environments for Education

• http://www2.sis.pitt.edu/~mariah/phd/index.html

SIGGRAPH 2006

Education

Transcript of SIGGRAPH 2006