The Design, Development And Evaluation Of A Virtual Reality (Vr)-Based Learning Environment: Its Efficacy In Novice Car Driver Instruction
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Date
2005-05
Authors
Chen, Chwen Jen
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Abstract
This study pursues developmental goals (Reeves, 2000; Richey & Nelson, 1996)
by focusing on developing a plausible solution to solve a problem in a real context
while at the same time constructing a feasible instructional design and development
framework that can guide future developmental efforts. The identified learning problem
focuses on the understanding of traffic rules for various road scenarios that consist of
ordinary roads, different types of road junction and related traffic signs, in which novice
car drivers are found to face difficulty in understanding the conventional learning
materials, which are in the form of text and two-dimensional static images. An
evaluation that employs a quasi-experimental design is then conducted to investigate
the effects of the developed learning environment, which is a VR-based learning environment,
through the virtual environments on learning; and to investigate the effects of learners’
aptitudes, both spatial visualisation ability and learning style, on learning. The VRbased
learning environment employs an instructional design theoretical framework that
combines the concept of integrative goal (Gagne & Merrill, 1990) with the constructivist
learning environments design model (Jonassen, 1999) to serve as the macro-strategy
and employs the design principles derived from the cognitive theory of multimedia
learning (Mayer, 2002) to serve as the micro-strategy. This learning environment also
adopts the Recursive, Reflective Design and Development (R2D2) model (Willis, 1995;
Willis & Wright, 2000) as the instructional development model. The evaluation study
employs a multiple-group pretest-posttest quasi-experimental factorial design. A total of
184 Form Four students participate in this study. The study discovers that learners
exposed to the Guided VR mode significantly outperform the learners exposed to the
Non-Guided VR mode as well as the learners exposed to the Non VR mode. Both low
on learning; to investigate the effects of controlling the exploration spatial visualisation ability learners and high spatial visualisation ability learners
exposed to the Guided VR mode significantly outperform their Non-Guided VR and
Non VR counterparts. It is also found that the Guided VR mode provides almost
equivalent benefits to both low spatial visualisation ability learners and high spatial
visualisation ability learners. The interaction effect between the learners’ spatial
visualisation abilities and the three learning modes is not significant. Similar findings
are obtained for the moderator variable on learning style, which is between the
assimilator learners and the accommodator learners. Both assimilator learners and
accommodator learners exposed to tne Guided VR mode significantly outperform their
Non-Guided VR and Non VR counterparts. It is also found that the Guided VR mode
provides almost equivalent benefits to both assimilator learners and accommodator
learners. The interaction effect between the learners' learning styles and the three
learning modes is not significant. The conclusion of this study is supportive of the
positive value of employing a VR-based learning environment for this particular
learning problem, suggests the importance of providing sufficient navigational aids to
control exploration through virtual environments, and shows the VR-based learning
environment as a promising medium to accommodate individual differences in terms of
spatial visualisation ability and learning style.
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Keywords
Tecnology