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How Immersion and Self-Avatars in VR Affect Learning Programming and Computational Thinking in Middle School
IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics
|April 25, 2022
Summary
Embodied immersive virtual reality (EVR) with self-avatars significantly enhances middle school students' learning of computer programming and computational thinking compared to immersive virtual reality (IVR) and desktop viewing (NVR). EVR improved knowledge, programming performance, and STEM attitudes the most.
Area of Science:
- Educational Technology
- Virtual Reality in Education
- Computer Science Education
Background:
- Virtual Reality (VR) offers immersive learning environments.
- Educational simulations can aid in teaching complex subjects like programming.
- The role of self-avatars in VR learning is an area for empirical investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of embodied immersive virtual reality (EVR) with self-avatars versus immersive virtual reality only (IVR) and non-VR desktop viewing (NVR) on middle school students' learning outcomes.
- To compare pedagogical outcomes, programming performance, presence, and attitudes towards STEM and computational thinking across different VR conditions.
- To determine the effectiveness of VR simulations with and without self-avatars for computer programming education.
Main Methods:
- A study involving 90 middle school students (6th and 7th grade) learning computer programming through dance choreography.
- Students used the Virtual Environment Interactions (VEnvI) application for visual programming.
- A between-subjects design compared three viewing conditions: EVR (with self-avatar), IVR (without self-avatar), and NVR (desktop).
Main Results:
- Participants in EVR and IVR conditions scored significantly higher in Knowledge and Understanding (Bloom's taxonomy) and Multistructural (SOLO taxonomy) than the NVR group.
- The EVR group demonstrated significantly higher scores than the IVR group in learning dimensions.
- Objective programming performance and presence scores were highest in EVR, followed by IVR, compared to NVR. Students' attitudes towards computer science and programming confidence also improved most in EVR.
Conclusions:
- Immersive virtual reality (VR) with embodied self-avatars (EVR) significantly enhances learning of computer programming and computational thinking in middle school students.
- VR learning experiences incorporating immersion and self-avatars are effective for improving knowledge, understanding, and programming performance.
- Educators and developers can leverage EVR to create more impactful VR educational simulations for abstract concept acquisition.
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