Repository logo
 

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Recommendation tool for use of immersive learning environments
    Publication . Morgado, Leonel; Torres, Manuel; Beck, Dennis; Torres, Fernanda; Almeida, António; Simões, Ana; Ramalho, Filipa; Coelho, António
    In the field of immersive learning, instructors often find it challenging to match their pedagogical approaches and content knowledge with specific technologies. Unfortunately, this usually results in either a lack of technology use or inappropriate use of some technologies. Teachers and trainers wishing to use immersive learning environments face a diversity of technological and pedagogical alternatives. To scaffold educators in their planning of immersive learning educational activities, we devised a recommendation tool, which maps educational context variables to the dimensions of immersion and uses educators’ contexts to identify the closest educational uses. Sample educational activities for those uses are then presented, for various types of educational methodologies. Educators can use these samples to plan their educational activities in line with their current resources or to innovate by pursuing entirely different approaches.
  • Design and evaluation of a choreography-based virtual reality authoring tool for experiential learning in industrial training
    Publication . Cassola, Fernando; Mendes, Daniel; Pinto, Manuel; Morgado, Leonel; Costa, Sara; Anjos, Luis; Marques, David; Rosa, Filipe; Maia, Ana Margarida; Tavares, Helga; Coelho, António; Paredes, Hugo
    The use of virtual reality (VR) for industrial training helps minimize risks and costs by allowing more frequent and varied use of experiential learning activities, leading to active and improved learning. However, creating VR training experiences is costly and time-consuming, requiring software development experts. Additionally, current authoring tools lack integration with existing data and are desktop-oriented, which detach the pedagogic process of creating the immersive experience from experiencing it in a situated context. In this article, we present a novel interactive approach for immersive authoring of VR-based experiential training by the trainers themselves, from inside the virtual environment and without the support of development experts. The design includes identifying interactable elements, such as 3-D models, equipment, tools, settings, and environment. The trainer also specifies by demonstration the actions to be performed by trainees, as a virtual choreography. During course execution, trainees’ activities are also registered as virtual choreographies and matched to those specified by the trainer. Thus, trainer and trainee are culturally situated within their area semantics and social discourse, rather than adopting concepts of the VR system for the learning content. We conducted a usability case study with professionals from an international wind energy company, using detailed models of wind turbines and real-world procedures. Trainers set up a training course using the immersive authoring tool, and trainees executed the course. The learning experience and usability were analyzed, and the training was certified by comparing real-world task completion between a user who had undergone virtual training and a user who did not.