Investigating Educational Affordances of Virtual Reality for Simulation-Based Teaching Training

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 29
  In Roundtable Session: Virtual Reality and Robotics in Teaching and Learning

Abstract

The current research aims to provide an in-situ examination of the educational affordances supported by the unique characteristics of VR in relation to the task, goal-based scenarios, and learner support design. Specifically, we investigated the affordances (or learning benefits) and constraints of a VR-based, participatory simulation-oriented learning environment for the teaching training of university graduate teaching assistants. Seventeen graduate teaching assistants participated in a multi-case study with an OpenSim-supported, simulation-based teaching training program. The current study indicated that the designed VR training activates participants’ teaching practices and purposeful interactions with the embedded teaching objects and guidance. On the other hand, participants’ cognitive processing deteriorates with the increase of multiple representations and the reduction of active cuing.

Authors

• Fengfeng Ke, Florida State University

• Mariya Pachman, Florida State University

• Zhaihuan Dai, University of South Florida

• Xin Yuan, Florida State University