The main effects of shader fidelity and polygon fidelity were both non- significant for both learning and all presence subscales inside the VLE. In addition, there was no significant interaction between shader fidelity and model fidelity. However, there were two significant results on the supplementary variables. First, gender was found to have a significant main effect on all the presence subscales. Females reported higher average levels of presence than their male counterparts. Second, gameplay hours, or the number of hours a participant played computer games per week, also had a significant main effect on participant score on the learning measure. The participants who reported playing 15+ hours of computer games per week, the highest amount of time in the variable, had the highest score as a group on the mercury learning measure while those participants that played 1-5 hours per week had the lowest scores.
This thesis describes the design, development, and early user testing of a theory-based virtual world for computer science instruction called System Dot. System Dot was designed to visually manifest programming instructions into interactable objects, giving players a way to see coding as tangible entities rather than text on a white screen. In order for System Dot to convey the true nature of computer science, a custom predictive recursive descent parser was embedded in the program to validate any user-generated solutions to pre-defined logical platforming puzzles.
Steps were taken to adapt the virtual world to player behavior by creating a system to detect their learning style playing the game. Through a dynamic Bayesian network, System Dot aims to classify a player’s learning style based on the Felder-Sylverman Learning Style Model (FSLSM). Testers played through the first half of System Dot, which was enough to test out the Bayesian network and initial learning style classification. This classification was then compared to the assessment by Felder’s Index of Learning Styles Questionnaire (ILSQ). Lastly, this thesis will also discuss ways to use the results from the user testing to implement a personalized feedback system for the virtual world in the future and what has been learned through the learning style method.
As Arizona State University moves toward virtual classroom accessibility and the fortification of education for all students around the globe (ASU Online), we must continue to develop and cultivate creative resources to bring STEM laboratory activities to those who do not have access to the resources found in many classrooms. Online science degree programs face a particular challenge, as laboratory activities must be reformatted and rethought for virtual application. ASU has recently launched an online Forensic Science major, and the ability to identify and analyze evidence at a crime scene is one of the most important skills a student-investigator can learn. The development of creative ways to address instruction in a virtual crime scene is essential to the success of this and similar programs. Through the process of identifying evidence, students can hone their critical thinking skills, as they are required to assess scenarios and decide which evidence is pertinent to a given case. By making decisions regarding the packaging of identified evidence, students learn important steps in any forensic job, such as chain of custody, the effects of material packaging on evidence preservation, and the ramifications of incorrect evidence handling. Currently, there are several virtual crime scene programs available for purchase (Crime Scenes Meet Virtual Reality | St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas). These programs offer activities such as those described above, yet they present a financial hurdle and are not customizable for specific courses or environments. Through the use of Google Slides, this project yielded an accessible and easily replicable interactive learning experience. The project resulted in a virtual crime scene that was both intuitive and integrative of generally novice technological resources such as Google Enterprise. Clickable photo slides were constructed using the linked shape imagery tools on Google Slides in order to provide an immersive learning experience.