Effects of virtual presence and learning outcome using low-end virtual reality systems

Highlights

• We study how Low-end VR systems affect the learning outcome.

• Three VR configurations with different level of immersion were used.

• We evaluate the effects of virtual presence and learning outcome.

• The influence of Simulator Sickness was studied.

• Results indicate that Low-end VR systems produce a learning outcome comparable to High-end VR systems.

Abstract

Low-cost technology is essential to integrate Virtual Reality (VR) into educative institutions around the world. However, low-cost technology usually refers to low-end technology, which may compromise the level of immersion of the VR system. This study evaluates whether low-end and high-end VR systems achieve a comparable learning outcome regardless their immersion level. We also analyze the relationship between virtual presence and the learning outcome arising from a VR educational experience. An evaluation with 42 participants was conducted. We measured learning outcome and virtual presence under three different configurations, namely: a desktop computer, a low-end VR system, and a high-end VR system. The impact of simulator sickness was also analyzed. Results revealed a lower learning outcome in the less immersive configuration (i.e. desktop) and a similar learning outcome in both low-end and high-end VR systems. Even though low-end VR systems are less immersive and produce a lower level of virtual presence than high-end VR systems, the results support the use of low-end VR systems for educative applications.

Introduction

Virtual Reality (VR) is an immersive technology that engages and motivates the user and provides visualizations and interactions otherwise impossible to perform in a real environment. Virtual technologies have the potential of making students feeling more committed and motivated [1], [2], [3], allowing the exploration of new teaching and learning methods [4].

VR systems can be classified in low-end and high-end based on their hardware specifications. Generally, this classification also relates to the cost of the system. High-end VR systems, such as the Oculus Rift,¹ have proved to increase the students’ learning performance and cognitive skills in educative VR applications [5]. However, most of the educative institutions cannot afford this high-end VR technology considering the number of students in a classroom environment. For this reason, low-end VR systems must be considered. In general, low-end and high-end VR systems generate a different level of virtual presence.

Virtual presence is related to the concept of being perceptually present in a virtual environment so deeply as “if the medium were not there” [6]. Hence, the technology must be able to simulate the real world in terms of visual fidelity, laws of physics, and social interactions. In such simulated and highly interactive environments, students are free to experience and explore.

Learners’ active involvement seems to influence virtual presence [3]. In fact, the learners’ feeling of virtual presence positively influence the interest and the motivation to interact and continue playing the game or simulation [7]. It is generally assumed that the greater a medium provides visual, auditory, and haptic stimulation, the greater the capability of that medium to produce virtual presence [3].

Many studies in the literature link virtual technologies with improvements in students’ academic performance and motivation [8], [9], [10], students’ social and collaborative skills [11], and students’ psycho-motor and cognitive skills [12]. In [13] the authors presented a test to evaluate whether presence can be enhanced in less immersive virtual environments by using emotional content. Their results suggest that both affective content and immersion have an important effect on the sense of presence. The use of immersive technologies in education has been addressed on previous studies [11], [14], [15], [16], [17], however they tend to be focused on specific experiences and topics.

Virtual Reality based Learning Environments (VRLEs) motivate the students to learn by freely exploring the virtual environment, providing unprecedented learning experiences within a safe and controlled environment [18]. Since VR can easily simulate many different situations, VRLEs are also used for spatial cognition training [19], [20], [21], [22]. For instance, Korallo et al. [19] proposed the possibility of using spatial memory to help students remember history chronology. They suggested that achieving the intended learning outcome requires spatial thinking ability either directly or indirectly.

The general relationship between spatial cognition and learning suggest that there may be a similar relationship between learning and virtual presence, which is directly related to the VR system used. Also, even though high-end VR systems have proved to enhance the learning process, low-end and less immersive VR systems might improve the learning process as well. Therefore, this research study was guided by two hypotheses. First, we hypothesized a positive relationship between virtual presence and the learning outcome arising from a VR educational experience. Second, we hypothesized that low-end and high-end VR systems achieve a comparable learning outcome regardless their immersion level. To test these hypotheses, this study analyzed and compared the participants’ learning outcome and virtual presence on three different immersive VR configurations.

The rest of the paper is structured as follows. In Section 2 the materials and methods used in the current study are presented. Section 3 shows the results of the evaluation and the analysis of the corresponding variables. The discussion is detailed in Section 4, followed by guidelines to further study. Finally, Section 5 provides the conclusions of the study.