IMMERSIVE SIMULATION-BASED LEARNING (ISBL): EFFICACY AND EFFECT OF NAVIGATION IN THE VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT
Open Access
- Author:
- Nowparvar, Mahgol
- Graduate Program:
- Data Analytics (MS)
- Degree:
- Master of Science
- Document Type:
- Master Thesis
- Date of Defense:
- March 16, 2022
- Committee Members:
- Colin Neill, Program Head/Chair
Ashkan Negahban, Thesis Advisor/Co-Advisor
Parhum Delgoshaei, Committee Member
Robin Guanghua Qiu, Committee Member - Keywords:
- Simulation
Augmented and Virtual Reality
Human-computer interface
Data science applications in education - Abstract:
- Problem-/project-based learning (PBL) is a well-established pedagogical approach that allows students to learn by solving complex real-world problems. There is a wide range of studies on the effectiveness of PBL for various learner groups across different disciplines. Moreover, there is a growing interest in using immersive technologies such as virtual reality (VR) in education. Immersive technologies provide a virtual/simulated learning environment that mimics real-world problems. These technologies provide risk-free learning environments that also facilitate remote learning. A combination of virtual learning environments and PBL enables the benefits of both concepts and further improves students’ problem-solving skills, active-learning, and critical thinking. In the research presented here, bibliometric analysis and literature review of relevant papers published in the proceedings of previous American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) annual conferences are used to investigate: (1) where (in what disciplines/subjects) PBL and VR have been used together in engineering education? And, (2) how are VR and PBL integrated and used in engineering education? Our findings suggest that there is a lack of formal assessment for the efficacy of virtual learning environments, which we aim to address in our analysis of ISBL effectiveness. In the second part of this research, we introduce and evaluate the effectiveness of the Immersive simulation-based learning (ISBL) modules in an undergraduate engineering economy course. ISBL aims to combine the benefits of PBL and virtual learning environments and provides technology-enhanced problem-based learning, where the problem context is represented via a three-dimensional (3D) animated discrete-event simulation model that resembles a real-world environment. In a set of controlled experiments, students are randomly assigned into two different groups: Control and Intervention. Students in the intervention group use ISBL modules as part of their assignments, while the control group completes a set of traditional textbook problems. Well-established survey instruments help us collect data from students’ demographics, personality, prior preparation, motivation, experiential learning, engineering identity, and self-assessment of learning objectives based on Bloom’s taxonomy. The results from our statistical analysis suggest that ISBL enhances certain learning outcomes related to motivation and experiential learning. We also provide a qualitative assessment of the proposed intervention based on detailed, one-on-one user testing and evaluation interviews. In the third component of this research, we implement a set of ISBL modules in a computer science course to understand the relationship between the user’s interaction and navigation in a virtual/simulated environment and their learning outcomes. The students are also asked to record their screens while navigating through the simulation environment. Our research team develop a video analytics tool via a machine learning algorithm to extract interaction’s data from students’ screen recorded videos, namely total time spent in the virtual/simulated environment, a modified standard deviation, and flag rate. We use the data collected from the surveys perform multivariable stepwise regression analysis to assess if/how the navigation related variables are predictors of the students’ learning outcomes.