Virtual Reality

An alternative to headsets for the motion sick.

If you are like me you find the use of VR devices fairly intuitive and fun to use.

If you are like my dad you may find yourself getting motion sick. There could be many reasons for this and VR companies are constantly trying to iron out those issues. Increasing the precision of the tracking to better correlate the movements of the head to what the user sees, increasing the resolution and field of view of the displays so it no longer feels like you are looking through a soda straw.

An affordable option that teachers can offer is the TrackIR device. It is an infrared camera that tracks the position and orientation of your head. The TrackClip attaches to the brim of a hat or visor and has three retro-reflective markers that direct infrared light back to the camera. I own and have extensively made use of a TrackIR. It allows me to look around just like a vr headset just not at a 1:1 head movement ratio. I am still looking at a normal computer screen.

If a student feels unwell or is unable to wear the bulky headgear this is an inclusive option for them. Another advantage of this system is the ability to use the higher resolutions that traditional screen provide, providing more detail to images. A common complaint about VR headsets is the “screen-door effect” which is a result of the low resolution displays used.

Although it may not feel quite the same a putting on a VR headset and immersing yourself in an environment, TrackIR does fit the the definition of VR in that your physical movements allow you to interact with the simulation.

Using VR and TrackIR in the classroom

(Mikropoulos et al. 1998) The attitude of education students towards virtual reality as a tool in the educational process, and towards virtual learning environments on specific disciplines, found students had a favourable attitude towards virtual reality in the educational process. VR is in fashion at the moment. As the glitz wears off there will need to be ongoing analysis of the learning objectives that can be accomplished by VR in order to keep students engaged with their learning.

Abstractions made clearer

One factor contributing to the value of virtual reality in an educational context is the ability of students to explore and interact with course content in an immersive virtual environment (Fowler 2015). Whereas traditional means of instruction have relied upon the extensive efforts of the instructor to relay abstract concepts, educators are finding that virtual reality environments are able to make these former abstractions virtually tangible in a way that students find to be more accessible (Fowler 2015, de Freitas & Neumann 2009, Ip & Li 2015). This accessibility also is characterised by a greater ability for learners to personalise their learning experience and achieve greater learning autonomy ( de Freitas & Neumann 2009)

For fun check out this grandmother getting to ride in an F-14 Tomcat from Top Gun

https://www.twitch.tv/videos/405892398

Freitas, S., & Neumann, T. (2009). Pedagogic strategies supporting the use of synchronous audiographic conferencing: A review of the literature. British Journal of Educational Technology, 40(6), 980-998. 

Mikropoulos, T., Chalkidis, A., Katskikis, A., & Emvalotis, A. (1998). Students' attitudes towards educational virtual environments. Education and Information Technologies, 3(2), 137-148.