Drawing for learning in VR: Examining science knowledge representation with immersive sketching

This study explored the role a VR drawing environment could play in supporting and facilitating learners as they engage in acts of knowledge representation around the lunar phases phenomenon. Drawing as a tool to support learning has been shown to be a productive generative learning process and particularly valuable in the context of science learning. The goal of this study was to take the identified value of hand-drawing for learning and intersect it with the potential spatial affordances of VR. VR has been positively received by learners and educators and has shown to have potential on supporting students’ science learning. Building off the body of work showing the importance of designing immersive environments to maximize embodied learning opportunities, a web-accessible VR drawing environment was created that focused on minimizing barriers to access for the creation and manipulation of drawn objects via a system of context-aware controller and gesture combinations. At the same a streamlined interface for a core set of additional tools was also provided (erase, group, undo, line thickness, and color). To accompany the technology a semi-structured lunar phases drawing task was developed alongside a series of facilitator interventions and methods of support. In total, 22 participants utilized the VR drawing system to explore their knowledge around the lunar phases. Overall, it was found that a majority of participants leveraged the affordances of the VR drawing by engaging in the creation of complex spatial representations while exploring and revising their lunar phases knowledge. As a dimension of productive engagement, the facilitator was critical in helping students explore their knowledge and provide targeted interventions when needed. For those that did not draw spatially, it was found that they were not prepared with a foundation of spatial domain knowledge to engage in complex VR drawing.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Curriculum and Instruction

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2023

Author dc:creator

• Planey, James

Contributors dc:contributor

• Lindgren, Robb
• Kang, Jina
• Krist, Christina
• Shackelford, Laura
• Tissenbaum, Michael

• Science Learning
• Immersive Learning
• Generative Learning
• Virtual Reality

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2023 James Planey

Language dc:language

en, eng

Handle dc:identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/120410

OAI record oai:identifier

https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=etdms&identifier=oai%3Awww.ideals.illinois.edu%3A2142%2F120410