20 мая 2018г.
Introduction
Modern world is filled by hi-tech devices, which make life easier and help with work. In many spheres, use of these devices became normal and sometimes even necessary. Education is not an exception. Many schools use electronic journals to make mark verification and attendance check easier; teachers use interactive blackboards for increasing pupils’ interest in study. However, this isn’t sufficient step, because children getting bored fast and they return to their gadgets. This creates an idea of using smartphones not for entertainment, but for interesting learning and the key to make this – virtual reality.
What is VR?
Virtual reality - the computer-generated simulation of a three-dimensional image or environment that can be interacted with in a seemingly real or physical way by a person using special electronic equipment, such as a helmet with a screen inside or gloves fitted with sensors. [1] The earliest attempt at virtual reality is surely the 360- degree murals (or panoramic paintings) from the nineteenth century. These paintings were intended to fill the viewer’s entire field of vision, making them feel present at some historical event or scene (in particular, the museum
- panorama "Borodinskaya Bitva").
In 1838, Charles Wheatstone’s research demonstrated that the brain processes the different two- dimensional images from each eye into a single object of three dimensions. The design principles of the Stereoscope is used today for the popular Google Cardboard and low budget VR head mounted displays for mobile phones. [2] There are different virtual reality platforms:
• Google Cardboard
This platform was presented on the Google I/O in 2014. It became popular because of open-source based technology and simplicity of development. Today there are many realizations by different manufacturers in all price segments. The simplest one costs $3 or can be made by hand. The image appears on the smartphone screen, which is installed in the helmet. The disadvantage is limit of computing power.
• OculusRift
VR-helmet which was developed in 2012 and gave impetus to progress VR-industry. The company-developer was bought by Facebook in 2014. Mark Zuckerberg called Oculus Rift the base for new generation of computer technologies. It is used with computer, which render image and transfer it to the helmet. The disadvantages are the high price and necessity of using computer.
• HTC Vive
The one of the most advanced consumer VR headset on this moment. In addition, set contains two controllers and some sensors, which placed all over the room. Thus, complete tracking of head turns, movements in space and movements of hands is provided. It is the most expensive solution on the market, although, needs a powerful computer.
• Different systems (rooms with sensors)
Also there are different more complicated immersion systems, which are either extend named above platforms or use much more advanced ways of tracking rooms (example, MotionCapture). Such systems are not considered in this article, since their cost does not allow using them universally.
The aims of this article
This article talks about the availability of educating using VR-technologies. The experts, teachers and students were interviewed to confirm the relevance of the VR application in schools. Based on this information, a prototype of VR application was created. Its demonstration is also presented in this article.
Which VR is meant?
For using in educational purposes, the most preferred option is Google Cardboard. Simplicity of the development make it possible to quickly create teaching aids that meet the teachers’ needs, and cheap price will allow using the technology at low cost. Also, a wide selection of manufacturers gives opportunity to choose a suitable solution in any price range.
It is also important to note here that, despite the fact that a smartphone is required for the functioning of this headset, this solution is still cost-effective, since:
• According to statistics, 80% of children 6-10 years old have their own smartphone and / or tablet. [3]
• The cost of modern smartphones is several times less than the cost of conventional PCs used in computer classes.
Possibilities of practical application of VR in education
Use of existing developments in our days
As part of the research of the use of VR technologies in learning, an interview was conducted with the executive director and tutor of the International Innovative Educational Center Evgeny Lisichenko. There is an excerpt from the interview.
Q: How can virtual reality technologies help children perceive information? What are the pros and cons of using VR?
A: There are several aspects to the perception of information. First, today's children mostly perceive the material visually, very few students read, and moreover, many people have troubles with reading. You can visualize a fairly large amount of information to partially replace and supplement them with reading textbooks. In addition, perceive information graphically is much simpler and more interesting.
Secondly, it is difficult for many students to cope with large volumes of information without distraction. VR-glasses cut off access to most of the distractions.
Thirdly, using VR is much more pleasing to the eye. This makes the learning process more interesting, and also gives a great motivational impetus to learning.
The main disadvantage is that the delivery of material during such lessons is greatly simplified, which suppresses the ability to absorb complex material, and also deprives motivation to use alternative methods of obtaining information.
Q: For what age will VR be most effective?
A: It will be easier for students of junior classes. Their ability to adapt is much higher. But the most effective learning in VR will occur in the pupils of 8-11 grades. In these classes, children begin to learn non-obvious things. For example - formulas in chemistry, phenomena in physics, stereometry. Visualization will help not only to learn a set of formulas, but also to imagine what is behind them and how they are related to the real world.
Q: Can this be implemented? How?
A: Yes, of course. The creation of such a schoolbook is a complex process, in which a lot of specialists must be involved. But no more than, for example, in the last century when creating the same textbook on physics. Only the structure of the team will change. We need psychologists, writers, editing directors, specialists in graphics.
Q: Are there any developments in this direction now?
A: The only (known to me) non-experimental example of VR training is the practical task integrated in the course of training the VOI experts from the MIOC.
Q: Are these developments used in training now in your company?
A: As I said before, we have a practical lesson in VR in the course of training experts in the accessible environment of the VOI. Also, in our “QA” school for students of the 8th-10th grades, in separate classes VR is used for teaching in mathematics, physics, imagination, logic, and attentiveness, and individual lessons are being developed until they are collected into a single curriculum and teaching and methodological complex.
Possibilities of use in modern schools
In order to clarify the relevance of VR in schools, an interview was conducted with Belyakova Marina Alexandrovna, teacher of mathematics Lyceum № 1547, a GIA expert.
Q: What technologies (distance courses, interactive whiteboards, projectors, etc.) you and your colleagues use in training?
A: At work, we use projectors (mainly teachers humanities), electronic boards (there are almost in every room and teachers use them in their work), computer science teachers use remote form of training a lot.
Q: Do they help both children and teachers?
A: The use of electronic boards greatly saves the time of the lesson, allows to work out a lot of stuff visually with the class. Projectors help to make a lesson diverse and sometimes bright.
Q: In your opinion, is it possible to use the technology of virtual reality in modern schools?
A: I think that this technology would find its application in many lessons subjects and interested many teachers and students.
Q: Will the use of VR helps children perceive information more clearly, and teachers to deliver it?
A: Yes, I think it will be interesting, the child will be able to immerse himself in the studied object or process. The opportunity to see the subject of study "live" gives improves understanding of what is happening. I would also like the technology to be easy to use, both for the student and for the teacher.
Why this is important?
Every year the learning by traditional textbooks lose it effectiveness because of children's obsession with virtuality and need for a large information flow. Immersion in virtual reality will involve them in the studying and approach to process creatively and in a playful way.
Technically, there are all prerequisites for rapid development this area of computer technology. Computing power of smartphones steadily grow and close to PC’s every year. Thus, the limits will become less stringent and there will be an opportunity to create more advanced virtual teaching aids.
Results of students’ survey
In order to introduce pupils with virtual reality technology and investigate their interest in using it on the lessons, an unnamed survey was conducted. About 40 students of junior and middle classes took part in the survey. The results are presented in the diagrams below.
The idea of implementation
The possibilities of using VR in education are very wide. In history lessons, students can go on a trip to Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece, in biology class descend into the underwater world, and during the astronomy test find all the constellations of the North Pole themselves. To
illustrate use of VR, was created an application to the history lesson on the topic "Ancient Rome". A textual and graphic material for the lesson was selected; as a base for implementation was selected Pano2VR. The lesson describes
various historical monuments of the construction and art of the Roman Empire: the Appian Way, the statues of Emperor Marcus
Aurelius and the Capitoline Wolf, the Roman Forum, the column of Emperor Trajan, the triumphal arches of Emperor Titus and Emperor Septimius Severus, Coliseum, as well as the Roman invention of the prototype plumbing - aqueduct. The lesson is aimed at сhildren of primary school age. To test the application, a small lesson was conducted for those who wished to participate in the experiment.
Below are screenshots of several scenes and photos from the lesson.
The survey conducted after the
lesson showed that children have learned most
of
the information (~ 83%), this
form of obtaining knowledge was interesting to them, accessible and not tedious.
Conclusion
Summing up, it is necessary to note the obvious advantages of using such a form of education:
• Low cost method to make education more interesting
Since the Cardboard platform is small in value and have a large distribution, purchasing a batch of helmets for equipment of several classes will not require large expenditures for the educational institution, and provided holesale purchase will decrease the cost of the solution several times.
• Availability of quick development.
The flexibility of technology allows you to quickly create high-quality VR study books for any subjects in any accessible form (tests, quests, educational films) using existing game engines (such as Unity3D, Unreal Engine) or programs for creating virtual interactive tours (for example, Pano2VR, Panotour Pro). This allows you to adapt to the rapidly changing realities of modern education.
• Increasing students' interest
As follows from the surveys, not all students are interested in studying. The reason for this may be insufficient convinience of the educational material. The use of virtual reality will greatly increase the interest of students, will improve the perception of the material, and, according to teachers and psychologists, will facilitate the work of teachers.
Список литературы
1.
https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/virtual_reality
2.
https://www.vrs.org.uk/virtual-reality/history.html
3.
http://momri.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/MOMRI_a4-150DPI-TEST_010.pdf
