An Exploration Of Desktop Virtual Reality And Visual Processing Skills In A Technical Training Environment

Lynna J. Ausburn*, Floyd B. Ausburn**, Paul Kroutter***
* Associate Professor and Program Coordinator of Occupational Education, College of Education, Oklahoma State University, USA.
** Adjunct Faculty in Occupational Education Studies, College of Education, Oklahoma State University, USA.
*** Administrative Captain, Broken Arrow Police Department, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma State University, USA.
Periodicity:January - March'2010
DOI : https://doi.org/10.26634/jet.6.4.1109

Abstract

Virtual reality (VR) technology has demonstrated effectiveness in a variety of technical learning situations, yet little is known about its differential effects on learners with different levels of visual processing skill. This small-scale exploratory study tested VR through quasi-experimental methodology and a theoretical/conceptual framework based on supplantation theory, cognitive load theory, Dale’s Cone of media concreteness, communication theory, and Lowenfeld’s visual/haptic perceptual typology. The study compared the differential effects of VR and traditional still-image presentations of surgical operating room environments to students with high- and low-visual perceptual styles. Descriptive statistics and two-way ANOVAs were used to examine main and interaction effects on six learning performance and opinion variables. Several significant main effects and disordinal interactions suggested that communication channel noise and cognitive load may disrupt supplantation-concreteness benefits of VR, particularly for low- visual learners. Follow-up qualitative data suggested these overload issues may have dissipated when the VR presentation was moved into a classroom learning environment.

Keywords

Virtual Reality, Virtual Environments, Perceptual Style, Visualizing Ability, Aptitude-Treatment Interaction, Supplantation, Cognitive Load, Media Concreteness

How to Cite this Article?

Lynna J. Ausburn, Floyd B. Ausburn and Paul Kroutter (2010). An Exploration Of Desktop Virtual Reality And Visual Processing Skills In A Technical Training Environment. i-manager’s Journal of Educational Technology, 6(4), 43-55. https://doi.org/10.26634/jet.6.4.1109

References

[1]. Ausburn, F. B., Ausburn, L. J., Cooper, J., Kroutter, P., & Sammons, G. (2007). Virtual reality technology: Current status, applications, and directions for education research. OATE Journal: Oklahoma Association of Teacher Educators,11, 7-14..
[2]. Ausburn, L. J., & Ausburn, F. B. (2003). A comparison of simultaneous vs. sequential presentation of images in a visual location task: A study of supplantational instructional design. OATE Journal: Oklahoma Association of Teacher Educators, 7, 1-20.
[3]. Ausburn, L. J., & Ausburn, F. B. (2004). Desktop virtual reality: A powerful new technology for teaching and research in industrial teacher education. Journal of Industrial Teacher Education, 41(4), 33-58.
[4]. Ausburn, L.J., & Ausburn, F.B. (2008a). New desktop virtual reality technology in technical education. imanager's Journal of Educational Technology, 4(4), 48-61.
[5]. Ausburn, L.J., & Ausburn, F.B. (2008b). Effects of desktop virtual reality on learner performance and Confidence in environmental masters: Opening a line of inquiry. Journal of Industrial Teacher Education, 45(1), 54-87.
[6]. Ausburn, L.J., Martens, J., Dotterer, G., & Calhoun, P. (2009). Avatars, pedagogical agents, and virtual Environments: Social learning systems online. i-manager's Journal of Educational Technology, 5(4), 1-13.
[7]. Berlo, D. (1960). The process of communication. New York: Holt, Rinehart, & Winston.
[8]. Bollmann, B., & Friedrich, L. (n.d.). Transfer of training in general V.R. Environments. Unpublished manuscript, Department of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, S wiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Zurich, Switzerland.
[9]. Chandler, P., & Sweller, J. (1991). Cognitive load theory and the format of instruction. Cognition and Instruction, 8(3), 293-332.
[10]. Cronbach, L. J., & Snow, R. E. (1977) Aptitudes and instructional methods: A handbook for research on interactions. New York: Irvington.
[11]. Di Blas, N., & Poggi, C. (2007). European virtual classrooms: Building effective “virtual” educational experiences. Virtual Reality, 11(2-3), 129-143.
[12]. Dale, E. (1954). Audio-visual methods in teaching (Rev.ed.). New York: The Dryden Press.
[14]. Green, S. B., & Salkind, N. J. (2008) Using SPSS for Windows and Macintosh: Analyzing and understanding data th (5 ed). Upper Saddle River, N. J.: Pearson Prentice Hall.
[15]. Holton, E., & Baldwin, T. (Eds.) (2003). Improving learning transfer in organizations. (1st Ed.). Hoboken, N J : Jossey-Bass.
[17]. Jeffries, P. R., Woolf, S., & Linde, B. (2003). Technologybased vs. traditional instruction: A comparison of t w o methods for teaching the skill of performing a 12-lead ECG. Nursing Education Perspectives, 24(2), 70-74.
[18]. LaPoint, J. F., & Roberts, J. M. (2000). Using VR for efficient training for forestry machine operators. Education and Information Technologies, 5(4), 237-250.
[19]. Lohr, L. L. (2008). Creating Graphics for Learning and nd Performance: Lessons in Visual Literacy (2 Ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson, Merrill, Prentice Hall.
[20]. Lowenfeld, V. (1945). Tests for visual and haptic aptitudes. American Journal of Psychology, 58, 100-112.
[21]. Lowenfeld, V. (1957). Creative and mental growth. New York: Macmillan Company.
[22]. Lowenfeld, V., & Brittain, W. L. (1987). Creative and th mental growth (8 ed.). New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
[23]. McConnas, J., MacKay, M., & Pivik, J. (2002). Effectiveness of virtual reality for teaching pedestrian safety. CyberPsychology and Behavior, 5(3), 185-190.
[24]. Miller, G.A. (1956). 7 ± 2 theory of short-term memory The magic number seven, plus or minus two: Some limits on our capacity for processing information. Psychological Review, 63, 81-97.
[25]. Quiroga, L. M., Crosby, M. E., & Iding, M. K. (2004). th Reducing cognitive load. In Proceedings of the 37 Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, p. 209.
[26]. Riva, G. (2003). Applications of virtual environments in medicine. Methods of Information in Medicine, 42, 524-534
[27]. Salomon, G. (1970). What does it do to Johnny? A cognitive-functionalistic view of research on media. Viewpoints: Bulletin of the School of Education, Indiana University, 46(5), 33-62.
[28]. Scavuzzo, J. & Towbin, G. (1997). Amoco's PC-based virtual reality simulation enables it to cut driver training costs. Information Systems Analyzer Case Studies, 36(3), 2-7.
[29]. Seth, A., & Smith, S. S. (2002). PC-based virtual reality for CAD model viewing. Journal of Technology Studies, 30(4), 32-37.
[30]. Shannon, C. E. (1948). A mathematical theory of communication. Bell Systems Technical Journal, 27, 379-423 and 623-656.
[31]. Sloan, N. J. A., & Wyner, A. D. (Eds.). (1993). Claude Elwood Shannon: Collected papers. New York: IEEE Press.
[32]. Squire, K. (2006). From content to context: Videogames as designed experiences. Educational Research, 35(8), 19-29.
[33]. Study, N. E. (2001). The effectiveness of using the Successive Perceptual Test I to measure Visual-Haptic tendencies in engineering students. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN.
[34]. Sweller, J. (1988). Cognitive load during problem solving: Effects on learning. Cognitive Science, 12, 257-285.
[35]. Sweller, J. (1999). Instructional design in technical areas. Camberwell, Victoria, Australia: Australian Council for Educational Research.
[36]. Sweller, J., & Chandler, P. (1994). Why some materials is difficult to learn. Cognition and Instruction, 12(3), 185-233.
[37]. United States Army Air Corps, Psychological Testing Division (1944). Successive Perceptual Test I (Film).
[38]. Waller, D. (2000). Individual differences in spatial learning from computer-simulated environments. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 6(4), 307-321.
[39]. Watson, D. (2000). Editorial. Education and Information Technologies, 5(4), 231-232.
[40]. Weaver, W., & Shannon, C. E. (1949). The mathematical theory of communication. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press.
If you have access to this article please login to view the article or kindly login to purchase the article

Purchase Instant Access

Single Article

North Americas,UK,
Middle East,Europe
India Rest of world
USD EUR INR USD-ROW
Pdf 35 35 200 20
Online 35 35 200 15
Pdf & Online 35 35 400 25

Options for accessing this content:
  • If you would like institutional access to this content, please recommend the title to your librarian.
    Library Recommendation Form
  • If you already have i-manager's user account: Login above and proceed to purchase the article.
  • New Users: Please register, then proceed to purchase the article.