Human Factors and Ergonomics 2011 Maria C. R. Harrington

September 21, 2011 Virtual Field Trips, LLC

Maria C. R. HarringtonFounder & CEO Virtual Field Trips, LLC

Assistant Professor of Information Systems Computer Science Department, Slippery Rock University

Ph.D. in Information ScienceSchool of Information Science, University of Pittsburgh

Bachelor of Science in Economics & Art, Carnegie Mellon


“Can Simulated Ecological

Environments of nature inspire independent

exploration, an intrinsic desire to learn and acts

of creation for the child?”


Field Work


Design Context & Partnerships

• User Needs, Goals & Activity– Child’s Exploration, Discovery &

Inquiry– Teacher and Naturalist Guide

Support– Physical & Cognitive Activity

• Educational & Learning Content– PA Ecology NCLB Standards– Informal Educational Materials – Audubon Society of Western PA– Elementary School Teachers

• Realistic Data & Visualization – ESRI Visualized Terrain Datasets– NSF Long-term Plant Population

Datasets (Dr. Kalisz) (http://www.pitt.edu/~kalisz/)

http://www.pitt.edu/~kalisz/




Immersive Virtual World & Informal Learning Simulation

• Used High-end Game Engine– Visualize 1 Square Mile of Data

• Annotate Virtual World– Cards for Facts– Audio Sprites for Concepts

• The Virtual Trillium Trail– Working Prototype in 2005– Rebuilt with Garage Games

Torque 3D in 2009 for a Commercial PC Release

– iPad, Macintosh versions expected in 2012


Photorealistic Game Engine


Annotate with Facts


Annotate with Story


The Virtual Trillium Trail


Two Research Studies

• Study One: Real vs. Virtual– Baseline Control (n=12)– A one-way, within-subject ANOVA, with repeated

measurements, in counterbalanced order (n=12)

• Study Two: Two Factor ANOVA– Factor 1: Visual Fidelity (High & Low)– Factor 2: Navigational Freedom (High & Low)– One system with four condition states

• Planed Orthogonal Contrast on Critical User Interface Software Dimensions (n=64)


Study One: Real vs. Virtual

• Baseline Control (n=12)– A one-way, within-subject ANOVA, with repeated

measures, in counterbalanced order (n=12)

• Two Groups: – Group 1: Real-Virtual– Group 2: Virtual-Real

• Experience the two Environments in opposite order • Count Learning Activity of “Salient Events”

– Measurements• Demographic, Pre & Post tests after each on Facts,

Concepts, Emotional Response, and a Creative Activity



• Total Objects

• Real has more information than the Virtual, results in higher learning activity:

– H1a: μ Total Activity (Real) > μ Total Activity (Virtual)

– Real (M = 4.5, SD = 2.71)

– Virtual (M = 2.83, SD = 3.43)

– F(1,11) = 4.68, p = 0.05

Main Effects: Environment


Main Effects: Environment

• Plant Only Objects

• When Content in the Virtual is Identical to the Real, there is no difference in learning activity:

– H2o: μ Plant-only Activity (Real) = μ Plant-only Activity (Virtual)

– Real (M = 2.75, SD = 1.96)

– Virtual (M = 2.83, SD = 3.43)

– F(1,11) = 0.00, p = 0.95


Main Effects: OrderSecond Field Trip,

Real or Virtual, shows more Learning Activity

Practice Makes Perfect!


• The t-test for two independent groups (one-tail, post-hoc analysis) was carried out to help explain the results.

• H8a: Total Activity: μ Real(First) < μ Real(After Virtual)– Real (First) (M = 2.8, SD = 2.6)

– Real (After Virtual) (M = 5.8, SD = 1.9)

– t = -2.29, df = 10, p = 0.023 (one-tailed, α = 0.01)

• Prime the Real with the Virtual, as the mean value significantly increased.

Virtual to Real Transfer


Real to Virtual Transfer

• In the past, such an analysis was impossible for life-critical training -- combat military training.

• Educational and learning applications, the question is valid and viable.

• H9a: Total Activity: μ Virtual(First) < μ Virtual(After Real) – Virtual (First) (M = 0.0, SD = 0.0) – Virtual (After Real) (M = 3.8, SD = 2.4) – t = -3.88, df = 10, p = 0.00 (one-tailed, α = 0.01)

• Reinforce the Real with the Virtual, as the mean value significantly increased.


Interaction

• Interaction was found (Total Map Annotations by Group)

– The one-way, between-subjects ANOVA produced evidence of interaction for the Total map Annotation learning activity

• H6a: Total Activity: Interaction Groups x Order

– F(1, 5) = 30.69, p = 0.003.

• Thus, some factor is effecting the variables in a non-constant way…

• Something in the real world is having an interesting impact.


Salient Events

• Some probability distribution of events, like a “Salamander Find,” that occur only in the real environment, and result in highly salient, personally meaningful memories.

• “Salient Events” are critical for learning and become design features

• If recognized by a teacher, or software, become “Teachable Moments”

• Episodic Memory anchors entire knowledge ontology

Salient Event Teachable Moment


Conclusions: Real vs. Virtual

• Real is Superior Overall

• Virtual match the Real for in-curriculum materials

• Practice makes Perfect

• “Salient Events” as Environmental Driven Opportunities for Teachable Moments for Learning, Uniquely Personal, & UI Critical Design Features

• Transfer in Both Directions

• Prime & Reinforce with the Virtual

• Use Real & Virtual Together for Maximized Learning


Study Two: 2X2 ANOVA

• Study Two: Two Factor ANOVA as a Planed Orthogonal Contrast (POC) on Critical User Interface Software Dimensions (n=64)– Factor 1: Visual Fidelity

• Low Fidelity set to Cartoon Quality• High Fidelity set to Photorealistic Quality

– Factor 2: Navigational Freedom• Low Navigational Freedom set to a virtual path• High Navigational Freedom allow 360 degree exploration at will

• UI and Game Design Parameters?– Knowledge Gained– Salient Events– Emotional Reactions of Curiosity, Beauty, Awe & Wonder, Calm

& Excitement– Acts of Creation & Sharing



Visual Fidelity


Navigational Freedom


Independent Variables Visual Fidelity: Two Levels: Low (LF) and High (HF)Navigational Freedom: Two Levels: Low (LN) and High (HN)

Dependent Variables Knowledge GainedSalient EventsFact Cards InquiredTime in SystemEmotional ReactionsActs of Creation

Study Two: 2X2 ANOVA

Group LFLNn=16)

Visual FidelityN

avig

atio

nal F

reed

omLow Visual Fidelity

(LF)High Visual Fidelity

(HF)Lo

w

Nav

igat

iona

l F

reed

om

(LN

)

Hig

h N

avig

atio

nal

Fre

edom

(H

N) Group LFHN

n=16)Group HFHN

n=16)

Group HFLNn=16)

Group LFLNn=16)

Visual FidelityN

avig

atio

nal F

reed

omLow Visual Fidelity

(LF)High Visual Fidelity

(HF)Lo

w

Nav

igat

iona

l F

reed

om

(LN

)

Hig

h N

avig

atio

nal

Fre

edom

(H

N) Group LFHN

n=16)Group HFHN

n=16)

Group HFLNn=16)

Group LFLNn=16)


Hypothesis


Knowledge Gained


Results: Knowledge Gained

• Navigational Freedom shows Trend– F(1,60) = 2.71, p = 0.105

• Visual Fidelity is Strong and Significant– F(1,60) = 10.54, p = 0.0019

• Significant Evidence of Interaction– F(1, 60) = 4.85, p = 0.0315

• Highest Gains in Condition of High Visual Fidelity & High Navigational Freedom– (M=37.44, SD = 13.88)


Salient Events


Results: Salient Events

• Navigational Freedom shows strong Trend– F(1,60) = 3.23, p = 0.0773

• Visual Fidelity is Strong and Significant– F(1,60) = 4.35, p = 0.00413

• No Interaction– F(1, 60) = 1.48, p = 0.2285

• Highest Counts: Condition of High Visual Fidelity & High Navigational Freedom– (M=16.75, SD = 6.27)


Emotional Reactions

• Spearman Rank Correlation Coefficient show– Inquiry to Learning (r =0.700**, p = 0.00) – Awe & Wonder to Total Attitude, (r=0.727**, p =0.000)– Awe & Wonder to Knowledge Gained, (r = 0.273**, p

=0.000)– Beauty to Awe & Wonder (r =0.506**, p=0.000)– And many more on Exploration, Calm, Excitement,

Curiosity, Desire to Share, Create, Presence, and Immersion


Future Work


SEEE Tripartite Model

• Simulated Ecological Environments for Education (SEEE)– Conceptual,

theoretical, and empirical framework

– Used to explain information flows between the world and the human

– Markov Model?

http://etd.library.pitt.edu/ETD/available/etd-08072008-141657/unrestricted/MariaCRHarrington.pdf

http://etd.library.pitt.edu/ETD/available/etd-08072008-141657/unrestricted/MariaCRHarrington.pdf


Child Computer Environment Interface

Truth,Fidelity,

Freedom,Beauty,Awe &

Wonder


The Virtual Trillium Trailis available here: http://www.virtualtrilliumtrail.com/index.html

http://www.virtualtrilliumtrail.com/index.html

Human Factors and Ergonomics 2011 Maria C. R. Harrington

Education

virtual use real virtual

realvirtual group

virtualreal experience

virtual transfer

virtual path

real world

real environment

real transfer