Tassos A. Mikropoulos

Design of Virtual Environments for the Comprehension of Planetary Phenomena Based on Students' Ideas.

Children enter the classroom with a wide range of misconceptions about planetary phenomena. Conventional teaching methods usually cannot overcome these difficulties, which we consider may be because of the lack of appropriate teaching aids. The purpose of the present study is the design and development of an educational virtual environment for the support of the teaching of planetary phenomena, particularly of the movements of the Earth and Sun, the day and night cycle and the change of seasons. Our interactive three-dimensional (3D) virtual environment was based on the results of an empirical study of 102 secondary school students and provides students with new experiences, personal involvement and close-up examination of the phenomena under study. Our first results after the use of the virtual environment showed that the majority of students enthused about interacting with it and modified their misconceptions concerning the day-night cycle and the change of seasons.

Virtual environments in biology teaching

This article reports on the design, development and evaluation of an educational virtual environment for biology teaching. In particular it proposes a highly interactive three-dimensional synthetic environment involving certain learning tasks for the support of teaching plant cell biology and the process of photosynthesis. The environment has been evaluated using a sample of 37 in-service teachers. Their attitudes towards virtual reality for educational use were positive. Almost all the teachers managed to integrate the process of photosynthesis inside the virtual cell and answer the relevant questions. One problem was that the teachers were unable to answer questions beyond the certain learning tasks, indicating that any educational software should also involve an integrated approach to the subject under study.

Students‘ Attitudes Towards Educational Virtual Environments

This case study reports on an investigation of the attitude of education students towards virtual reality (VR) as a tool in the educational process, and towards virtual learning environments on specific disciplines. Our results indicate a favourable attitude towards VR in the educational process. Although immersion was not supported in this study, half of the students declared immersion experiences. Students consider the mouse the most effective input device for navigation in virtual environments, with a joystick the second one. Because the sampling population is small, the qualitative results must be regarded as tentative. There is, however, a need for further investigation, which is currently being undertaken by our group.

Virtual realities in environmental education: the project LAKE

This article proposes the use of virtual realities (VR) in environmental education. It also presents the first results of an application to the phenomenon of eutrophication in lakes. Although our virtual environments are not immersive, they give the opportunity to students and educators to develop their own worlds and understand the population dynamics in a lake. The learning environment can be manipulated and controlled in a powerful way, enhancing students experiences leading to knowledge construction, and sensitizing students to current environmental problems. Our pedagogical approach is to build a theoretical model for virtual learning environments, expanding constructivism and combining it with experiential learning. Our operational and practical approach is to exploit the characteristics of desktop VR systems in virtual learning environments

Designing a Collaborative Learning Activity in Second Life - An Exploratory Study in Physics

Multi-user virtual environments (MUVEs) seem to have great potential in education. Current educational uses of MUVEs seem to exploit them more as group interaction platforms and less as worlds where users learn by interacting and modifying the environment in a constructivist approach. There is also a need for systematic research efforts that will lead to guidelines and principles for designing and evaluating effective learning activities in MUVEs. This paper presents preliminary empirical results from an exploratory study with university students. A collaborative problem-based physics learning activity was designed in Second Life® (SL), following a constructivist approach. Students (n=30) collaborated “in-world” in pairs assisted by a tutor, in order to solve the problem. Data were gathered using a questionnaire and session recordings. The study focused on issues related to educational environment design, collaboration and instruction. Results indicate that satisfactory, engaging and effective collaborative learning activities can be realized in SL.

An Online Expert System for Diagnostic Assessment Procedures on Young Children's Oral Speech and Language

Abstract Internet has influenced many aspects of modern life, as it gave people the opportunity to access massive amount of information. Information & Communication Technologies (ICT) offer the option to analyze, organize, synthesize and transmit information and therefore contribute and reveal valuable clinical and educational tools. The aim of the present study is to report on the development of an Internet based Speech Pathology Expert System in Greek, named APLo, intended to be used by clinicians and teachers involved in oral language learning and strengthening of four to seven year old children. This system embeds the experts knowledge on oral language assessment. A hybrid approach that integrates symbolic rules with neural networks is being used to model and represent the knowledge in the system. Particular attention is given to the validation and verification of the system. Potentials, further use and developments for upgrading e-evaluation/e-assessment of speech and language disorders and protocols according to technological and scientific advances are discussed.

Virtual Environments and Dyslexia: A Literature Review☆

Abstract This study is a critical review of published scientific literature on the use of Virtual Reality and its applications in developmental dyslexia. The purpose of this research is to: (a) present a synthesis of the available empirical evidence, (b) identify the potential contribution of Virtual Environments (VEs) in the disorders screening, intervention, awareness process and assessment, and (c) define future research perspectives concerning the applications of VEs in this particular research field. The results show that the research in the field focuses on: (a) visuospatial skills, (b) nonverbal problem skills, (c) memory performance, and (d) awareness increase for dyslexia. The majority of the articles found are pilot or small-scale studies that can only provide indications on the VEs and their beneficial results, but can provide useful guidance for researchers, educators, practitioners and parents.

Memory Performance of Dyslexic Adults in Virtual Environments

Abstract The use of virtual reality technologies in the evaluation process of the dyslexia syndrome has yet to be explored and is a true challenge for the scientists involved. The goal of this study was to design specialized tasks with the use of virtual reality, as a screening process of characteristic memory difficulties for undergraduate students diagnosed with dyslexia. Results showed that there were no statistically significant differences in the performance of students with dyslexia and students without dyslexia, a finding which highlights the development and successful use of compensatory memory strategies by individuals with dyslexia. Taking into consideration the realistic design of the specialized and targeted assessment tasks, the studys insight results and the recorded positive attitude of the participants, it seems that use of such virtual environments, like our VIRDA-MS, could mark a significant breakthrough in the assessment as well as the intervention process not only in the case of the dyslexia syndrome, but also in other special populations with memory difficulties, contributing to their better and overall understanding.

Presence in a Collaborative Science Learning Activity in Second Life

Multi-user virtual environments (MUVEs) are surrounded by hype regarding their impact on and potential in education. Many issues regarding the educational affordances of MUVEs and the learning experience of users are still under research. Presence is an important phenomenon users experience when interacting with and via virtual environments and seems to play an important role in learning. This chapter presents empirical data gathered from an exploratory study regarding a problem-based physics learning activity in Second Life (SL). Our aim is to gain knowledge and experience about the sense of presence (spatial and social) that emerges while students collaborate in MUVEs. Students (n = 30) collaborated “in-world” to solve a problem. Data were gathered using the Temple Presence Inventory questionnaire. Results indicate higher scores of social presence than spatial presence. Correlations were found between dimensions of presence, subjective computer expertise, and tendency to become involved in activities.

EIKON: Teaching a high-school technology course with the aid of virtual reality

This paper presents EIKON, an integrated open educational environment used to support high-school technology courses. EIKON combines state-of-the-art information technologies, such as virtual reality, hypermedia and networking. Our pedagogical approach is constructivism and collaborative learning. Students using EIKON study the evolution of agricultural technology since the prehistoric times. The environment could be used as a starting point for the exploration of virtual reality microworlds and the discovery of multidisciplinary information, which relates to most of the courses taught in modern high-schools (history, geography, physics, chemistry, biology, environmental care, ecological awareness etc). A case study with a sample of nineteen information technology high-school teachers reports on content, pedagogical, and software quality issues. The results indicate competence of multimedia information, very good instructional design, and very good software quality. Especially for virtual environments, all the teachers declared ease of orientation, but only the 26.3% declared ease in navigation using the navigation controls provided by the software.