Learning virtually

The author presents the theoretical framework he is building to guide his study of "learning virtually", describes some of the characteristics of virtual environments (VEs) that contribute to understanding, and presents some of the findings of his research into the role of virtual reality (VR) in learning. The author's research has shown that learning by building or by visiting VEs is effective in some circumstances. Although the author's VEs conform to most of the criteria for effective learning that the author has described, he has only begun to scratch the surface when it comes to the rigorous study of how particular characteristics of VEs affect different types of learning by different types of student. The author's work on world-building showed that the activity seemed to work best with those students who do less well learning in traditional ways. The author's study of visiting VEs suggests that interaction rather than immersion might be where the advantage of VEs lies. However, for any advantage that accrues from VR, a disadvantage arises from the degraded quality of the visual experience that stems from the low resolution of current wide-field-of-view HMDs. As the technology improves, however, it is likely that learning experiences in VEs will lead to greater comprehension and to greater satisfaction on the part of students.