2019 IEEE VR Fourth Workshop on K-12+ Embodied Learning through Virtual & Augmented Reality (KELVAR)

Organized in conjunction with the IEEE Virtual Reality 2019 - March 23-27, 2010, Osaka, Japan http://ieeevr.org/2019/

Looking for previous workshop years ?

Link: Previous KELVAR workshop at IEEE VR 2018 - 2018 Workshop Takeaway Discussion Notes

Link: Previous KELVAR workshop at IEEE VR 2017 - 2017 Workshop Takeaway Discussion Notes

Link: PreviousKELVAR workshop at IEEE VR 2016

DESCRIPTION

K-12+ education is currently undergoing a technological revolution creating opportunities for Virtual-, Augmented-, and Mixed-Reality based learning. Technology integration will continue to increase as mobile devices penetrate all socioeconomic strata, and as new VR/AR/MR/XR technologies become affordable to schools (K-12 and universities), vocational education providers, universities, and informal educational settings. These technologies have the potential to facilitate effective learning by leveraging the affordances of this unique media including: the ability to engage students of all ages with interactive 3D simulations of real-life and artificial phenomena; presenting information that is spatially- and temporally- integrated with real objects; leveraging whole-body motions to depict and reinforce learning content.

One unique strength of these technologies is their ability to deliver educational content through embodied learning. Embodied learning can take many forms, such as when a student moves their body around an augmented-reality plant in order to explore photosynthesis and plant structure. Embodied learning could occur in a computing programming course in which student creations are projected onto the classroom surfaces and where students collaborate by physically interacting with each other’s programs. Or, embodied learning can occur in an HMD-based virtual-reality experience where the student solves mathematical equations by using their hands to physically move numbers from one side of the equal sign to the other.

Technology developers, HCI researchers and cognitive and learning scientists are beginning to understand the mechanisms and benefits of embodied learning, as well as other unique affordances which make VR/AR/MR/XR suited for education. However, there are many questions about the integration of such experiences into the classroom, such as: What curriculum topics might be addressed through such technologies?; What psychological and physiological mechanisms underlie embodied cognition?; How can we design experiences that are age- and socio-culturally appropriate?; How will pedagogical approaches be influenced by such technologies?

In this workshop we aim to bring together developers and researchers who are interested in creating experiences for the educational contexts of the future. The workshop will enable participants to discuss and be exposed to different approaches for integrating Virtual-, Augmented- and Mixed-reality technologies, specifically focusing on the challenges and potential for embodied learning in and out of the classroom for K-12, vocational and higher education.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Blair MacIntyre, Ph.D.

Title: Reshaping Learning Environments with Immersive Technology

Abstract: Much of the focus of AR and VR in education has been on leveraging the power of immersive technology to create focused learning experiences centered on specific content, in areas as diverse as architecture, engineering, informal cultural education, and science. There is much to recommend these uses of the technology, and like many others, I am excited by the potential to create engaging experiences and tools around specific topics. In this talk, I want to step back from the idea of delivering content via AR and VR, and instead consider how these technologies can change the experience of the learning environments themselves, independent of the topics and content being explored. I will focus on two projects, one that augmented a face to face class meeting using AR to expose the work normally hidden inside the students computers to everyone in the class, and a second ongoing project that seeks to enhance the social experience of online education using social VR environments. In both cases, the technology is used to change the social experience, rather than deliver specific content.

Bio: Blair MacIntyre is Principal Research Scientist at Mozilla, and a Professor in the School of Interactive Computing in the College of Computing at the Georgia Institute of Technology. At Mozilla, he leads Augmented Reality research in the Emerging Technologies team. At Georgia Tech, he directs the Augmented Environments Lab, whose research focuses on the design and implementation of interactive mixed-reality and augmented-reality environments. His research is focused on creating programming and design tools for AR, and understanding the potential of AR as a new medium for games, entertainment, education and work. He has also investigated military and industrial uses of AR, interaction and design issues, and the use of AR for collaboration and communication. He has been doing research in augmented reality since 1991, is actively involved with numerous conferences and workshops, speaks and consults regularly, and has published over 100 academic papers in the field.

INVITED SPEAKER (IEEE TVCG Journal Paper)

Marc Erich Latoschik, Ph.D.

Title: Embodied, Immersive, Gamified: A Future for Learning and Training!?

Abstract: The talk will give an overview of prominent projects on embodied immersive learning and training at the University of Würzburg. We will highlight recent results from Breaking Bad Behavior (BBB), a system for immersive classroom management. The University of Würzburg successfully uses BBB in teacher education for two years now, where it could demonstrate to be more effective compared to traditional teaching methods. We will also show first results from ViLeArn, a newly funded project on a social VR for immersive embodied learning with realistic photorealistic avatars, and its first conceptual and technical solutions. The talk will introduce some interesting insights into the application of gamification for immersive teaching. Finally, we will highlight some novel approaches for the generation of digital learning content for networked and immersive learning environments, which becomes a necessity if such systems should be used in real-world out-of-lab scenarios.

BIO: Marc is heading the chair for Human-Computer Interaction of the University of Würzburg, Germany. He studied mathematics and computer science at the University of Paderborn, the New York Institute of Technology and the Bielefeld University, and has an extensive background in the computer industry. His work has a strong interdisciplinary background. It combines artificial intelligence, real-time interactive systems, 3D graphics, cognitive sciences, and psychology on top of a strong engineering foundation in computer science. Since his seminal work on multimodal–gesture and speech–interaction in Virtual Reality, he is interested in highly interactive and immersive interfaces of Virtual, Augmented, and Mixed Reality. Current research topics focus on embodiment, i.e., of avatars and agents, body ownership and the Proteus effect, time perception, social VR, multimodal input/output, gamification, engineering solutions for VR/AR, and application areas for learning, training, therapy, and entertainment.

Marc is an active member of the scientific community. He is a co-founder and was the elected spokesman for the GI special interest group on VR/AR, member of the ACM, IEEE, and GI, and serves in numerous program and organizing committees for prestigious conferences, journals, as well as in reviewing panels for various scientific selection processes. He has published more than 160 research articles (see below) in high-ranked journals (e.g., TVCG, Frontiers) and conferences (e.g., IEEE VR, VRST, ISMAR, CHI, ICMI, SUI). Several of his works won prestigious awards and are repeatedly founded by research agencies, e.g., within the Federal State of Bavaria, the German Ministry of Science and Education (BMBF), the German organization for science and research (DFG), or the European Commission.

AUDIENCE

We expect the audience will be attendees to the IEEE Virtual Reality 2018 conference, specifically those interested in educational technology: • Academic researchers in augmented / virtual / mixed reality • Learning psychologists • Industry organizations for children’s education • Teachers and educational researchers • Informal education technology designers

SUBMISSION TOPICS

We welcome preliminary research results and thought-provoking position papers, on topics related to VR/AR/MR learning for K-12+, such as: • VR, AR & MR Technologies and Applications (for formal and informal education contexts) • Theories and Applications of Embodied Cognition and Learning • Curriculum-based Educational Applications • Student-Teacher Pedagogical Interaction and Instructional Implications • Classroom Integration of Technology • Teacher and Student Content Authoring Tools

SCHEDULE