2023 IEEE VR KELVAR Workshop: K-12+ Embodied Learning through Virtual and Augmented Reality (8th Annual Workshop)

Organized in conjunction with the IEEE Virtual Reality 2023

DESCRIPTION

K-12+ (K-12 and higher ed) education is currently undergoing a technological revolution creating opportunities for Virtual-, Augmented-, and Mixed-Reality based learning (hereafter referred to as XR [extended reality] technologies. Technology integration will continue to increase as mobile devices penetrate all socioeconomic strata, and as XR technologies become affordable to schools, vocational education providers, universities, and informal educational settings. These technologies have the potential to facilitate effective learning by: developing 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.  However, there are many questions about the integration of such experiences into the classroom, such as: What curriculum topics might be addressed through XR technologies?; What socio-cultural, psychological and physiological mechanisms underlie embodied cognition?; How can we design experiences that are appropriate for the different stages of human development?; How will pedagogical approaches be influenced by such technologies?

In this workshop we aim to bring together educators, developers and researchers who are interested in creating and deploying XR technologies for the educational contexts of the future. The workshop will enable participants to discuss and engage with different approaches for designing and integrating XR technologies with a specific focus on the challenges and potential for embodied learning in the classroom for K-12, vocational and higher education.

INTENDED AUDIENCE

We expect the audience will be attendees to the IEEE Virtual Reality 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

WORKSHOP SCHEDULE

The KELVAR Workshop is scheduled for:

• Saturday, March 25, 09:00 to 12:00 (CST; GMT+8)

• Saturday, March 25, 12:00 to 15:00 (AEDT; GMT+11)

• Saturday, March 25, 02:00 to 05:00 (CEST; GMT+1)

• Friday, March 24, 19:00-22:00 (US Mountain Time; GMT-7)

• (We will send a calendar invitation, so double check the time on that)

Below is the breakdown of the detailed schedule for the presentations:

• 10 min - Intro

• 30 min - Keynote: Dr. Paula MacDowell "XR Technologies for Engaged, Embodied, and Creative Learning to Meet the Realities of Complex Contemporary Classrooms" (see below for the full abstract)

• 45 min - Papers

  • Is Immersive Virtual Reality in K-12 Education Ready for Primetime? Challenges, Possibilities, and Considerations by Christos Gkoumas and Lisa Izzouzi

  • Importance of Democratization for Virtual Reality in Education by Katrien Jacobs

  • Engaging Novice VR Users to VR for STEM Education: Enhancing User Comfort, Health and Safety in VR and AR by Aleshia Hayes, Danita Bradshaw-Ward, Erin Howard, Megan McAdams, and Debbie Cockerham

  • An Immersive Geometry Environment for Mathematics Education: Taxonomy and Preliminary Evaluation by Lui Albæk Thomsen, Niels Christian Nilsson, and Rolf Nordahl

• 10 min - Break

• 55 min - Papers

  • Interactive Cues on Geometry Learning in a Virtual Reality Environment for K-12 Education by Qian Chen, Ling Zhang, Bingyu Dong, and Yun Zhou

  • Ohm VR: solving electronics escape room challenges on the roadmap towards gamified STEAM education by Piotr Zamojski, Norbert Barczyk, Marek Frankowski, Artur Cybulski, Konrad Nakonieczny, Marek Makowiec, Magdalena Igras-Cybulska

  • Children’s evaluation of a virtual reality boating safety education resource by Erica Southgate.

  • An Exploratory Study on Learning in 3D Multi-user Virtual Environments by Ling Zhang, Yingmei Guo, Qiaodi Ma, and Yun Zhou

  • Case study: Strategy Business Administration Interactive XR Learning by Jonathan Giron, Ayala Berenson, and Niron Hashai

• 30 min - General Discussion

KEYNOTE: XR Technologies for Engaged, Embodied, and Creative Learning to Meet the Realities of Complex Contemporary Classrooms by Dr. Paula MacDowell

As K-12 and higher education classrooms become increasingly complex, educators face the challenge of engaging students distracted by technology, disconnected from their peers, and disenchanted with traditional teaching methods. Extended reality (XR) technologies offer a unique opportunity to address these challenges by providing engaging, embodied, and contextualized learning experiences that capture student attention and stimulate their minds. This keynote will explore how XR technologies can foster human connection and empathy among students and offer personalized and creative learning opportunities.

Dr. Paula MacDowell, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Curriculum Studies at the University of Saskatchewan, Canada. She is a recognized leader in the scholarship of immersive learning and technologies for pro-social and environmental change. She is the co-editor of the book Immersive Education: Designing for Learning, which focuses on designing and being a designer of immersive education. Paula sits on the Immersive Learning Research Network (iLRN) Board of Directors as the Director of Practitioners and serves as a Practitioner Chair for the annual iLRN conference. Her professional interests include working collaboratively to mobilize research and practical knowledge of emerging technologies in K-12, higher education, work-based, and industry contexts.

SUBMISSION TOPICS

We welcome preliminary research results and thought-provoking position papers, on topics related to XR learning for K-12+:

• VR, AR & MR Technologies and Applications for formal and informal education sites (e.g.: classrooms, libraries, museums, afterschool programs)

• Theories and Applications of Embodied Cognition and Learning

• Curriculum-based Educational Applications

• Student-Teacher Relationships and Pedagogical Implications

• Classroom Integration of Technology

• Teacher and Student Content Authoring Tools

ORGANIZERS

Manoela Milena Oliveira da Silva, Voxar Labs/Federal University of Pernambuco, UFPE (mmos@cin.ufpe.br)

Steven Cutchin, Boise State University, USA (stevencutchin@boisestate.edu)

Erica Southgate, University of Newcastle, Australia (erica.southgate@newcastle.edu.au)

Jerry Alan Fails, Boise State University, USA (jerryfails@boisestate.edu)

DEADLINES AND SUBMISSION FORMAT

• • Full submission deadline: January 14, 2023

  • Notification of acceptance: January 20, 2023

  • Camera ready paper deadline: February 3, 2023 (cannot be extended, final deadline)

The organizing committee will select submissions based on the quality and contribution of the work relating to embodied learning in education. We seek contributions in the following formats:

1. Empirical Papers: Early Research and Work In Progress (4-6 pages) - Empirical results and contributions to the field.

2. Position Papers (3-4 pages) - Interesting and possibly controversial points of view, and approaches to foster a discussion at the event.

3. Demo Papers (2-4 pages) - VR demos that could potentially have an educational application. If you have submitted a demo to IEEE VR, please submit a short description of your demo and include a description of potential educational applications for your demo.  Videos of the demonstration are required. Demos are expected to be demonstrated at the workshop.

Papers must be written in English and follow the IEEE VGTC conference format found at: http://ieeevr.org/2023/contribute/papers/#submission-guidelines-important  

Please e-mail any questions to Manoela Milena Oliveira da Silva at mmos@cin.ufpe.br 

VISIBILITY OF SUBMISSIONS

All workshop papers will be published in the IEEE Digital Library and shared on the workshop website.

We may follow with an opportunity to contribute to a special issue in Frontiers in Virtual Reality.

Looking for previous workshop years ? 

• Link: KELVAR 2022

• Link: KELVAR 2021

• Link: KELVAR 2020

• Link: KELVAR 2019 - 2019 Workshop Takeaway Discussion Notes

• Link: KELVAR 2018 - 2018 Workshop Takeaway Discussion Notes

• Link: KELVAR 2017  - 2017 Workshop Takeaway Discussion Notes

• Link: KELVAR 2016