ABSTRACT. This study explored how to program for generalization using a fully immersive virtual reality (VR) intervention for teaching transportation skills to autistic adults related to using a university shuttle. Using multi-methods, this research sought to identify similarities and differences in behavior between the VR environment and the real-world, participants’ perceptions of telepresence in the VR environment, and how participants characterized similarities and differences between the VR environment and the real-world. Male adult participants (N = 6) completed training and then engaged in two VR-based training sessions of increasing complexity, after which they enacted what was learned in the real-world. Fidelity of implementation was high across VR and real-world sessions and no significant differences were found in behaviors between the VR and real-world sessions, providing evidence for skills generalization from the contrived VR setting to the naturalistic real-world setting. Participants reported high perceptions of telepresence (e.g., being there) and social presence (e.g., being there with others), and qualitative evidence suggests they made connections between the virtual world and real-world. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.

ABSTRACT. Six Power Steps is a VR game that was designed in 2021 to manage pandemic-induced anxiety that affects students’ mental health. As the pandemic forced many Higher Education institutions globally to shut down and deliver classes via video conferencing tools, students encountered several challenges including anxiety which hampered the learning process. Funded by the COVID19 Emergency Research Program at Prince Sultan University, Six-Power Steps merged affordances of virtual reality and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) intervention techniques to empower students and enhance their academic skills by reducing anxiety.

ABSTRACT. There is significant stigma associated with neurodiversity across the globe. In addition, education for children with learning disorders is severely under-resourced in West Africa. This work-in-progress paper describes how we are using virtual (VR) to create an engaged, informed community about autism spectrum disorders and the importance of appropriate, compassionate education for every child. Focusing on parents, teachers and healthcare workers, we used a 2-minute 360 film created by the National Autistic Society UK, from the perspective of a child with autism experiencing sensory overload to educate and sensitise the population to the impact of sensory overload. We reached over 1,000 school teachers, medical staff, family and friends in Lagos, Abuja, Enugu and Accra. We found people were willing to engage with the experience, and teachers expressed increased curiosity and acceptance of children with autism. By bringing the reality of lived experiences of marginalised groups to the public, we are using VR as a tool for social inclusion.

ABSTRACT. ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects a person's capacity to control their attention, and levels of hyperactivity and impulsivity. Hence, Numerous aspects of life, such as jobs, relationships, and daily activities, might be affected by these difficulties which may result in low self-esteem, and emotional and social challenges. Beautiful Mind is a VR game prototype that was designed for individuals with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The VR game was developed to provide an engaging, stimulating, and rewarding immersive experience for adults with ADHD. It was also helpful to involve individuals with ADHD in the early stages of design to get their input and feedback.

ABSTRACT. The accessibility of digital systems determines the participation of a large number of people in everyday life. Therefore, it is important to teach this topic to future developers of the said systems. As accessibility can be hard to grasp due to one’s inability to experience the problematic barriers people with disabilities face, Virtual Reality (VR) comes into play. VR technology offers the opportunity to simulate situations encountered by persons with disabilities and enables the possibility of new experiences. To further analyze the suitability of a VR application to teach accessibility, we developed Access to Escape, an Immersive Game-Based Learning Experience for Accessibility Education in Virtual Reality. A first evaluation with 11 participants could show that the VR Escape Room helped to develop a different perspective through the simulated limitation of their senses and sensitize them to the issue of accessibility. The participants reported that they have discovered new connections concerning accessibility. Furthermore, the use of VR was perceived as very enjoyable, especially due to the increase of motivation and the simplification of the topic. Besides that, the results of the User Experience Questionnaire (UEQ) could show that the participants perceived the VR Escape Room as attractive, stimulating and novel. The evaluation demonstrates that a Game-Based Learning Experience in a virtual environment might lead to cognitive as well as affective learning outcomes. The use of the VR Escape Room in education has the potential to improve learning, especially to raise awareness of accessibility.

ABSTRACT. Immersive learning using fully immersive virtual reality (VR) is typically utilized to present 3D objects that cannot be represented easily on a computer screen. In the last few decades, the use of e-books to visualize documents has become prevalent. However, transferring an original document designed to be printed requires extraction of the document's logical structure. The document must be broken down into fragments of text and images with the extraction of its logical structure. The fragments are then recomposed together to be presented as an e-book. In this paper, we propose a novel paradigm where documents can be presented in their original form without the need to be physically restructured, thanks to VR. With a VR headset, the proposed document visualizer allows users to access, display, and annotate documents. Such a system is particularly relevant for students and scholars in the humanities who investigate ancient documents where the distinct elements composing the document are intertwined. Furthermore, VR technology enhances the accessibility and equity of learning by offering various input modalities.

ABSTRACT. This evaluation study examines the implementation of a desktop virtual reality field trip (dVFT) for public outreach. After experiencing the dVFT, 139 participants completed a survey to examine their immersion, presence, engagement, perceived learning about the local environment, VR design features, and affective learning. The majority of participants reported favorable outcomes regarding all the variables above. No significant differences were found between male and female learners for each of the six constructs. No significant differences were found between adults’ and youths’ perceptions of immersion, presence, and attitudes. Adults ages 19 and older had statistically significant higher mean engagement levels, mean perceptions of learning about the local environment, and VR design features than youth. Our findings support that learning about one’s local environment with a dVFT can have a positive impact on engagement and learning, particularly in public outreach settings.

ABSTRACT. It is vital that individuals of all ages know what preparations to make prior to a flooding event and what actions to take during an actual flood event. To address this, we have designed and developed a fully functional prototype of a digital game-based learning experience in desktop VR called Flood Adventures to be used in non-formal and informal learning environments. We describe and illustrate the game final prototype as well as the gameful elements designed to promote increased motivation, engagement, and learning during gameplay. This paper presents the results of a usability study conducted with fifteen adults. The responses obtained in the sixteen-item survey were positive. The findings suggest that participants gained knowledge of flooding through gameplay. Feedback collected with four open-ended questions is discussed and players’ recommendations will improve the last iteration of the game.

ABSTRACT. Virtual reality (VR) technologies are increasingly used in workforce devel-opment and training, and studies show they can be effective tools to in-crease learning of procedural skills, content knowledge, and affective out-comes like confidence. Most studies of VR in education and training, how-ever, have focused on the hardware by comparing learning with VR to other devices in controlled lab experiments. This “black box” approach does not attend to variation beyond the device, such as how learners use an applica-tion and the influence of their identity and context on their learning with VR. This study addressed the need for more research on learning with VR in authentic workforce development contexts to better understand how di-verse participants use these programs and to what extent their individual characteristics impact their experience. Using data from 1,154 users of a VR-enabled job interview training for individuals affected by the criminal justice system, we assessed variation in how participants used the program and their reported changes in confidence, and estimated associations with device, usage, and learners’ characteristics. We find learners’ experience and context is a stronger predictor of increased confidence level than device or usage activities, particularly whether participants are currently or formerly incarcerated. Further, we demonstrate how cluster analysis on log-file data can distinguish learners’ use patterns, a promising method for personalizing feedback and training.

ABSTRACT. Fully immersive virtual reality has been recently used for the creation of virtual museums, art galleries, and other applications related to cultural heritage. While the content of these applications has typically an educational value, it remains difficult to engage users into art and the humanities by only presenting the artworks and their descriptions through an immersive experience. We propose in this paper to better engage users into the analysis of paintings through a serious game based on the principle of wimmelbooks and hidden picture book, e.g. ``Where is Waldo''. This serious game provides to the user different art galleries in which the player is asked to search for a piece of painting inside a collection of paintings, engaging the players in the visual analysis of paintings. The piece of paintings are selected manually and we also assess the extent to which machine learning may help in defining regions of interest such as faces as potential targets. The evaluation of the approach is a practical example of how serious games can be used for better engaging users into art history in immersive learning.

ABSTRACT. Digital Twins (DT) are real-time, high-fidelity, data-driven models that mirror and synchronise with physical or logical assets, processes, or systems. They use data to model and optimise system outcomes before they occur, enabling better-informed decision-making and ultimately saving time and resources. Though there are still challenges to be overcome, there are many potential applications of DT for training and support. This paper describes opportunities and challenges as well as introduces a case study based on a work-in-progress Augmented Reality (AR) proof-of-concept application to assist field engineers, aimed at reducing the learning curve for trainees and apprentices and increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of quality control checks in common installation faults towards creating real-time augmented assistance for field engineers.

ABSTRACT. To ensure children’s online safety in response to cyber threats, such as hacking, phishing, and misinformation, children must learn about cybersecurity. Through an iterative design process in collaboration with middle school teachers, we developed an Augmented Reality (AR) firewall game for middle school students (aged 10-14 years) to familiarize them with cybersecurity fundamentals. The iterative design process consisted of a series of design sprints in which the teachers detailed how they teach cybersecurity in the classroom and discussed the design choices of a firewall game. Through this process, we developed an AR game to teach about firewalls that teachers feel is suitable for classroom use and capable of making cybersecurity education concrete and interactive. This work-in-progress paper presents the AR firewall game's iterative design and initial prototype. Future work will explore the cybersecurity knowledge students develop from using this gamified platform and potential games of other cybersecurity concepts.

ABSTRACT. Research studies have generally focused only on VR learning’s advantages and the introduction of learning content through VR, rather than providing useful information to support educators in integrating VR into their classrooms. In this article, we aim to determine what preparations should be considered and organized as a VR-based learning arrangement. The Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework is a useful lens that provides insight on how to successfully implement VR in the classroom. Through a literature review of research studies, we identify considerations teachers and instructors should consider before implementing VR in their classrooms. Aligned with the TPACK framework’s Technological Knowledge (TK) and Technological Pedagogical Knowledge (TPK) areas, VR features such as demanding a high quantity of data and enough space require teachers and instructors to prepare sufficient internet connection, batteries, individual physical spaces and prior experience as TK components. Similarly, VR experiences depend on personal activities, and the arrangement of educational goals, assessment systems and applications for the classroom’s diversity is crucial.

ABSTRACT. This research project analyzes how reportage with 360° video is currently being used to narrate armed conflict, while providing a holistic understanding about the potentialities and challenges of implementing immersive technologies within journalistic storytelling. We will focus on the Colombian armed conflict as the first case study to be analyzed in Latin America. We expect to develop an innovative, qualitative tool to analyze 360° video and similar immersive media productions related to the coverage of armed conflict. Finally, we seek to generate a set of guidelines and good practices that might be valuable tools to educate journalists and media producers experimenting with immersive media across Latin America.

ABSTRACT. Networks are essential to stay connected to what’s happening in our worlds. We become aware of best practices, trends, and the newest technology often through peers from across our professional community. Yet, there is still a reservoir of untapped potential lying deep with our network. A potential that can be tapped by making deeper connections with colleagues, identifying common interests, and undertaking new research opportunities. This workshop will set aside time specifically to meet with attendees to share ideas about potential projects and partnerships. While you don’t have to come away with any immediate ventures lined-up, the connections you make could lead to fruitful collaborations that help tap your potential.

ABSTRACT. Immersive learning research and practice cannot hold their promises without setting inclusivity as a high priority. This workshop aims to raise awareness of inclusivity and accessibility in education; identify opportunities and challenges for inclusivity when creating and deploying immersive learning experiences; share good practice; and induce reflection on one’s own practice and research agenda. A 90-minute hybrid interactive event is proposed during which participants will work in small groups on several activities, and then discuss how these activities enabled them to reflect on their own practice. Participants will then be asked to discuss their reflections with the whole group, and facilitators will summarize with a call to action, which will be either a collaborative project or a white paper to capture the findings of the workshop.