Collaborating in Virtual Reality: Exploring the Impact of Visualization of Activities on Social Modes of Co-construction
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Abstract
Background: The advancements in Virtual Reality (VR) technology have opened up new possibilities for studying human dynamics and conducting experiments in immersive environments. To gain insights into collaborative learning and how it can be enhanced, an experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of visualizations of activities in VR on social modes of co-construction, which is to what extent learners refer to their partner's contribution.
Methods: A maze, specifically designed for collaboration, has been chosen to use for this study and visualization tools such as laser pointing and vision cones were made available for certain sessions.
Results.: The findings from this maze experiment did not provide conclusive evidence regarding the impact of visualization tools on social modes of co-construction, mainly due to the limited comparison material available. An interesting finding however, is that sessions with visualization tools tend to have more distracted participants compared to the absence of them.
Conclusion: Further research is needed to examine the relationship between visualization tools and social modes of co-construction, as well as to explore whether the observed distractions are specific to the participants in this study or representative of a bigger spectrum. By addressing these aspects, we can gain a better understanding of the role of visualization tools in collaborative learning and uncover strategies to mitigate any potential distractions they may introduce.