Design, Development, and Evaluation of a Virtual Reality Serious Game for School Fire Preparedness Training

Immersive virtual reality (VR) is a technology that can be effective for procedural skills training through game-based simulations such as serious games. The current study describes the instructional design, development, and evaluation of the FSCHOOL fire preparedness serious game in a cave automatic virtual environment (CAVE-VR) for elementary school teachers. The main game mechanics include a storytelling scenario, enhanced realism, freedom of movement, levels, and points corresponding to the learning mechanics of instruction, action, simulation, discovery, repetition, and imitation. The game was developed in Unity 3D with the help of the Fire Dynamics Simulator and a script to emulate and visualize fire propagation. The game featured three levels to respond to school fire safety regulations and was evaluated by elementary school teachers (N = 33) in Greece. A comparative quantitative study was conducted with experimental and control groups. The results indicate that the VR serious game is appropriate for training, providing challenge, enjoyment, and mastery.

Teacher Perceptions on Virtual Reality Escape Rooms for STEM Education

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is a meta-discipline employing active, problem-centric approaches such as game-based learning. STEM competencies are an essential part of the educational response to the transformations caused by the fourth industrial revolution, spearheaded by the convergence of multiple exponential technologies. Teachers’ attitude is a critical success factor for any technology-enhanced learning innovation. This study explored in-service teachers’ views on the use of a digital educational escape room in virtual reality. Forty-one (n = 41) K-12 educators participated in a mixed research study involving a validated survey questionnaire instrument and an online debriefing session in the context of a teacher training program. The key findings revealed that such alternative instructional solutions can potentially enhance the cognitive benefits and learning outcomes, but further highlighted the shortcomings that instructional designers should consider while integrating them in contexts different than the intended. In line with this effort, more systematic professional development actions are recommended to encourage the development of additional teacher-led interventions.

Combat Tanking in Education - The TANC Model for Playful Distance Learning in Social Virtual Reality

This study examines the impact on engagement and affective outcomes of playful learning in Social Virtual Reality (SVR) for distance and open education settings and aims to provide a practical framework for playful learning design. Three case studies in the United States and Greece were examined where playful learning was organized for e-learning. Data collection methods include questionnaires, observation of online course meetings, reviewing of course communications and chat logs records, students and instructors interviews, student coursework assessments, and reflections. Findings indicated that playful learning experiences in SVR can increase academic interest, intrinsic motivation, engagement level, satisfaction, and completion rates. Instructors’ genuine investment in a thoughtful, sophisticated humorous approach was vital for students’ buy-in. Finally, guiding principles for playful learning design in SVR are summarized in a model involving four dimensions; theme, actions, narrative and auxiliary components (TANC).