Prompting Connections Between Content and Context: Blending Immersive Virtual Environments and Augmented Reality for Environmental Science Learning

Abstract

Outdoor eld trip experiences are a cornerstone of quality environmental science instruction, yet the excitement and distractions associated with eld trips can overwhelm learning objectives. Augmented reality (AR) can focus students’ attention and help them connect the concept rich domain of the classroom with the context rich experiences in the eld. In this study, students used an immersive virtual pond, and then participated in a eld trip to a real pond augmented by mobile technologies. We are interested in understanding whether and how augmenting a eld trip with information via handheld mobile devices can help students connect concepts learned in the classroom with observations during the eld trip. Speci cally, we are curious about how augmentation allows students to“see the unseen” in concepts such as photosynthesis and respiration as well as apply causal reasoning patterns they learned about in the classroom while using an inquiry-based immersive virtual environment, EcoMUVE. We designed an AR supported eld trip with three different treatments: (1) a‘visual’ treatment in which students were prompted to consider content or perspectives from EcoMUVE using videos and animations (2) a‘text’ treatment in which students were prompted to consider content or perspectives from EcoMUVE using text and images, and (3) a‘control’ treatment that did not speci cally prompt students to think about content or perspectives from EcoMUVE. We used a mixed-methods research approach and collected data based on pre, mid, and post surveys; student responses to prompts captured in the notes and log les during the eld trip; a post- eld-trip survey; and performance on an in-class written assignment. On the eld trip, we found that students in all three treatments more frequently referred to visible factors and direct effects than to invisible factors and indirect effects. There were few discernible differences between the text and visual prompted treatments based on responses in the notes and log les captured during the eld trip. After the eld trip, students exposed to the prompted treatments were more likely to describe invisible factors such as wind, weather, and human impacts, while students exposed to the control treatment continued to focus on visible features such as aquatic plants. These ndings provide insights to designers who aim to support learning activities in outdoor and immersive learning environments.