RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Proposed Title:
Research Study on Virtual Reality Effectiveness supporting several student needs through classroom activities and programs: A Comparison of VR technology in Biology class versus Computer class
Research Problem / Research Question
Is VR technology in its effectiveness, the first step toward the ultimate display or the ultimate educational medium to be utilized in Biology and Computer class? As some of the pioneers of virtual reality have heralded it as modern form of classroom interaction between students and VR machines (1991) and “the first school medium that does not narrow the learner’s spirit” (1991). Thus, (1965), mention that, VR involves to the display connected to digital computer gives learners the chance to gain familiarity with concepts not realizable in physical world.
There is no reason why the objects displayed by a computer have to follow the ordinary rules of physical reality as the ultimate display would be room within which the computer can control the existence of matter” (1965 ). The underlying problem can reflect from such notion as for instance, education and academe researchers have shied away from using the term VR and thus, prefer it to be virtual environments. The problem of labels has risen because it is difficult to maintain clear separation between research carried out in VR and developments in such Biology and or Computer class. Thus, it will make sense to compare some of VR technologies side by side. Even if VR occupies only small niche, there is little doubt that it is among number of technologies that are changing rapidly and playing an increasingly important part in the school curriculum.
1. Does the presence of VR technology in schools amicably provide effective applications for student learning in the classroom?
2. How can a student acquire desirable learning experiences in Biology class through VR utilization? In computer class?
3. How does VR technology in its effectiveness be applied to Biology class? To Computer class? (Cite examples)
4. Any similarities and differences of the VR approaches in both classes? Are there any diverse facts in such learning assumptions as used by students/ learners with different needs?
5. In what ways does VR technology be implemented to such classroom activities signifying that such students learning in various processes are not the same? Since for example, Biology class offers different mode of learning applications as compared to what the computer class offers?
Introduction to topic for research
Accordingly, until the early 1990s, virtual reality have become commonplace, attracting hundreds of researchers and developing into sizable industry although, until recently, VR process were so expensive that only large research laboratories could afford them, VR then, has now become poised to enter the education arena in the form of virtual tools for educational learning purposes. Thus, with the advent of other innovative technologies, the emergence of virtual reality has raised many questions about its effective implications, as there now seems to have ample possibility that virtual reality technology may become strong medium for student learning such as in subjects as biology and computer respectively. Thus, VR technology still has the look and feel of prototype, jumble of wires, LCDs and artful technical compromises ( 1988), just portal looking out on mature technology to come. Truly then, virtual reality is powerful and compelling computer application by which humans can interface and interact with computer-generated environments in way that mimics real life and engages all the senses. Thus, virtual reality technology will link people and information in ways that are much more immersive and integrative than current network connections based on two dimensional display screens with keyboard and mouse. Nowadays, students make connections with computing systems in several alternative ways. Each time one watches an electronic watch or hears digital encoding, one is interfacing with computer. One good example is, when someone views standard size computer display within the physical world, the computer screen picture is only small portion of the high priority real world world, but if the screen is sufficiently surrounding to dominate most of the total human range of sight and the picture that it displays reacts naturally to movement, then the computer picture becomes perceptually predominant.
Research objectives
The core objective of this study is to determine factors emphasizing VR technology in its effectiveness in support to students needs in classroom activities, identifying vivid comparisons of Biology class as compared to computer class assimilating VR technology from within such context. Thus, as without realism, it is impossible to say that scientific or technological advance has taken place in the classroom and that some change to such VR patterns in one of those classes may result into shortcomings. Another objective would be, to impose awareness with regards to VR technology as applied to student learning that can incur their diverse needs in the classroom. The utilization of VR approaches should be essential in providing in-depth knowledge of how can VR technology effectiveness is applied within biology as well as computer classes as it serves as the main focus of the study. But as the researcher is just being concerned with virtual reality, in such effectiveness for classroom activities/programs, there shall need to look useful concepts or ideas as part of such learning range within the school phenomena that may sprung around the ideal facet of VR technology in action.
Sampling Procedures
For determining a solid stance of VR technology in its effectiveness, the research samples as subject for survey questionnaire in support to case studies can be divided into two groups of students, 50 students from Biology class and 50 students from computer class given the fact that, both of the student groups are using VR materials for both class types. The age bracket of these students can be from 14-17 years old, the age in which biology class and computer class is applicable. The study procedure must be explained well to the students both from biology and computer class. Then, quantitative and qualitative data will be analyzed and that quantitative will be sourced to the primary data gathered and will be undergone into compilation, frequencies, percentages and determination of relationships. Qualitative data will come from the open type of questions in the questionnaire that will reflect the personal opinions of respondents not included in the selection, data will be significant when quantitative data is discovered to have deviations from the hypothesized variables.
Methodology
For the realization of the study in progress, one crucial methodology to be applied is through survey questionnaires that will be given to the students from biology class and computer class respectively. The survey questionnaire can be in easy and simple form for the students to respond well and fairly. The questions can be divided into 3 subsets, 5 questions will be asking how their classes are in terms of laboratory tools and materials asking them to narrate such items used in each of the class. The next 5 will be pointing to such VR technology used within the classroom, detailing how they achieved learning and desirable experiences from within their classroom activities. The last 5 questions can be identifying such biology and computer classroom activities using appropriate VR tools and ask the students if they use certain facilities such as movie watching and viewing of discovery channels in 3D interaction process and or film shows and workshops supporting how computer advance and impact the student mind of today’s generation. Thus, there can also be utilization of several case study examples supporting VR technology in its effectiveness, these cases can be found from secondary sources of information as such supported by peer reviewed journals and or academic articles related to the assumptions of VR in schools today. The qualitative approach is to answer questions about the nature of phenomena with the purpose of describing and understanding them from the students’ point of view. Thus, the case study design have the capability of uncovering causal paths and mechanisms and by precise detail there identifies several causal influences and interaction effects which might not be treated well in such statistics investigation as particularly helpful in generating useful theories in development of VR effectiveness. (1997; 1984) Thus, the case study approach will amicably involve the utilization of such methodological information integrating certain suitable ideas and concepts from such primary resources as handed well using first hand findings and research outcomes signifying the appropriateness of VR technology found within biology and or computer class by means of realizing any case study material based on amiable research tools and techniques to be executed in the study. (1997; 1984)
Data required and methods of data collection
The research methodology and design process would involve such primary as well as secondary sources for bringing about substantial studies that are literature based and theoretically inclined for which such research methods utilized may truly serve its first hand purpose for this study. The primary sources will have to represent original thinking as the core data for the research will have to be in case studies as well as survey questionnaires equipped with suitable statistical data and its measures as it can have direct observation to the research process as undergoing research should be handed in with empirical facets and crucial points gathered by the researcher. There should also be the integration of secondary data as findings and assumption studies made by several researchers can be good option that supports any valid information. The secondary data will then analyze and evaluate information as being found in the primary sources and creates information more accessible to the readers and the parties involved as these were supported by good books, peer reviewed journals as well as articles and other publication types. When moving the case method for instance, can have such shifts from one paradigm to another and in handling study discipline, such careful approach is amicably needed. The data to be gathered will be tallied by the researcher and will be encoded in the computer. Hard copy will be printed to ensure that files are kept including the questionnaire responses of the sample. Frequencies will be computed into percentages and will be presented through graphs, tables and textual arrangements. VR data will also undergo interpretation to determine student to VR relationships indicating the applicability of the research study.
Data Analysis and possible conclusion
The analysis of data can be through scaling interpretation for the survey questions that can be in support to any descriptive type of analysis basing from the responses of the students of both classes. The measurement for such analysis, must take such forms of non-comparative scales to be illustrated as qualitative approach can involve numeric value and on the other hand, be it in semantic way with complete scaling measurements as equipped to understand VR technology applications in those classes and in achieving success in educational training aspect also. There will be utilization of interval scaling as the researcher can justify the use of the arithmetic mean as measure of average. The interval scale has equal units of measurement and possible to interpret not only the order of scale scores as possible to add or subtract constant of the scale value without affecting the form of the scale, requiring interval scales for this study is just appropriate supported by likert scales for the survey as every scale item will have 5 categories, with scale values ranging from -2 to +2 with 0 as neutral response. (2004 , May 3, 2007) Likert scales are treated as yielding Interval data by the majority of marketing researchers. The scales which have been described in this chapter are among the most commonly used in marketing research. Whilst there are great many more forms which scales can take, if students are familiar with those described in this chapter they will be well equipped to deal with most types of survey problem. Furthermore, through such application of the Likert scale measurement, the degree of agreement as well as disagreement will be given desired numeric value wherein there can include such 2-5 interpretative points from strongly agree up to neutral scaling aspect down to strongly disagree as to be effective in calculation processes (2004 , May 3, 2007).
Nevertheless, there can say that VR technology has shaped the modern education society inasmuch as there has been such steady advance of school subjects from such points of curriculum innovation. Thus, for case study application, it may be class utilization of VR in biology and or computer class can provide effective classroom activities as supported by VR tools and materials respectively. For instance, the growth of biological knowledge is a necessary for desirable student learning. Furthermore, the same applies to VR technology in computer classes, as it can be imperative to point to certain enhanced ability to manipulate such PC applications and its related data and information. The immediate outcome is that it will be necessary to examine not only VR effectiveness forces that shape classroom centered advances but also on student learning experiences as a whole. The data to be presented will have to be in tabulation and due analysis through the use of deviations in median and percentage standardization. Future studies that could be of use by the researchers can be seen in the matter of how effective this particular research study to the society that will be transpired that the study is of applied values and norms that could be the useful indication of the studies to be discussed and be able to assimilate in the future research studies that is more or less related to the presumed study. There needs for updating significant primary and secondary with proper occupation of modern tools and techniques and the need to strengthen on the overall research in its execution and style of completion. The proposal then, may possibly explain relevance of research approach and its affectivity to the served purpose respectively.
Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com
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