Maria C. R. Harrington, Ph.D. Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 55th Annual Meeting, a paper on Serious Games. This was fun, it was in Las Vegas after all. The lost opportunity was that Christopher D. Wickens. Ph.D. was there, and I failed to meet him. I am a big fan of his work, it is the standard by which all HF/HCI should be measured, and much of my work is directly built on his work, extended into new areas, where I am sure, he never imagined. But, that is what happens when an artist gets a Ph.D. in information science. Also, I met some excellent project managers and industry personnel in the serious games space. They are all young and beautiful and smart.

1. September 21, 2011 Virtual Field Trips, LLC
Maria C. R. Harrington
Founder & CEO Virtual Field Trips, LLC
Assistant Professor of Information Systems
Computer Science Department, Slippery Rock University
Ph.D. in Information Science
School of Information Science, University of Pittsburgh
Bachelor of Science in Economics & Art, Carnegie Mellon

2. September 21, 2011 Virtual Field Trips, LLC
“Can Simulated
Ecological
Environments of nature
inspire independent
exploration, an intrinsic
desire to learn and acts
of creation for the
child?”

3. September 21, 2011 Virtual Field Trips, LLC
Field Work

4. September 21, 2011 Virtual Field Trips, LLC
Design Context &
Partnerships
• User Needs, Goals & Activity
– Child’s Exploration, Discovery &
Inquiry
– Teacher and Naturalist Guide
Support
– Physical & Cognitive Activity
• Educational & Learning Content
– PA Ecology NCLB Standards
– Informal Educational Materials
– Audubon Society of Western PA
– Elementary School Teachers
• Realistic Data & Visualization
– ESRI Visualized Terrain Datasets
– NSF Long-term Plant Population
Datasets (Dr. Kalisz)
(http://www.pitt.edu/~kalisz/)

5. September 21, 2011 Virtual Field Trips, LLC
Immersive Virtual World &
Informal Learning Simulation
• Used High-end Game Engine
– Visualize 1 Square Mile of Data
• Annotate Virtual World
– Cards for Facts
– Audio Sprites for Concepts
• The Virtual Trillium Trail
– Working Prototype in 2005
– Rebuilt with Garage Games
Torque 3D in 2009 for a
Commercial PC Release
– iPad, Macintosh versions
expected in 2012

6. September 21, 2011 Virtual Field Trips, LLC
Photorealistic Game Engine

7. September 21, 2011 Virtual Field Trips, LLC
Annotate with Facts

8. September 21, 2011 Virtual Field Trips, LLC
Annotate with Story

9. September 21, 2011 Virtual Field Trips, LLC
The Virtual Trillium Trail

10. September 21, 2011 Virtual Field Trips, LLC
Two Research Studies
• Study One: Real vs. Virtual
– Baseline Control (n=12)
– A one-way, within-subject ANOVA, with repeated
measurements, in counterbalanced order (n=12)
• Study Two: Two Factor ANOVA
– Factor 1: Visual Fidelity (High & Low)
– Factor 2: Navigational Freedom (High & Low)
– One system with four condition states
• Planed Orthogonal Contrast on Critical User Interface
Software Dimensions (n=64)

11. September 21, 2011 Virtual Field Trips, LLC
Study One: Real vs. Virtual
• Baseline Control (n=12)
– A one-way, within-subject ANOVA, with repeated
measures, in counterbalanced order (n=12)
• Two Groups:
– Group 1: Real-Virtual
– Group 2: Virtual-Real
• Experience the two Environments in opposite order
• Count Learning Activity of “Salient Events”
– Measurements
• Demographic, Pre & Post tests after each on Facts,
Concepts, Emotional Response, and a Creative Activity

12. September 21, 2011 Virtual Field Trips, LLC

13. September 21, 2011 Virtual Field Trips, LLC
• Total Objects
• Real has more
information than the
Virtual, results in higher
learning activity:
– H1a: μ Total Activity (Real) >
μ Total Activity (Virtual)
– Real (M = 4.5, SD = 2.71)
– Virtual (M = 2.83, SD = 3.43)
– F(1,11) = 4.68, p = 0.05
Main Effects: Environment

14. September 21, 2011 Virtual Field Trips, LLC
Main Effects: Environment
• Plant Only Objects
• When Content in the
Virtual is Identical to the
Real, there is no
difference in learning
activity:
– H2o: μ Plant-only Activity
(Real) = μ Plant-only Activity
(Virtual)
– Real (M = 2.75, SD = 1.96)
– Virtual (M = 2.83, SD = 3.43)
– F(1,11) = 0.00, p = 0.95

15. September 21, 2011 Virtual Field Trips, LLC
Main Effects: Order
Second Field Trip,
Real or Virtual, shows more Learning Activity
Practice Makes Perfect!

16. September 21, 2011 Virtual Field Trips, LLC
• The t-test for two independent groups (one-tail,
post-hoc analysis) was carried out to help
explain the results.
• H8a: Total Activity: μ Real(First) < μ Real(After
Virtual)
– Real (First) (M = 2.8, SD = 2.6)
– Real (After Virtual) (M = 5.8, SD = 1.9)
– t = -2.29, df = 10, p = 0.023 (one-tailed, α = 0.01)
• Prime the Real with the Virtual, as the mean
value significantly increased.
Virtual to Real Transfer

17. September 21, 2011 Virtual Field Trips, LLC
Real to Virtual Transfer
• In the past, such an analysis was impossible for
life-critical training -- combat military training.
• Educational and learning applications, the
question is valid and viable.
• H9a: Total Activity: μ Virtual(First) < μ
Virtual(After Real)
– Virtual (First) (M = 0.0, SD = 0.0)
– Virtual (After Real) (M = 3.8, SD = 2.4)
– t = -3.88, df = 10, p = 0.00 (one-tailed, α = 0.01)
• Reinforce the Real with the Virtual, as the
mean value significantly increased.

18. September 21, 2011 Virtual Field Trips, LLC
Interaction
• Interaction was found (Total Map Annotations by Group)
– The one-way, between-subjects ANOVA produced evidence of
interaction for the Total map Annotation learning activity
• H6a: Total Activity: Interaction Groups x Order
– F(1, 5) = 30.69, p = 0.003.
• Thus, some factor is effecting the variables in a non-
constant way…
• Something in the real world is having an interesting
impact.

19. September 21, 2011 Virtual Field Trips, LLC
Salient Events
• Some probability distribution of events, like a “Salamander Find,” that
occur only in the real environment, and result in highly salient,
personally meaningful memories.
• “Salient Events” are critical for learning and become design features
• If recognized by a teacher, or software, become “Teachable Moments”
• Episodic Memory anchors entire knowledge ontology
Salient Event Teachable Moment

20. September 21, 2011 Virtual Field Trips, LLC
Conclusions: Real vs. Virtual
• Real is Superior Overall
• Virtual match the Real for in-
curriculum materials
• Practice makes Perfect
• “Salient Events” as
Environmental Driven
Opportunities for Teachable
Moments for Learning, Uniquely
Personal, & UI Critical Design
Features
• Transfer in Both Directions
• Prime & Reinforce with the
Virtual
• Use Real & Virtual Together for
Maximized Learning

21. September 21, 2011 Virtual Field Trips, LLC
Study Two: 2X2 ANOVA
• Study Two: Two Factor ANOVA as a Planed Orthogonal
Contrast (POC) on Critical User Interface Software
Dimensions (n=64)
– Factor 1: Visual Fidelity
• Low Fidelity set to Cartoon Quality
• High Fidelity set to Photorealistic Quality
– Factor 2: Navigational Freedom
• Low Navigational Freedom set to a virtual path
• High Navigational Freedom allow 360 degree exploration at will
• UI and Game Design Parameters?
– Knowledge Gained
– Salient Events
– Emotional Reactions of Curiosity, Beauty, Awe & Wonder, Calm
& Excitement
– Acts of Creation & Sharing

22. September 21, 2011 Virtual Field Trips, LLC

23. September 21, 2011 Virtual Field Trips, LLC
Visual Fidelity

24. September 21, 2011 Virtual Field Trips, LLC
Navigational Freedom

25. September 21, 2011 Virtual Field Trips, LLC
Independent Variables
Visual Fidelity: Two Levels: Low (LF) and High (HF)
Navigational Freedom: Two Levels: Low (LN) and High (HN)
Dependent Variables
Knowledge Gained
Salient Events
Fact Cards Inquired
Time in System
Emotional Reactions
Acts of Creation
Study Two: 2X2 ANOVA
Visual Fidelity
Navigational
Freedom
Low Visual Fidelity
(LF)
High Visual Fidelity
(HF)
Low
Navigational
Freedom
(LN)
High
Navigational
Freedom
(HN) Group LFHN
n=(16)
Group HFHN
n=(16)
Group HFLN
n=(16)
Group LFLN
n=(16)

26. September 21, 2011 Virtual Field Trips, LLC
Hypothesis

27. September 21, 2011 Virtual Field Trips, LLC
Knowledge Gained

28. September 21, 2011 Virtual Field Trips, LLC
Results: Knowledge Gained
• Navigational Freedom shows Trend
– F(1,60) = 2.71, p = 0.105
• Visual Fidelity is Strong and Significant
– F(1,60) = 10.54, p = 0.0019
• Significant Evidence of Interaction
– F(1, 60) = 4.85, p = 0.0315
• Highest Gains in Condition of High Visual
Fidelity & High Navigational Freedom
– (M=37.44, SD = 13.88)

29. September 21, 2011 Virtual Field Trips, LLC
Salient Events

30. September 21, 2011 Virtual Field Trips, LLC
Results: Salient Events
• Navigational Freedom shows strong Trend
– F(1,60) = 3.23, p = 0.0773
• Visual Fidelity is Strong and Significant
– F(1,60) = 4.35, p = 0.00413
• No Interaction
– F(1, 60) = 1.48, p = 0.2285
• Highest Counts: Condition of High Visual
Fidelity & High Navigational Freedom
– (M=16.75, SD = 6.27)

31. September 21, 2011 Virtual Field Trips, LLC
Emotional Reactions
• Spearman Rank Correlation Coefficient
show
– Inquiry to Learning (r =0.700**, p = 0.00)
– Awe & Wonder to Total Attitude, (r=0.727**, p =0.000)
– Awe & Wonder to Knowledge Gained, (r = 0.273**, p
=0.000)
– Beauty to Awe & Wonder (r =0.506**, p=0.000)
– And many more on Exploration, Calm, Excitement,
Curiosity, Desire to Share, Create, Presence, and
Immersion

32. September 21, 2011 Virtual Field Trips, LLC
Future Work

33. September 21, 2011 Virtual Field Trips, LLC
SEEE Tripartite Model
• Simulated Ecological
Environments for
Education (SEEE)
– Conceptual,
theoretical, and
empirical framework
– Used to explain
information flows
between the world and
the human
– Markov Model?
http://etd.library.pitt.edu/ETD/available/etd-08072008-141657/unrestricted/MariaCRHarrington.pdf

34. September 21, 2011 Virtual Field Trips, LLC
Child Computer Environment
Interface
Truth,
Fidelity,
Freedom,
Beauty,
Awe &
Wonder

35. September 21, 2011 Virtual Field Trips, LLC
The Virtual Trillium Trail
is available here: http://www.virtualtrilliumtrail.com/index.html