#3 Discipline based Inquiry Post
The majority of society is now almost completely engulfed by technology in a variety of forms. Television, internet, video games, and even robotic telemarketers are examples of how technology has entered our lives. Yet when we evaluate the lives of generation Z what do we find? Technology for them has been part of their lives since birth, an invisible extension of their identities they can neither ignore or escape. As a result people today are simultaneously closer and more separated than ever before. For my inquiry question I wish to explore what opportunities virtual reality presents for students and determine how we can turn around the disconnecting effect it has on people to instead bring us together by sharing experiences. The following texts can be used as gateways into class conversations that I would use for students as brainstorming activities for our own VR and modeling projects. My hope would be that these texts would then guide the students into making their own research topics related to VR and its applications in a makers space environment.
PRINT
1) Kale, Andrew M. “Virtual Reality and the Classroom.” Home, American Historical Association, Oct. 2017, www.historians.org/publications-and-directories/perspectives-on-history/october-2017/virtual-reality-and-the-classroom-how-historians-can-respond.
2) Hicks, Paula. “The Pros And Cons Of Using Virtual Reality In The Classroom.” ELearning Industry, ELearning Industry, 13 Dec. 2016, elearningindustry.com/pros-cons-using-virtual-reality-in-the-classroom.
Summary:
This article discusses the positives and negatives of having students interact with virtual reality in an educational setting and does so from a third party stance. The author goes on to list the following examples of advantages which are unique visualizations, creating interest, student engagement, a non work experience, improvements with the quality of education in multiple fields, and the elimination of the language barrier. The negatives identified were that prolonged exposure to V.R. for students can lead to the deterioration of human connection, lack of flexibility when learning, functionality issues, and an addiction to the virtual world.
Text Complexity
Quantitative: According to StoryToolz, the grade best suited for this reading is around tenth to eleventh grade. However I do not agree with this calculation because it does not take into account the cultural exposure that children have presently and most defiantly in the future. Students in seventh grade and perhaps younger are exposed to the promotion of virtual reality via social media and gaming. By the time they have reached tenth grade there is no doubt that students would be familiar with what virtual reality is. I would personally place this reading at least an 8th grade reading level largely because of its length and the students cultural exposure to the subject. Also I find that the simplicity of the article invites younger grades to begin thinking about it themselves.
Qualitative: The text structure and language of this article fall between the slightly and moderately complex with minor fluctuations due to a few vocabulary words that may require further investigation through discussion in the classroom. The purpose of this article is to highlight the noted advantages and disadvantages that virtual reality may have on students within a classroom setting. It is important to note that the origin of this article stems from an online platform made for teachers to share knowledge and better their teaching experiences. As for the knowledge demands, much of that comes from the students exposure to technological culture as virtual reality through popular media such as Facebook and Buzzfeed are endorsed.
Vocabulary:
- Virtual Reality
Visualization
Deteriorate
Modernization
Reader and Task: The main purpose of using this text would to be to introduce new thought processes to students when critically thinking about how we engage in technology and our awareness when using it. Noting the positives can help excite students to investigate in the processes and programs involved in creating a virtual reality as well as researching how virtual realities are utilized in the present. However, this article also highlights important negatives that can be discussed critically and debated over. As artists it is important to look through many lenses to give us a clearer view as to how work will be perceived by the audience and how we can improve it. If I wish for my class to work together to create a virtual world, I want my students to be able to identify all possibilities and communicate their cares and concerns in order to render exactly the kind of experience they wish to share with their audiences.
MULTIMEDIA
3) “How Augmented Reality Will Change Education Completely | Florian Radke | TEDxGateway.” 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AjxGqzqQ54&t=80s.
4) educause. “3 Ways Virtual Reality Can Enhance Learning.” YouTube, YouTube, 8 Aug. 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRQzl8ewDMQ.
Summary: In this video Emory Craig, the director for eLearning at The New Rochelle Collage sits with Maya Georgieva who is the cofounder of an immersive learning organization called Digital Bodies. Here they sit and identify three potential advantages of V.R entering higher education which are a new learning experience, bringing people together, and a new language of film. First, by offering virtual reality as an educational tool students are able to have a mock physical experiences that allow them to become invested in their environment and voluntarily investigate their surroundings. Virtual reality is bringing students together by talking about our experiences within these worlds and how we might learn from them to better our own understanding of reality. The final discussion focuses on how film is under a transformation, referring to the viewer now having control over the experience rather than the directors and actors who would be in charge of taking the audience through a story. This newly discovered territory is being experimented by cinematographers that are creating immersive experiences that conjure powerful responses from the participants who interact with their creations.
Text Complexity
Quantitative: StoryToolz suggests that the average grade level that is appropriate for the given text is eleventh grade. I would agree with this assessment but argue again that some wiggle room be provided as the younger generations become more attached to technology throughout their lives. However in this interview there is a higher level of vocabulary and contextual knowledge that is necessary to understand the importance of the advancements. I would certainly have both the text present with the video when sharing this with any students so they could process the information and ask any vocabulary related questions.
Qualitative: The purpose of the interview conducted is to share examples of applications of V.R. in the classrooms of higher education and in real world situations, making the messages shared vibrant and open for inquiry from students looking at the technology for their own gains. The text structure of this is however fairly complex and will likely require some clarification with vocabulary. Language features however are mostly moderate thanks to the relaxed style of the discussion, which would allow students to absorb most of the information the first time watching the video. The knowledge demands for this interview are moderate if the students posses common knowledge or have had interaction with virtual reality either through gaming or popular media. Outside of the virtual reality aspect I would say the knowledge of cinematography intertwined with refugee camps in Syria would be labeled very complex knowledge that may require me to inform my students of the situation and how the technology is being used to make a change.
Vocabulary:
Virtual Reality
Ocean Acidification
Virtual Campfire
Environment
Cinematographer
Reader and Task: The purpose of this text would be, like the last, an introduction to virtual reality capabilities. However knowledge of what the technology is being applied to, such as life within Syrian refugee camps, would require separate information to be supplied. The video summarizes how a cinematographer utilized virtual reality in order to share the experience of a refugee camp with people who are distant from the situation. Using this as a stepping stone for students I would ask for them to brainstorm and write down what experiences they would want to share with others and why. How is it important to them and what are the benefits in sharing it with others? The resulting task from the reading would be that students would create their own short films that would try and capture an experience to share with their peers.
CULTURALLY RELEVANT
5) Shafrir, Doree. “Virtual Reality Is Medical Training's Next Frontier.” BuzzFeed, BuzzfeedNews, 16 July 2017, www.buzzfeed.com/doree/virtual-reality-is-medical-trainings-next-frontier?utm_term=.gekLpVyoo#.rgxxd2ZXX.
Summary: In this article we read about the VR developments being made in order to enhance the training of medical students and residents in high stress scenarios. A virtual reality simulation designed by Oculus’s VR for Good program and medical professionals at the Children's Hospital located in Los Angeles place the participants in high stress scenarios in order train them in quick decision making and how to proceed quickly and efficiently as possible. The cost of training involves a large number of people, time, and resources pricing out at as high as 50,000 dollars. The simulation developed shows an infant that has begun to seize on the table as the EMT gives a full status report. The parent of the child stands to the side pleading for help and urging the doctor to take action. This simulation is one of several in development by Oculus’s VR for Good program that has partnered with hospitals and medical schools to increase the odds of success in medical emergencies.
**Related to Text but not from original article, here is a video showing the simulation**
Text Complexity:
Quantitative: According to StoryToolz this article was ranked on average for eleventh graders and higher. I agree with this calculation as the article contains some medical vocabulary that would disrupt the flow of even collage level students. Other than vocabulary, the names of the organizations and the context in which they are speaking from would be difficult for anyone unfamiliar with the medical world and the procedures.
Qualitative: The text structure for this article is very complex as it connects two disciplines that are in the midst of creating a middle ground to advance medical training by leaps and bounds. The text jumps from one example to the next of how VR is working with professionals to create such training and reveals the challenges they face along the way. The language features within the text also explore new territory as the author describes new methods of education application that have never been attempted, asking the reader to abstractly envision the scenes within their minds. The vocabulary is also very complex for individuals unfamiliar with the medical terminology yet a connection can be made when the article discusses how high stake scenarios can cause participants to act rashly, waste time, and doubt themselves. Readers would at least be able to come up with a few similar personal situations. From that the purpose is clear, that the goal of this article is to inform the public of the effort being put into creating effective educational simulations to better our health services. However the knowledge demands for eleventh graders can be very to extremely complex as it would require accessing prior knowledge of medical situations and what they entail. If students do not have such knowledge to access from personal experience or investigations it would prove difficult to affirm the severity of these medical decisions that must be made and how they are the moments that decide the fate of patients.
Vocabulary:
Ativan
Seizure
logistically
verisimilitude
Pediatric
Resuscitation
Salivary Cortisol
Colonoscopies
Epilepsy
Reader and Task: The importance of such an article would be to demonstrate to students how VR is being utilized as a real world application presently. Before reading this article I would have the students quietly watch the simulation and not prompt them prior as I want to peak their curiosity rather than giving them all the answers. Once that was done we would read the article individually and then together as a class so that everyone could be involved in the discussion with a stronger level of comprehension. In the discussion I would ask questions like, “What other fields do you think could benefit from this technology?” or “What experiences across the globe are you interested in or have every wondered about?” My goal from this reading would be to prepare the students for a similar task as from the last interview which would involve the students responding to a new experience they would have in VR and making connections to their own. I would choose the experiences from which students would choose from to have control over the area of study and hope we could all discuss together to brainstorm towards a project in response.
6) Raab, Josh. “How We Immersed 7 Artists Inside Virtual Reality.” Time, Time, 5 Apr. 2016, time.com/4282786/how-we-immersed-7-artists-inside-virtual-reality/.
1) Kale, Andrew M. “Virtual Reality and the Classroom.” Home, American Historical Association, Oct. 2017, www.historians.org/publications-and-directories/perspectives-on-history/october-2017/virtual-reality-and-the-classroom-how-historians-can-respond.
2) Hicks, Paula. “The Pros And Cons Of Using Virtual Reality In The Classroom.” ELearning Industry, ELearning Industry, 13 Dec. 2016, elearningindustry.com/pros-cons-using-virtual-reality-in-the-classroom.
Summary:
This article discusses the positives and negatives of having students interact with virtual reality in an educational setting and does so from a third party stance. The author goes on to list the following examples of advantages which are unique visualizations, creating interest, student engagement, a non work experience, improvements with the quality of education in multiple fields, and the elimination of the language barrier. The negatives identified were that prolonged exposure to V.R. for students can lead to the deterioration of human connection, lack of flexibility when learning, functionality issues, and an addiction to the virtual world.
Text Complexity
Quantitative: According to StoryToolz, the grade best suited for this reading is around tenth to eleventh grade. However I do not agree with this calculation because it does not take into account the cultural exposure that children have presently and most defiantly in the future. Students in seventh grade and perhaps younger are exposed to the promotion of virtual reality via social media and gaming. By the time they have reached tenth grade there is no doubt that students would be familiar with what virtual reality is. I would personally place this reading at least an 8th grade reading level largely because of its length and the students cultural exposure to the subject. Also I find that the simplicity of the article invites younger grades to begin thinking about it themselves.
Qualitative: The text structure and language of this article fall between the slightly and moderately complex with minor fluctuations due to a few vocabulary words that may require further investigation through discussion in the classroom. The purpose of this article is to highlight the noted advantages and disadvantages that virtual reality may have on students within a classroom setting. It is important to note that the origin of this article stems from an online platform made for teachers to share knowledge and better their teaching experiences. As for the knowledge demands, much of that comes from the students exposure to technological culture as virtual reality through popular media such as Facebook and Buzzfeed are endorsed.
Vocabulary:
- Virtual Reality
Visualization
Deteriorate
Modernization
Reader and Task: The main purpose of using this text would to be to introduce new thought processes to students when critically thinking about how we engage in technology and our awareness when using it. Noting the positives can help excite students to investigate in the processes and programs involved in creating a virtual reality as well as researching how virtual realities are utilized in the present. However, this article also highlights important negatives that can be discussed critically and debated over. As artists it is important to look through many lenses to give us a clearer view as to how work will be perceived by the audience and how we can improve it. If I wish for my class to work together to create a virtual world, I want my students to be able to identify all possibilities and communicate their cares and concerns in order to render exactly the kind of experience they wish to share with their audiences.
MULTIMEDIA
3) “How Augmented Reality Will Change Education Completely | Florian Radke | TEDxGateway.” 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AjxGqzqQ54&t=80s.
4) educause. “3 Ways Virtual Reality Can Enhance Learning.” YouTube, YouTube, 8 Aug. 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRQzl8ewDMQ.
Summary: In this video Emory Craig, the director for eLearning at The New Rochelle Collage sits with Maya Georgieva who is the cofounder of an immersive learning organization called Digital Bodies. Here they sit and identify three potential advantages of V.R entering higher education which are a new learning experience, bringing people together, and a new language of film. First, by offering virtual reality as an educational tool students are able to have a mock physical experiences that allow them to become invested in their environment and voluntarily investigate their surroundings. Virtual reality is bringing students together by talking about our experiences within these worlds and how we might learn from them to better our own understanding of reality. The final discussion focuses on how film is under a transformation, referring to the viewer now having control over the experience rather than the directors and actors who would be in charge of taking the audience through a story. This newly discovered territory is being experimented by cinematographers that are creating immersive experiences that conjure powerful responses from the participants who interact with their creations.
Text Complexity
Quantitative: StoryToolz suggests that the average grade level that is appropriate for the given text is eleventh grade. I would agree with this assessment but argue again that some wiggle room be provided as the younger generations become more attached to technology throughout their lives. However in this interview there is a higher level of vocabulary and contextual knowledge that is necessary to understand the importance of the advancements. I would certainly have both the text present with the video when sharing this with any students so they could process the information and ask any vocabulary related questions.
Qualitative: The purpose of the interview conducted is to share examples of applications of V.R. in the classrooms of higher education and in real world situations, making the messages shared vibrant and open for inquiry from students looking at the technology for their own gains. The text structure of this is however fairly complex and will likely require some clarification with vocabulary. Language features however are mostly moderate thanks to the relaxed style of the discussion, which would allow students to absorb most of the information the first time watching the video. The knowledge demands for this interview are moderate if the students posses common knowledge or have had interaction with virtual reality either through gaming or popular media. Outside of the virtual reality aspect I would say the knowledge of cinematography intertwined with refugee camps in Syria would be labeled very complex knowledge that may require me to inform my students of the situation and how the technology is being used to make a change.
Vocabulary:
Virtual Reality
Ocean Acidification
Virtual Campfire
Environment
Cinematographer
Reader and Task: The purpose of this text would be, like the last, an introduction to virtual reality capabilities. However knowledge of what the technology is being applied to, such as life within Syrian refugee camps, would require separate information to be supplied. The video summarizes how a cinematographer utilized virtual reality in order to share the experience of a refugee camp with people who are distant from the situation. Using this as a stepping stone for students I would ask for them to brainstorm and write down what experiences they would want to share with others and why. How is it important to them and what are the benefits in sharing it with others? The resulting task from the reading would be that students would create their own short films that would try and capture an experience to share with their peers.
CULTURALLY RELEVANT
5) Shafrir, Doree. “Virtual Reality Is Medical Training's Next Frontier.” BuzzFeed, BuzzfeedNews, 16 July 2017, www.buzzfeed.com/doree/virtual-reality-is-medical-trainings-next-frontier?utm_term=.gekLpVyoo#.rgxxd2ZXX.
Summary: In this article we read about the VR developments being made in order to enhance the training of medical students and residents in high stress scenarios. A virtual reality simulation designed by Oculus’s VR for Good program and medical professionals at the Children's Hospital located in Los Angeles place the participants in high stress scenarios in order train them in quick decision making and how to proceed quickly and efficiently as possible. The cost of training involves a large number of people, time, and resources pricing out at as high as 50,000 dollars. The simulation developed shows an infant that has begun to seize on the table as the EMT gives a full status report. The parent of the child stands to the side pleading for help and urging the doctor to take action. This simulation is one of several in development by Oculus’s VR for Good program that has partnered with hospitals and medical schools to increase the odds of success in medical emergencies.
**Related to Text but not from original article, here is a video showing the simulation**
Text Complexity:
Quantitative: According to StoryToolz this article was ranked on average for eleventh graders and higher. I agree with this calculation as the article contains some medical vocabulary that would disrupt the flow of even collage level students. Other than vocabulary, the names of the organizations and the context in which they are speaking from would be difficult for anyone unfamiliar with the medical world and the procedures.
Qualitative: The text structure for this article is very complex as it connects two disciplines that are in the midst of creating a middle ground to advance medical training by leaps and bounds. The text jumps from one example to the next of how VR is working with professionals to create such training and reveals the challenges they face along the way. The language features within the text also explore new territory as the author describes new methods of education application that have never been attempted, asking the reader to abstractly envision the scenes within their minds. The vocabulary is also very complex for individuals unfamiliar with the medical terminology yet a connection can be made when the article discusses how high stake scenarios can cause participants to act rashly, waste time, and doubt themselves. Readers would at least be able to come up with a few similar personal situations. From that the purpose is clear, that the goal of this article is to inform the public of the effort being put into creating effective educational simulations to better our health services. However the knowledge demands for eleventh graders can be very to extremely complex as it would require accessing prior knowledge of medical situations and what they entail. If students do not have such knowledge to access from personal experience or investigations it would prove difficult to affirm the severity of these medical decisions that must be made and how they are the moments that decide the fate of patients.
Vocabulary:
Ativan
Seizure
logistically
verisimilitude
Pediatric
Resuscitation
Salivary Cortisol
Colonoscopies
Epilepsy
Reader and Task: The importance of such an article would be to demonstrate to students how VR is being utilized as a real world application presently. Before reading this article I would have the students quietly watch the simulation and not prompt them prior as I want to peak their curiosity rather than giving them all the answers. Once that was done we would read the article individually and then together as a class so that everyone could be involved in the discussion with a stronger level of comprehension. In the discussion I would ask questions like, “What other fields do you think could benefit from this technology?” or “What experiences across the globe are you interested in or have every wondered about?” My goal from this reading would be to prepare the students for a similar task as from the last interview which would involve the students responding to a new experience they would have in VR and making connections to their own. I would choose the experiences from which students would choose from to have control over the area of study and hope we could all discuss together to brainstorm towards a project in response.
6) Raab, Josh. “How We Immersed 7 Artists Inside Virtual Reality.” Time, Time, 5 Apr. 2016, time.com/4282786/how-we-immersed-7-artists-inside-virtual-reality/.
Hey Natalie,
ReplyDeleteVirtual Reality is such an intriguing topic that I don't think you would have any problems getting students interested in it. The video you included that talks about educational uses of virtual reality was of special interest to me. Did you find any instances of how virtual reality is being used in education right now and what it might mean for us as teachers?
Hi, Natalie,
ReplyDeleteYour post shows me the possibility of applying the Virtual Reality to the classroom. Students are always surrounded by technologies and can be motivated by the new technology a lot. I believe your students will be attracted by and enjoy your lessons a lot.
The "VR Healthcare Revolution" video was probably the strangest and most interesting video you had. When you first mentioned in class the idea of using VR to simulate difficult situations that people would have to deal with, I never really thought of the ramifications or applications of such an idea. This video, however, shows it beautifully. Using VR to simulate life-or-death cases a doctor might encounter is a really, really awesome idea. Like how they mentioned in the video, cases like that that are high-stakes don't often arise for doctors to practice with. Using VR to at least understand the processes of such a case better prepares them. You definitely have a unique topic on your hands here.
ReplyDeleteThis topic will definitely be of high interest for your students. What age of students were you thinking? If thinking about high school or middle school some of these texts may be a bit too complex, depending on what tasks you pair them with. That said, if you connect it to the study of film (like one of your texts above emphasizes), you may have a lot of prior viewing experiences to connect it too. Please keep me posted on whether you get to teach with VR in the future. I'd love to see what you do.
ReplyDelete