VRComm: An Immersive VR-AI Solution To Teaching Research Writing
Project Overview
VRComm is an innovative virtual reality application designed to revolutionize the way research writing is taught. By combining immersive VR technology with advanced AI, we've created a unique learning environment that engages students and enhances their writing skills.
Our project addresses the gap in social assimilation in teaching research writing to novice writers. By immersing learners in a simulated academic conference, VRComm provides authentic interactions that foster community immersion and improve writing proficiency.
Read the full research paperKey Features
- Interactive Writing Exercises
- AI-based Non-Player Characters (NPCs)
- Research-Based Interface Design
Project Details
VRComm creates a virtual academic conference where students can attend poster sessions, participate in writing workshops, and collaborate on research projects. The AI component provides realistic interactions with NPCs, helping students improve their research writing skills more effectively than traditional methods.
Our study focused on determining the most comfortable text interface for NPC interactions. We compared subtitle and chat bubble interfaces, measuring immersion, workload, usability, and satisfaction with student participants (n=8).
Key Findings
- Chat bubble interface was preferred by 7 out of 8 participants
- Higher immersion and satisfaction ratings for chat bubbles
- Lower cognitive workload reported with chat bubble interface
- Successfully created an immersive virtual academic environment
Future Development
VRComm continues to evolve with plans for further development, comparison testing, and implementation as a learning tool for classrooms. Our findings on chat bubble interface preference will inform the design of future VR educational environments, potentially improving knowledge retention and understanding of complex subjects like research writing.
Additional Resources
Research Team: Allison Arnold, Nadya Konadu, Ayman-Yereem Kone, April Tan, M.S., Michael Dorneich, Ph.D.
Virtual Reality Applications Center, Iowa State University