VRComm: An Immersive VR-AI Solution To Teaching Research Writing

Abstract

Objective. This study determines the most comfortable text interface for a Virtual Reality Environment (VRE) for teaching novices about research writing. Background. Virtual reality (VR) is becoming more popular in the realm of education because of its immersive technological capabilities to mimic real-world contexts. Learning research writing requires both the social and cognitive dimensions and cannot be decontextualized, however, novice writers rarely have the opportunity to participate authentically in their research community. Method. To address this gap, this study is creating a VRE to immerse novice students in a simulated academic conference where they can participate in realistic exercises. Learners will be able to talk to AI-based non- player characters (NPC). To make these conversations as natural as possible, two text interfaces were tested: subtitles and chat bubbles. Measures of immersion, workload, usability, and satisfaction were considered with student participants (n=8) to determine the optimal text interface. Results. The chat bubble interface was preferred by participants and supported by quantitative survey data. Conclusion. The chat bubble interface provided a more engaging and immersive interaction for participants. This preferred interface will be implemented into the academic conference VRE to simulate highly realistic interactions between users and NPCs. Application. VRE developers can utilize this data that chat bubbles are preferred by users to ensure NPC interactions remain natural and realistic.

Introduction

In the ever-evolving landscape of academia, the ability to articulate research findings through effective writing is a skill of utmost importance. For novice students, the complexities of research writing can be even more daunting. Just as different genres of music and movies require distinct approaches, academic research writing constitutes its own unique genre, demanding a deep understanding of its conventions and norms.

Academic studies in the field of research writing reveal an ongoing gap persists in addressing the crucial aspect of social assimilation in teaching research writing to novice writers(Swales 2016). This gap hinders the growth and development of aspiring writers, as current methodologies often overlook the paramount role of the social aspect in research writing education.