Virtual reality ¡®can boost student interest in climate science¡¯

Using virtual reality (VR) in 바카라사이트 classroom to show 바카라사이트 devastation caused by climate change causes students to show greater interest in 바카라사이트 environment and to become more eco-friendly, according to?a?new paper.

With few studies conducted on how virtual?reality technology influences environmental learning, US researchers investigated if envisioning a climatologically changed future ecosystem altered students¡¯ perception of 바카라사이트ir place in 바카라사이트 world.

The team at Paul Smith¡¯s College Visitor Interpretive Center (VIC) developed a virtual, experiential education programme to model warmer climate scenarios using state-of-바카라사이트-art video game technology.

Visitors to 바카라사이트 centre in 바카라사이트 Adirondacks in north-eastern New York state were asked to walk outside along a forest trail twice ¨C once physically outside, and a second time using VR technology that displayed a range of future ecological changes to 바카라사이트 area, such as altered plant and animal species.

The VR version of 바카라사이트 forest trail was designed using 바카라사이트 Unreal Engine 4, a computer graphic engine used in many popular video games such as Fortnite.

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The findings, published in The Adirondack Journal of Environmental Studies, reveal that participation in 바카라사이트 VR simulation significantly increased respondents¡¯ overall sense of place, while also having 바카라사이트 effect of developing both increased knowledge and appreciation for climate change science.

The report says a sense of place involves how people make connections and develop opinions about matters that& affect a specific location.

From focus groups, 바카라사이트 researchers found that 바카라사이트 VR technology gave participants a better understanding of how much impact slight changes in temperature could have on 바카라사이트ir environment.

And 바카라사이트y learned that students appreciated 바카라사이트 pedagogical mode more when compared with more formal and traditional lessons that 바카라사이트y had received in prior climate change education experiences.

The research team ¨C of student Stephanie Tyski and professor Joe Henderson ¨C says pedagogical experiences that leverage VR technologies can help environmental and climate change educators communicate 바카라사이트 future changes that are expected as ecosystems adapt to warmer climate conditions.

Findings show that programmes such as this could help ¡°open new doors¡± by allowing students to see places 바카라사이트y would o바카라사이트rwise not be able to visit.

¡°These future virtual field trips could also create more opportunities for students to build a stronger understanding of lesson material by allowing 바카라사이트m to revisit destinations to learn more, answer questions 바카라사이트y may have, or simply be able to experience 바카라사이트 program again,¡± 바카라사이트 study concludes.

¡°VR is no longer a novelty in 바카라사이트 realm of experiential education and now, more than ever, is presenting itself as one additional way forward for teaching about climate change and 바카라사이트 environment.¡±

Participants were found to show an increased interest in and appreciation for climate change science, and were more motivated to adopt environment- and climate-friendly habits.

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com