The Educational Value of an Information-Rich Virtual Environment

Information-rich” virtual environments consist not only of three-dimensional graphics and other spatial data, but also include information of an abstract or symbolic nature that is related to the space. We present evidence that an environment of this type can stimulate learning and comprehension, because it provides a tight coupling between symbolic and experiential information. In our virtual zoo exhibit, students can explore an accurate model of the gorilla habitat at Zoo Atlanta, and also access information related to the design of the exhibit. This paper discusses the rationale behind the design of the application and the interaction techniques used to obtain information. We also present the results of an evaluation, showing that students who used the virtual environment had better test scores than those who only attended a lecture on the material. We show that the virtual experience allowed students to learn information directly, and also motivated them to better learn and understand material from a traditional lecture. INTRODUCTION The goal of virtual environment (VE) research is not to produce more realistic environments, faster 3D graphics, better sensory cues, or low latency. Rather, all of these are the means by which we hope to achieve the actual goal: useful applications that will benefit people. Although most are still in the research lab, a few categories of VE systems have shown great promise, including architectural walkthrough (Brooks et al, 1992), exposure therapy for phobias (Hodges et al, 1995), and training for hazardous duty (Tate, Sibert, & King, 1997). All of these share the