VR and AR for Virtual Fieldwork Teaching

From Newcastle. For the world.
#DryLabsRealScience Season 3
27th October 2021
COVID Keepers: Using AR/VR for Ecology Fieldwork
Dr Heather Sugden
heather.sugden@ncl.ac.uk
@hes_1
Dr Sara Marsham
sara.marsham@ncl.ac.uk
@sara_marine
School of Natural and Environmental Sciences
@SciencesNCL
@newcastlemarine
@NCLDoveMarine

From Newcastle. For the world. 2
Importance of field teaching
o Fieldwork assumed to be essential within
biosciences teaching (e.g. Cook et al., 2006; Peasland et al.,
2019; QAA, 2019)
o Scientific basis for study of organisms and ecosystems
o Observation-based knowledge acquisition
o Analytical research skills
o Decision-making and team-work
o Provides social interactions - improves
contentment, recruitment and retention (Boyle et al.,
2007)

Importance of field teaching - Kolb’s learning cycle
Concrete
Experience
Doing phase
Reflective
Observation
Reflective phase
phase
Abstract
Conceptulisation
Preparatory
phase
Active
Experimenting
Doing phase
Scott et al., (2012)

Fieldwork and the research-teaching nexus
EMPHASIS ON RESEARCH
CONTENT
EMPHASIS ON RESEARCH
PROCESSES AND PROBLEMS
Research-led
Level 4 Marine
Practical Skills I
Research-informed
Level 5 Marine
Practical Skills II
Research-oriented
Level 5 Marine
Practical Skills II &
Marine Research and
Employability Skills
Research-based
Level 6 Marine
Research Project

The problem…
LOCKDOWN!

Development of virtual fieldwork
o Recently, virtual resources used to augment physical fieldwork
o Observation, data-gathering and problem solving using computer-generated
approaches
o Established in many disciplines (e.g. Burden et al., 2017; Morimoto & Ponton, 2019)
o Limited practice in the biosciences (Shim et al., 2003; Horodyskyj et al., 2018)
Could we create a virtual environment where we could take students ‘out’ into
the virtual field and how?????

Development of virtual fieldwork

0.00
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Poor Fair Good Very Good Excellent
Percentage
response
(%)
Stage 1 Stage 2
Figure 1: How useful did you find the synchronous fieldtrip?
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Percentage
Response
(%)
Stage 1 Stage 2
Figure 2: How much progress do you think you made taking part in the
synchronous fieldwork?
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Percentage
Response
(%)
Stage 1 Stage 2
Figure 3: The virtual fieldtrip provided a good online replacement to present-in-person teaching on the rocky shore?

-2
0
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18
Number
of
Responses
Category of Response
Stage 1 (n=52) Stage 2 (n=27)
Figure 4: What did you like about the virtual fieldtrip? Sugden et al., in prep

What did our
students think?

Knowledge: The Future
Blending VR and in-person teaching to enhance experience

Knowledge: The Future

AR Trial

What did the students think?
Ease and Enjoyment
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Very
Difficult
Difficult Neutral Easy Very Easy
Number
of
responses
Figure 8: Ease Of Use (n = 18)
0
1
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4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree Neither
Agree or
Disagree
Agree Strongly
Agree
Number
of
responses
Figure 9: I enjoyed looking at 3D models using
my phone (n = 18)
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
No, it was frustrating
and/or disengaging
Neutral Yes, I would like to
use Augmented
Reality applications
more often!
Number
of
responses
Figure 10: The experience was fun (n = 18)

What did the students think?
Engagement
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree Neither
Agree or
Disagree
Agree Strongly
Agree
Number
of
responses
Figure 5: During the experience, I was more engaged
than usual (n = 18)
Skills
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree Neither
Agree or
Disagree
Agree Strongly
Agree
Number
of
responses
Figure 6: I was able to identify the organism I
was looking at as if it was real (n = 17)
Understanding
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree Neither
Agree or
Disagree
Agree Strongly
Agree
Number
of
responses
Figure 7: The experience improved my
understanding of the taught material (n = 18)

Future considerations for virtual environments
oBetter prepare students for in-field fieldwork
o Enhance confidence and identify and tackle barriers
o Pro-active design for students with disabilities/caring responsibilities who may
find access to traditional in-field fieldwork challenging
o Broadens access to fieldwork sites (spatial/temporal/inaccessible field sites)
o Activities include active student participation
o Data collection/collaboration/analysis

From Newcastle. For the world.
Thank you for listening
Questions?
Dr Heather Sugden
heather.sugden@ncl.ac.uk
@hes_1
Dr Sara Marsham
Sara.marsham@ncl.ac.uk
@sara_marine
School of Natural and Environmental Sciences
@SciencesNCL
@newcastlemarine
@NCLDoveMarine

References
o Boyle et al. (2007). Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 31: 299–317.
o Burden et al. (2017). Immersive Learning Research Network, pp. 18–29.
o Cook et al. (2006). Area, 38: 413–20.
o Horodyskyj et al. (2018). Astrobiology, 18: 86-99.
o Morimoto & Ponton (2019). Preprints, 2019100311.
o Peasland et al. (2019). International Journal of Science Education, 41: 2369-2388.
o QAA (2019). Benchmark statement for biosciences.
o Scott et al. (2012). Journal of Science Education and Technology, 21: 11–21.
o Shim et al. (2003). Journal of Biological Education, 37: 71-74.

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