BCSER: Using Virtual Reality to Train Geo-Spatial Reasoning

空间推理技能包括在二维（2D）和三维（3D）中可视化、解释和操作信息的能力。这些技能预示着学生在STEM领域的坚持和成功，被认为是地球科学教育的关键方面。因此，教授本科生空间推理技能有望提高他们在STEM领域的保留率，并最终增加全国STEM专业人员的数量和多样性。该项目将研究虚拟现实（VR）训练对地球科学背景下学生空间推理的影响，并在此过程中培养首席研究员（PI）的STEM教育研究专业知识。该项目由美国国家科学基金会的EHR STEM教育研究核心研究能力建设（ECR BCSER）项目支持，该项目旨在培养个人在STEM学习和学习环境的核心领域开展高质量基础STEM教育研究的能力，扩大STEM领域的参与，以及STEM劳动力的发展。STEM专业人员往往具有较强的空间推理能力，青少年空间能力与STEM领域的持久性相关。几十年的研究表明，这些技能可以通过培训得到显著提高，这为提高学生在STEM领域的保留率提供了机会。该项目的具体目标是：(1)发展PI的STEM教育研究技能和专业知识；(2)设计、实施和传播在朱尼亚塔学院和南卡罗来纳大学哥伦比亚分校进行的VR培训模块有效性试点研究的结果。该试点研究将测量地球科学学生在参加VR培训模块或更传统的培训活动前后的空间推理能力。PI将与一个咨询委员会合作，评估专业发展活动和试点研究项目的成功情况。研究、相关报告以及与顾问委员会的互动将通过许多新的合作和相关项目为地球科学教育研究界的发展做出贡献，并激发PI家乡校区学生和教职员工对教育研究的兴趣。改进空间推理培训也有可能促进STEM领域更广泛的参与、保留和包容。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Spatial reasoning skills include the abilities to visualize, interpret, and manipulate information in two dimensions (2D) and three dimensions (3D). These skills predict students’ persistence and success in STEM fields and are recognized as crucial aspects of geoscience education. Thus, teaching undergraduate students spatial reasoning skills is expected to enhance their retention in STEM fields and ultimately increase the number and diversity of STEM professionals nationally. This project will study the effects of Virtual Reality (VR) training on students’ spatial reasoning in geoscience contexts and, in the process, develop the principal investigator’s (PI’s) STEM education research expertise. The project is supported by NSF's EHR Core Research Building Capacity in STEM Education Research (ECR BCSER) program, which is designed to build individuals’ capacity to carry out high quality fundamental STEM education research in the core areas of STEM learning and learning environments, broadening participation in STEM fields, and STEM workforce development.STEM professionals tend to have strong spatial reasoning abilities, and spatial abilities in adolescence correlate with persistence in STEM fields. Decades of research indicate that these skills can be significantly improved with training, which presents an opportunity to improve student retention in STEM fields. The specific objectives of the project are (1) to develop the PI’s STEM education research skills and expertise; and (2) to design, implement, and disseminate the findings from a pilot study of the efficacy of VR training modules at Juniata College and the University of South Carolina at Columbia. The pilot study will measure geoscience students’ spatial reasoning skills before and after participating in either a VR training module or a more traditional training activity. The PI will work with an advisory board to evaluate the success of the professional development activities and pilot research project. The research, associated presentations, and interaction with the advisory board will contribute to the growth of the geoscience education research community through numerous new collaborations and related projects, as well as stimulate interest in education research among students and faculty members at the PI’s home campus. Improved training in spatial reasoning also has the potential to promote broader participation, retention and inclusion in STEM fields.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.