BCSER: Using Virtual Reality to Train Geo-Spatial Reasoning

空间推理技能包括可视化，解释和操纵二维（2D）和三维（3D）信息的能力。这些技能预测学生在STEM领域的坚持和成功，并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）培训对学生在地球科学背景下的空间推理的影响，并在此过程中发展首席研究员（PI）的STEM教育研究专业知识。该项目得到了NSF的EHR核心研究STEM教育研究能力建设的支持（ECR BCSER）计划，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劳动力发展。STEM专业人员往往具有较强的空间推理能力，青少年的空间能力与STEM领域的持久性相关。数十年的研究表明，这些技能可以通过培训得到显着提高，这为提高STEM领域的学生保留率提供了机会。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Juniata学院和哥伦比亚南卡罗来纳州大学VR培训模块有效性试点研究的结果。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之前和之后的空间推理技能。PI将与咨询委员会合作，评估专业发展活动和试点研究项目的成功。研究，相关的演示文稿，并与顾问委员会的互动将有助于通过许多新的合作和相关项目的地球科学教育研究社区的增长，以及激发学生和教师之间的教育研究兴趣在PI的家庭校园。空间推理培训的改进也有可能促进STEM领域更广泛的参与、保留和包容。该奖项反映了NSF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.