Online Site Visits using 360-degree Panoramic Collaborative Spaces

该项目旨在通过开创一种变革性的在线虚拟学习方法来简化学生访问真实世界的实地考察和协作沟通技巧的实践，从而服务于国家利益。该项目将开辟新的教育应用程序，用于在线交付实地考察，这些实地考察严重依赖于危险或经济上禁止的地点。在这个项目中，多用户360度全景协作空间（360PICS）将用于创建数字实地考察体验，展示地理上分散的学生可以相互联系和互动的真实地点。该项目将促进STEM学生对实地考察体验的理解，并调查通过易于访问的在线数字实地考察改善学生学习的条件。学生将能够在360PICS环境中与其他学生互动，同时专注于实践这些实地考察经验所需的技能。本提案的研究目标是为土木、建筑和建筑工程专业的学生提供机会，使他们能够利用现实世界中危险、不安全或难以实现的情境进行在线地点独立的现场访问。该项目的具体目标是：(1)描述数字实地考察期间学生的交流和协作，(2)捕获、开发和定义最有利于加强数字实地考察期间学生交流和协作的360PICS功能，以及(3)评估360PICS对数字实地考察期间学生交流和协作的影响。基于网络的虚拟现实技术将用于开发360PICS，并创建所需的通信和协作功能。360PICS的用途和效果将采用混合方法进行评估，收集定性和定量测量，以具体了解360PICS在数字实地考察期间对学生交流和协作的影响。与此项目相关，教育和推广工作将纳入若干在线课程、研讨会、网络研讨会和推广活动。该项目还将为本科生提供基于项目的在线学习机会，作为基于360pcs的课程模块的一部分。NSF IUSE: EHR计划支持研究和开发项目，以提高所有学生STEM教育的有效性。通过参与学生学习轨道，该计划支持有前途的实践和工具的创建，探索和实施。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。

This project aims to serve the national interest by pioneering a transformative online virtual learning approach to simplify student's access to real-world site visits and the practice of collaborative communication skills. This project will open up new educational applications for online delivery of field trips that heavily rely on dangerous, or financially prohibitive locations. In this project, multi-user 360-degree panoramic collaborative spaces (360PICS) will be used to create digital field trip experiences that illustrate the real sites where geographically-dispersed students can connect and interact with each other. This project will advance the understanding of the site visit experiences for STEM students and investigate the conditions under which improved student learning occurs through online, easy-to-access, digital site visits. Students will be able to engage with other students within the 360PICS environment while staying focused on practicing the skills required on those site visit experiences.The research goal of this proposal is to present civil, architectural and construction engineering students with opportunities to enable online location-independent site visits, using real-world occasions where situated learning is dangerous, unsafe, or difficult to achieve. The specific objectives of the project are to (1) characterize student communication and collaboration during digital site visits, (2) capture, develop, and define 360PICS affordances that are most conducive to enhance student communication and collaboration during digital site visits, and (3) assess the influence of 360PICS on student communication and collaboration during digital site visits. Web-based virtual reality techniques will be employed to develop 360PICS and create the required communication and collaboration affordances. The uses and effects of 360PICS will be assessed using a mixed-method approach, collecting qualitative and quantitative measurements to specifically understand the influence of 360PICS on student communication and collaboration during digital site visits. In connection with this project, educational and outreach efforts will be integrated into several online courses, workshops, webinars, and outreach activities. This project will also provide the opportunity for online project-based learning for undergraduate students as a part of a 360PICS-based course module. The NSF IUSE: EHR Program supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students. Through the Engaged Student Learning track, the program supports the creation, exploration, and implementation of promising practices and tools.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.