Low-Cost Virtual Reality as an Educational Tool: Application to Undergraduate Chemical Engineering and Development of Pedagogical Implementation Techniques

学习通过许多不同的机制发生，每一种机制都更适合不同学生的学习 风格. 当教学方法与学习者的学习风格相匹配时， 机制被采用。 经验是最强大的学习机制之一，具有较高的记忆力 留存率高于其他学习形式。 不幸的是，并不是所有的学生都有平等的机会获得这一点。 经验，和某些经验是不提供给任何学生在任何成本，由于物理或安全限制。 例如，学生不允许进入电子制造洁净室或操作化学品。 反应堆特别是高危学生没有平等的体验式学习机会，而且往往有 与传统教学方法不匹配的学习方式。 虚拟现实有潜力提供 学生在真实的世界中无法获得的经验。最近和持续的技术进步是 将VR带入教育和学生预算范围内。然而，如何有效地 将VR应用于技术教育必须首先建立。 该项目旨在提高本科生 全国工程教育通过生产：1。一系列基于虚拟现实的化学教学模拟器 工程，2。一个关于技术、代表性、界面、实施和 围绕VR在技术教育中应用的硬件问题。 这项工作的一个主要重点是 生产学生负担得起的计算机模块，这些模块将在学生负担得起的设备上运行，并支持 更先进的设备，如果用户有它可用。原型模块已经使用Pentium开发 基于个人电脑。模块分发将通过非营利公司CACHE进行， 化学工程部全国以最低的成本。

Learning occurs through many different mechanisms, each of which is better suited to different students' learning styles. Optimal learning occurs when teaching methods match learners' styles, and when multiple learning mechanisms are employed. Experience is one of the most powerful learning mechanisms, and has a higher memory retention rate than other forms of learning. Unfortunately, not all students have equal opportunities to acquire that experience, and certain experiences are not available to any students at any cost, due to physical or safety limitations. For example, students are not allowed inside of electronics manufacturing clean rooms or operating chemical reactors. At-risk students in particular do not have equal opportunities for experiential learning, and often have learning styles which do not match traditional teaching methods. Virtual reality has the potential to deliver experiences which are not accessible to students in the real world. Recent and continuing technological advances are bringing VR within the reach of educational and student budgets. However the knowledge base of how to effectively apply VR to technical education must first be established. This project proposes to improve undergraduate engineering education nationwide by producing: 1. A series of VR based educational simulators for use in chemical engineering, and 2. A knowledge base concerning the technical, representational, interfacial, implementational and hardware issues surrounding the application of VR to technical education. A major focus of this work will be to produce student affordable computer modules, which will run on student affordable equipment, and to also support more advanced equipment if the user has it available. A prototype module has already been developed using Pentium based personal computers. Module distribution will be conducted through the non-profit corporation CACHE, to chemical engineering departments nationwide at minimal cost.