From chalkboards to virtual reality- Exploring the development an

Rowan University Rowan Digital Works Theses and Dissertations 2-28-2020 From chalkboards to virtual reality: Exploring the development and implementation of virtual reality in United States History classrooms Philip Brownridge Rowan University Follow this and additional works at: https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd Part of the Secondary Education Commons Recommended Citation Brownridge, Philip, "From chalkboards to virtual reality: Exploring the development and implementation of virtual reality in United States History classrooms" (2020) Theses and Dissertations 2762 https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/2762 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by Rowan Digital Works It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Rowan Digital Works For more information, please contact graduateresearch@rowan.edu FROM CHALKBOARDS TO VIRTUAL REALITY: EXPLORING THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF VIRTUAL REALITY IN UNITED STATES HISTORY CLASSROOMS by Phil Brownridge A Dissertation Submitted to the Department of Education In partial fulfillment of the requirement For the degree of Doctor of Educational Leadership at Rowan University January 30, 2020 Dissertation Advisor: James Coaxum III, Ph.D © 2019 Phil Brownridge Dedication I would like to dedicate this manuscript to my wife, Christine and daughter, Tesori Without your support, none of this would have been possible I would also like to dedicate this manuscript to my grandfather and father; the first published writers in the family Acknowledgements I would like to express my appreciation to Professor James Coaxum for his guidance and support throughout this research Your patience and guidance were instrumental and the skills and knowledge that I have gained are things that I will take with me into my next professional endeavor I look forward to whatever challenges that come my way knowing that I am prepared to take them on I would like to acknowledge my committee members, Dr JoAnn Manning and Dr Yu-Chin Kuo for their time and commitment to this manuscript Your advice and feedback was invaluable I would like to thank my editor and friend, Mrs Alyssa Krisanda Without your attention to detail and support throughout the process, this would not have been possible You kept me focused and driven and your professionalism and dedication will not be forgotten I would like to thank the four teachers who worked with me throughout this process Your willingness to try new tools is the only reason I was able to complete an action research dissertation You were awesome throughout the process I would like to thank my new friends Bobbie, Lana, Erin, and Amy You helped me get through the last years Without your support, I would not have been able to finish this program Lastly, I would like to thank my family The last four and a half years have been time-consuming and difficult Without a great foundation, I would not have had the time, courage, or support necessary to complete this monumental task Thank you for all of your sacrifice Tess, you will be the next published writer iv Abstract Phil A Brownridge FROM CHAULKBOARDS TO VIRTUAL REALITY: EXPLORING THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF VIRTUAL REALITY IN UNITED STATES HISTORY CLASSROOMS 2019-2020 James Coaxum, III, Ph.D Doctorate of Educational Leadership The purpose of this action research dissertation was to explore the development and implementation of virtual reality in United States History Classrooms Specifically, research focused on how students would respond to virtual reality, the professional development that teachers required to implement virtual reality, health concerns associated with students using virtual reality in school, and how virtual reality would affect pedagogy and assessment strategies Before implementation of virtual reality, high school students had identified social studies as their least favorite class and results suffered because of their lack of interest Students being disgruntled about learning history in schools is an issue throughout the country (Milo, 2015) After successfully infusing virtual reality into the classroom, students’ motivation increased, performance improved significantly, and teachers reported drastic changes to their role in the classroom and how they evaluated students What was surprising was the level of modification that was necessary for questioning technique, how drastically the teachers’ roles in the classroom changed, and the number of school subjects that seem to be ripe with possibility for virtual reality (Sholes, 2018) While this technology is just emerging in the field of education, their appears to be ample opportunity for growth and advancement (Reynard, 2017) v Table of Contents Abstract v List of Figures xii List of Tables xiii Chapter I: Introduction Problem Statement Impetus of the Study 14 Purpose of the Study 17 Research Questions 19 Significance 20 Conclusion 22 Chapter 2: Literature Review 25 Technology in Education 26 Learning Theory 32 Constructivist Learning 33 Situated Learning 34 Technology’s Impact on Motivation 36 Technology’s Impact on Pedagogy 38 History of Virtual Reality 41 Virtual Reality in Education 44 Professional Development for Teachers Using Virtual Reality 47 Student Perspective Concerning Social Studies 50 Pedagogical Issues Concerning Social Studies 53 vi Table of Contents (Continued) Measuring Student Performance and Engagement 55 Health and Ethical Issues Using Virtual Reality with Students 57 Conclusion 63 Chapter 3: Research Design 64 Methodology 66 Mixed Methods Action Research 70 Context 72 Participants 74 Google Expedition Virtual Reality 77 Data Collection 79 Quantitative Data 79 Power School and EPass 79 Google Classroom Summative Scores 80 Qualitative Data 80 Baseline Surveys 81 Interviews 82 Field Notes 83 Creating the Need for Change 84 Action Research Cycles 86 Cycle I 87 Cycle II 89 Cycle III 90 vii Table of Contents (Continued) Data Analysis 90 Rigor 93 Trustworthiness 93 Role of the Researcher 94 Theoretical Framework 95 Learning Theories 96 Constructivist Learning 96 Exploratory Approach 98 Metacognition 98 Situational Learning 99 Limitations 100 Conclusion 101 Chapter 4: Planning, Preparing, and PLC’s .103 Cycle I: Awareness and Interest 103 Obtaining Teacher Buy-In 104 Securing Central Office Support 105 Parent Buy-In .108 Professional Development for Virtual Reality in the Classroom .110 Familiarity with Equipment 111 Health Concerns 111 Technical Assistance and Trouble Shooting 112 The Development of a PLC 112 viii Table of Contents (Continued) Shared Mission and Vision 113 Joint Planning .114 Selection of Field Trips 115 Assessment and Pedagogy 115 Conclusion 117 Cycle II: Implementation, Pedagogy, and Learning 117 Field Notes/Observation 117 Observations of Pedagogy 119 Developing Pedagogy 121 Virtual Reality’s Impact on Students 125 Technology in the Classroom 131 Medical Issues 134 Overall Health and Wellness .134 Post-Implementation PLCS 136 Implementation of Technology 137 Overall Implementation .138 Cycle III: Implementation 139 Best Teaching Practices Associated with Virtual Reality 139 Qualitative Data Collection 140 Surveys 141 Virtual Reality’s Impact on Student Motivation 145 Impact on Performance 148 ix Appendix C Google Expedition Standard Operating Procedure Equipment included in Pelican Case: ● Google phones within goggles (30) ● Asus tablet and power cord (1) ● Router and power cord (1) ● Sabrent USB fast chargers (3) ● Google phone chargers: USB cable & wall plugs (30) Passwords: Phone PIN: 0000 Tablet PW: 0000 Packing & Storing: Please pack everything in the Pelican Case as shown below to ensure the contents are stored properly and safely Phones are hooked into closed goggles (one phone per goggle) and placed in individual slots Router on the left, Sabrent USB fast chargers in the middle, and two boxes with 10 phone wall chargers in each Phone charging cords, Asus power cord, Sabrent charging cords, and router power cord on the left; Sabrent chargers in the middle, phone wall chargers in three boxes on the right, and Asus tablet in slot above the phone wall chargers in boxes 207 Charging Equipment: Prior to beginning an expedition, make sure the phones and tablet are fully charged Phones can be charged two ways Via USB cord to wall plug Via USB cord to Sabrent USB fast charger stations Charging stations will be helpful if you are using the phones all day and can be easily charged in between use The tablet can be charged using the USB cord and wall plug Set Up Equipment Plug in the power cable to the router and wall outlet If power lights not come on, press the on/off button next to the power plug A day or two prior to using the Google Expedition, please contact the Tech Department to review your room setup so we can designate a proper internet port for the router’s ethernet cable Plug in the ethernet cable into the blue INTERNET port on the back of the router Turn on the Google phones by pressing the power button at the top of the phone If phones are inserted in the goggles, the power button will be on the upper right Phones should already be hooked into the googles To insert a phone into goggles: a To open goggles, press the button down on the top center 208 b Turn phone horizontally so that the power button is at the top left and the screen is facing you c Place the bottom edge of the phone in the two bottom hooks on the interior front flap d Push these two hooks down to create space so that you can hook the top phone under the center top hook e Close flap with phone attached to secure phone in goggles f To remove a phone from the goggles, open the front flap Press the bottom two hooks down to create space and remove the top from the top hook Turn on the tablet by pressing the small power button above the word ASUS The tablet will be used by the teacher to guide through an expedition The phones and tablet will connect to the router and establish a connection with the EXP1 network They all must be on this specific network Set Up an Expedition Open the Expeditions app ● and pick a role: Guide - Usually a teacher who leads an expedition on the tablet In this role, the Guide chooses the expedition, focuses on scenes, and highlights points of interest ● Explorer - Usually a student who follows an expedition on a phone In this role, the Explorer loos at what the guide highlights as a point of interest or a scene When going on a group expedition, only a Guide can lead an expedition Explorers can’t join a group expedition without a Guide 209 Guide: On the tablet, choose the EXPEDITIONS app If not already signed in to google, log in using the below account Username: username@school.edu Password: gexpedition Select LEAD to be a Guide (If you accidentally selected FOLLOW, at the top of the home screen tap EXPLORER to switch The same can be done if a student accidentally selects LEAD.) Find an Expedition: a Scroll - On the Expeditions homepage, scroll vertically to browse featured expeditions b Search - On the Expeditions homepage, tap SEARCH and enter a subject or select one of the categories c Spreadsheet - In a separate web browser, view the complete list of available expeditions, then return to the Expeditions app and search for that title https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1uwWvAzAiQDueKXkxvqF6rS84 oae2AU7eD8bhxzJ9SdY/edit#gid=0 Download an Expedition: Make sure the tablet is connected to the Internet in order to download expeditions 210 a On the tablet, open the Expeditions app b Click Menu (three horizontal lines) and next to DOWNLOADED ONLY, confirm this setting is OFF c Confirm that your role is set to GUIDE If your role is set to Explorer, tap Explorer and change to Lead d Find the expedition you want to explore and tap to download After you download an expedition, in the bottom right corner you see a check mark, which indicates that the expedition downloaded and can be used offline If you not connect the tablet (guide device) to the Internet at least every 60 days, your downloaded expeditions are removed from your device To prevent expeditions from disappearing: a Connect the tablet to the Internet at least every 60 days and pull down the expeditions list to refresh content b Verify that the tablet has the correct date and time so content isn’t prematurely removed Remove an Expedition: a Tap More (three vertical dots), select REMOVE DOWNLOAD, Select REMOVE b Tap the checkmark, select REMOVE c (iOS only): Tap Menu, select SETTINGS, select REMOVE DOWNLOADED EXPEDITIONS Lead an Expedition: 211 a Once you have downloaded an expedition, tap anywhere on the expedition, then tap play b Instruct Explorers to join the expedition At the top right next to the people icon, you can see how many Explorers are connected c Focus on a Scene i Play a Scene - After opening an expedition, scroll horizontally to pick a scene and tap play Swipe up to review notes, questions, or other information ii Pause a Scene to get Students’ Attention - Anytime you pause a scene to ask a question or discuss it, Explorers’ screens freeze and display the message “Paused by Teacher.” The scene returns when you Play again Tap Pause Tap and hold a spot in a scene Explorers will see an arrow directing them to that spot d Highlight Points of Interest Scenes have suggested points of interest (POI) such as objects in a scene you may want to discuss with Explorers i Select a Point of Interest - You can find POI in the scene description Tap the POI icon in the description and Explorers will see arrows to guide them to the item Create your own Point of Interest - Touch and hold on the area you want Explorers to view Explorers will be directed to it with arrows on their screen ii Remove your Point of Interest - Touch and hold the POI icon The POI disappears and Explorers will not see arrows on their screens e Draw on a Scene You can draw on a scene to highlight any feature you want your Explorers to focus on 212 i Draw on a Scene - Tap Draw when you are viewing the area you wish to highlight for your Explorers With your finger, draw on the screen and it is immediately visible to all your Explorers ii Erase your Drawing - Either tap CLEAR or exit the scene iii End Drawing Mode - Tap Draw If you have not cleared your drawing it will remain in place for you and your Explorers to see until you leave the scene f End an Expedition i Tap Close at the top of the screen next to the expedition title Select LEAVE Go on an Expedition by Yourself: a Pick your Role either as a Guide or Explorer Guides can use the solo mode to preview what their Explorers will see You can access self-guided mode from any expedition Explorers can use the self-guided mode to go on expeditions without waiting for a Guide to take them b Open the Expeditions app c Tap LEAD d Open an Expedition e Tap CARDBOARD f Tap CONTINUE g If not already done, place phone into the goggles and close Explorer: Go on an Expedition as a Group: 213 a Open the goggles to view phone and unlock using the phone PIN b On the phone, tap the EXPEDITION app at the lower right c Tap FOLLOW to be an Explorer d Next to the expedition the Guide started, tap FOLLOW NOTE: If Explorer doesn’t see FOLLOW, an expedition might not be started e Close goggles with phone hooked in properly Move your head to look around Go on an Expedition by Yourself: a Pick your Role either as a Guide or Explorer Guides can use the solo mode to preview what their Explorers will see You can access self-guided mode from any expedition Explorers can use the self-guided mode to go on expeditions without waiting for a Guide to take them b Open the Expeditions app c Tap FOLLOW d Open an Expedition e Under EXPLORE ON YOUR OWN, tap EMBARK f If not already done, place phone into the goggles and select one of the tabs to find expeditions or search Featured - Lists the most popular expeditions Categories - Lists expeditions under common topics Downloaded - Contains the expeditions you’ve already downloaded to your device Downloaded expeditions have a checkmark in the corner of the preview Tap the expedition to open it 214 NOTE: If a guided expedition is currently happening on the same wifi network, you see a “Live” tile at the beginning of the expeditions list Tap the tile to join that tour g Once an expedition is open you can explore different scenes Each scene has an information panel that describes the scene and sights you can select to learn about If a scene has pre-recorded narration, audio plays automatically If it does not, tap AUDIO GUIDE for computer-generated narration In the information panel, tap a point of interest to learn more about it Follow the arrow until you see the sight you selected NOTE: If you are using Daydream, use your controller and touchpad to select scenes and points of interest (Makuka, 2018) 215 Appendix D Medical Power Point 216 217 218 219 Appendix E Technical Operations Setup Turn tablet on Make sure tablet is on correct Wi-Fi (EXP or EXP 2) Open expedition on tablet Plug phones in to charge/turn on each phone Make sure all phones are on the correct Wi-Fi (EXP or EXP 2) Swipe down from the top Press and hold the Wi-Fi symbol Click correct Wi-Fi network Open the Expeditions app (flag icon) Either tap “follow” (if the expedition is “found”) or simply close goggles (if the cardboard viewer icon is on the screen and it is telling you to so) Leave phones and tablet plugged in until a few minutes before use These simple, but important steps created a seamless experience for everyone and allowed Anna to relax and enjoy the virtual field trip with her students Students were immediately engaged and had a significantly better introduction 220 Appendix F Bloom’s Taxonomy 221 ... in the current structure, and then trying it out to see if it is an effective tool In addition to exploring the meaningful changes to instruction and learning, this research has the potential to. .. schools and most not relate to social studies, but there is a significant library from which to choose and that is important Due to the nature of the virtual reality offered, there is a significantly... able to identify seventy that they would consider using throughout the course of the year Virtual field trips ranged from museums discussed, access to Angel and Ellis Island, to battlefields and