A lot is known about how people learn. We're just figuring out how Virtual Reality works. This meet was the first of a monthly series to explore how VR impacts education. We review Cognitive Load Theory, and Multi-Media Learning theory.

1. Education in VR Meetup
“How VR Can Impact Learning
July 19th, 2016

2. This presentation was
delivered at BuildNY
on July 19th, at our
“Education in VR”
meetup.

3. Goal of This Meetup:
Create a community of
education-minded VR
entrepreneurs, developers
& content creators

4. Two Learning Theories to
start us off:
• Cognitive Load Theory
• Multi-Media Learning Theory

5. Cognitive Load
Theory

6. Working Memory is
Gateway to Learning
Working Memory is
Limited
Working Memory gets
used by all conscious
thought
Cognitive Load Theory
Three Ways to use Working
Memory:
1. “Intrinsic”
Understanding the
material
2. “Germane” Learning
the material
3. “Extraneous”
Distractions

7. Cognitive
Load
Theory
Says:
Reduce Distractions
Emphasize effort on
learning not just doing
Learning is enhanced by
pointers & guided
exercises
Worked examples and
‘faded examples’ are
better than full problem
solving

8. Multi-Media
Learning Theory

9. The Mind is multiple-
channel: Auditory &
Visual, (tactile?)
These Channels overlap
but are additive
Complexity in
presentation impedes
learning
Multi-Media Learning
Theory
More effective to show
than read

10. MultiMedia
Learning
Theory
Says:
Use both
channels
Minimize
Distractions
Integrate text/narrative
& graphics
“Situate” learning in
context

11. How This Relates to
VR & Immersive
Technologies

12. I think
Four
Elements
Might Have
an Effect
Immersion
Context & Content
Together
Hardware
Feedback
In a 3D
Volume

13. One Way to Think of Immersive Tech
Visual, Tactile, Audio techniques that bring the user into
content, data and experiences.
Data &
Content Context

14. Virtual Reality:
• Context is created or re-created,
presented within a dedicated
headset or special smartphone
viewer
• Data & content are presented at
the same time
Content & Context
Augmented Reality:
• Context is actual reality
• Data & content are presented via
smartphone, tablet or headset

15. Immersion
Minimizes
Distraction
Cognitive Load more
easily directed at the
task, and at the process
of learning
Guidance easier to
provide in 100%
controlled presentation

16. Context &
Content
Together
Also Minimizes
Distraction
Correlation between
telling & showing

17. Hardware
Feedback
Allows Pacing
controlled by
attention
Allows System to
Understand
Comprehension
More Intuitive
Operation

18. In a Volume
Allows Additional
Scaffolding with
ancillary ‘screens’
Learning Can Be
Situated
More Sophisticated
Mental Modeling can
result from 3D scene

19. Discussion

20. Demo:
Audio Fusion

21. Going forward:
Format, Food &
Call for Demos

22. Thank you

23. Who Am I?
Management Training technologies that Scaffold the Learner:
• Mobile notifications
• Mobile VR
Run VR Hackathons, conferences, public VR Labs in Connecticut.