FROM IMMERSIVE VR TO DESKTOP VR AND BACK: VISIONS FOR REMOTE LEARNING IN THE GEOSCIENCES

Remote and virtual learning experiences are on the rise in the geosciences and allied STEM fields---not just since the pandemic. Over the last years, we have developed a research framework for immersive virtual field trips (iVFTs) to systematically address conceptual questions and provide an evidence-based grounding of design choices. Our primary focus has been on high-fidelity experiences using head-mounted displays. Constrained by the 2020 pandemic, we converted our high-end experiences into web-based applications to lower barriers for accessibility. For this presentation, we will contextualize our experiences from this Spring with over a dozen studies and 700-plus participants who experienced our VFTs and iVFTs as part of undergraduate geosciences and biology courses. Participants used different media, such as immersive or desktop VFTs, while some participated in actual field trips before school closures began. They also engaged with the learning material in different ways based on our framework, from basic VFTs to plus VFTs, with the inclusion of adaptive question-answer systems and embodied conversational agents. iVFTs affordances are rooted in learning theories from constructivism and embodiment to place-based and inquiry-based learning. Importantly, iVFTs can go beyond physical reality and deliver learning experiences that are scalable, synchronous or asynchronous, accessible to many, shareable, economical, sustainable, and inclusive. As a method of remote active instruction, iVFTs enable learners to engage with content that combines an actual experience with classroom content. The combination of instruction within iVFTs can support learners through both guidance and remediation. Our research has shown that iVFTs deliver field-like and engaging learning experiences, and that including designs beyond physical reality further enhance students' experiences, and they excel at preparing students for actual field trips. We identified key research questions for remote learning emerging from our empirical findings such as embodiment and interaction fidelity comparing desktop, 360 image-based, and fully interactive 3D environments. Inquiries into social aspects shape research on collaborative environments and the role of embodied conversational agents.