Leah VR Blog

As the submission deadline approaches, this week’s session proved valuable. We received personalized one-on-one support for our written assignments, which provided a clearer understanding of the requirements and highlighted key elements for inclusion. This guidance was crucial in ensuring I had structured everything correctly. Overall, it greatly assisted me in finalizing and preparing for submission.

Today, I pondered over my dissertation and contemplated the focus of my writing proposal. I considered whether to expand on my existing paper or delve into an entirely different subject for my new chosen area. Discussing this with my tutor, I received valuable advice and was pleased with the guidance provided. It has given me a starting point to think about what I will write for my dissertation.

I’m currently brainstorming ideas for the upcoming assignment, considering different topics like AI and Simulated Reality theories. One area I’m contemplating is the future of AI in education and its potential impact. Questions I’m exploring include whether AI should be used in education, and if the traditional methods are becoming obsolete. I’m also interested in investigating whether AI could influence human thinking and if there’s a possibility of people relying on AI for critical thinking. Additionally, I’m curious about the credibility AI might attain in the future.

Today’s class focused on literature reviews, breaking down key steps like defining a topic, searching for relevant literature, and evaluating sources. We learned about the purpose of literature reviews, including developing a theoretical framework and methodology. The importance of reading at different stages and reasons to read were highlighted. The session also covered practical tips for managing information overload and keeping records. Overall, it was a valuable session that will improve my literature review skills. As well as helping me identify and narrow down the chosen area of discussion this session helped to consider the source of information I need to research

Virtual Imperative

Today, we had the opportunity to attend the “Virtual Imperative” conference at St. John’s University, and it was quite an insightful experience. The event featured a lineup of professionals who shared their expertise, including Simon Benson from Talent for Tech, Andy McNamara from Cine Site, Manoela Silva from Voxar Lab, and Rebecca O’Higgins from Leeds Beckett University.

The conference sparked numerous discussions and raised thought-provoking questions about the future of the metaverse. One of the key themes was contemplating whether the metaverse would resemble the immersive world depicted in “Ready Player One” or take on a different, more augmented reality.

As the speakers delved into various topics, the audience was prompted to consider the readiness for a metaverse today. Questions arose about the potential dominance of game engines in front-end development, the implications of digital asset ownership, and how AI might influence the value of these assets.

The discussions extended to broader issues, addressing the evolution of human-computer interaction, the role of cloud computing as the primary consumer option, and the critical considerations of data privacy, accessibility, and inclusivity within the metaverse.

One aspect that particularly caught my attention was the exploration of technology neutrality and its reinforcement of digital inequity. The conference also delved into the impact of technological equity on the adoption of assistive technology and how we can reimagine inclusive immersive experiences.

Amidst these discussions, I found myself pondering my own questions related to the accessibility of virtual and augmented reality for autistic children and the future implications of VR in children’s education. The wealth of ideas and diverse areas of interest discussed during the conference has provided me with new perspectives to explore and consider in my future writings

Title Dilemma: Finding the Right Punch for My Essay

After our recent lesson, I got thinking about my essay’s title. The examples shared about those one-two punch titles got me intrigued.

For my essay on virtual reality in applied behaviour analysis for kids with ASD, I thought, Should I choose a punchy title, or maybe keep it more analytical?

Here’s where I landed: Examining the Integration of Virtual Reality into Applied Behaviour Analysis for Enhancing Teaching Strategies in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). It sounds serious, right? A bit heavy on the data side.

But then, I thought of giving it a punchy twist: Exploring the Potential of Virtual Reality in Applied Behaviour Analysis: A Study on Improving Teaching Interventions for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Now that’s catching attention!

Or maybe something in between: Enhancing Education for Children with ASD: Virtual Reality and Applied Behaviour Analysis.

Decisions, decisions. Balancing attention-grabbing and the serious vibe for my essay title!

I attended a cool lecture by Junior Odunowo on Houdini software. We explored Pyro effects, Axium, PEG tutorials, and more. The session introduced me to resources like SideFX Learn, Discord communities like Houdini Hangout and tutorial creators like Steven Nipping, Entagma, and Tyler Bay.

The talk sparked my interest in learning more about Houdini, especially its use in creating shockwaves and integrating with Unreal Engine. It was a practical and intriguing session. The session emphasized practical applications through demonstrations, making it a valuable learning experience for someone looking to delve into the world of procedural content creation and visual effects.

Today we talked about different ways to study thing, exploring different aspects of a subject from various angles. The main was “Embodiment,” examining how our bodies and feelings are intertwined. Then, there’s “Phenomenology,” which helps us see things in a fair way and get what emotions mean.

We also delved into the works of Merleau-Ponty, who challenges the idea that our minds and bodies are completely separate. The discussion extended to gender studies, where Judith Butler questions why we label certain behaviours as “normal” based on gender.

The idea of the “mediated self” caught my attention, exploring how social media influences our self-perception. It’s fascinating how the concept of the mediated self has practical implications in our daily lives. I’ve observed a similar phenomenon, especially among children who engage with avatars and characters in games. The connection they establish with these virtual representations seems to go beyond just entertainment.

I’ve noticed that some young children develop a strong attachment to their characters. It’s intriguing how they perceive these avatars as extensions of themselves. For instance, if someone criticizes their character’s appearance on a social network, it affects them as if it were a personal attack. This blurring of lines between the virtual and real worlds can be confusing for both adults and children.

In such situations, it appears that the emotional impact of virtual interactions is very much real to them. The question of whether these experiences should be considered a part of human reality is quite thought-provoking. Exploring the psychological and sociological aspects of this phenomenon could make for a compelling essay. I’m still figuring out my approach to this topic, but it definitely piques my interest

Towards the end, we got some practical tips for research and assignments, which I found really helpful. It’s like a roadmap for breaking down questions and figuring out which theories to explore. This will definitely come in handy for my assignments

I have explored the application of virtual reality in education and, after conducting some research, I am now focusing on its use for children with disabilities. Specifically, I am investigating how virtual reality serves as a tool to assist children with special needs, focusing specifically on how virtual reality aids children with autism.

I’m thinking about my assignment format, deciding between qualitative and quantitative. From what I see in the area I’m covering, a quantitative approach seems better. I’ll be dealing with data and writing an essay backed by statistics, providing a stronger evidence base

Thinking about the key elements for my assignment was quite a helpful thing, I explored the keywords related to my assignment . This helped in my search for resources, using them as a guide to the areas of research I need to look into. My keywords were: Social skills, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Education, Technology, Behaviour analysis, Intervention. One of the sources I have found is Ange Anderson.

Angie Anderson, M.E.d., serves as a Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) consultant, providing expert guidance to schools specializing in therapeutic and technological interventions for additional learning needs.
In her book “Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality and Artificial Intelligence in Special Education Anderson provides practical insights into evidence-based theory and practice. Her guide simplifies the complexities of this field, offering accessible information to educators. Anderson equips teachers with the background they need to use modern technology effectively, enhancing communication skills, independent learning, and self-esteem among students with special educational needs. The book is filled with practical tips and ideas, making it an inspiring resource for teachers and practitioners looking to integrate technology into the classroom.

Research shows we are thinking about science and certain skills like muscle memory pouring and scooping for certain curriculum is a good skill to learn via VR

Simple uploads of work,  presentations,  simple PDFs,  uploads with maybe voice  audio, students can share their work,  some may be students that are less likely to do so in front of others

According to internetmatters.org the benefits of engaging with the metaverse include children honing new skills and experimenting with new things in a self controlled environment and that this encourages users creativity and offers more  of an experience than passively consuming content. It also helps children who struggle with everyday interactions a chance to practise conversing with others in a safe space which can boost  their confidence . Exploring the metaverse also helps to build a child’s critical thinking skills through play .

Maverick Television (Producer), & . (2008). Tomorrow’s Teacher, Tomorrow’s School. [Video/DVD] Teachers TV/UK Department of Education.

https://video.alexanderstreet.com/watch/tomorrow-s-teacher-tomorrow-s-school

Exploring developments that could reshape education in a single generation developments in teaching. developments in where lessons take place.

Developments in human what does the teaching? I’m looking at an experiment at Biddenham upper school in Bedford that offer the ultimate in personalisation, no timetables, no lessons and no teaching where the belief that learning is a self initiated process. Children expressed They look at how virtual headsets can give peoples better experiences on the subject their learning about Hologram teaching offering one-to-one support I research from future lab and organisation set up to support new technologies in education Predict that 3-D simulations could become as common as interactive whiteboards Computing is becoming more powerful, more reasonable and as accessible as paper Data storage is expanding rapidly the ability of storing experiences and reflecting on them are a great part of learning