Academic Research
Academic Research
Academic Research
VR
VR
VR
Meta Horizon Worlds
Meta Horizon Worlds
Meta Horizon Worlds
Language Learning
Language Learning
Language Learning
VR Experience for Language Learning Support
VR Experience for Language Learning Support
Language Learning Support (LLS) is a Virtual Reality design project I worked on at Carnegie Mellon University, targeting positive attitudinal change through collaboration in Virtual Reality.
Language Learning Support (LLS) is a Virtual Reality design project I worked on at Carnegie Mellon University, targeting positive attitudinal change through collaboration in Virtual Reality.
Timeline
November 2022-February 2023
client
Academic
Type
HCI Lab Design Research
team
CMU eHeartlab: 1 Principal Investigator, 2 UX Designers, 1 UX researcher
Tools
Oculus VR
My Role
1-Led the user research and secondary research 2-Designed interactions on Meta Horizon Worlds
Timeline
November 2022-February 2023
client
Academic
Type
HCI Lab Design Research
team
CMU eHeartlab: 1 Principal Investigator, 2 UX Designers, 1 UX researcher
Tools
Oculus VR
My Role
1-Led the user research and secondary research 2-Designed interactions on Meta Horizon Worlds
Timeline
November 2022-February 2023
client
Academic
Type
HCI Lab Design Research
Tools
Oculus VR
My Role
1-Led the user research and secondary research 2-Designed interactions on Meta Horizon Worlds
Overview
Overview
Background
I joined this project at Carnegie Mellon University's eHeartlab as a graduate VR experience designer. The first VR prototype was already developed before my joining the team. I focused on design iterations by conducting user testing and interviews with the team.
Background
I joined this project at Carnegie Mellon University's eHeartlab as a graduate VR experience designer. The first VR prototype was already developed before my joining the team. I focused on design iterations by conducting user testing and interviews with the team.
Background
I joined this project at Carnegie Mellon University's eHeartlab as a graduate VR experience designer. The first VR prototype was already developed before my joining the team. I focused on design iterations by conducting user testing and interviews with the team.
Mission
1
How might we use VR to support positive attitude change for language learners?
Mission
1
How might we use VR to support positive attitude change for language learners?
How Might We
1
How might we use VR to support positive attitude change for language learners?
solution
VR as a collaborative language learning playground
We designed a game in Meta's Horizon Worlds where English as Second Language (ESL) speakers work together to create collaborative narratives.
solution
VR as a collaborative language learning playground
We designed a game in Meta's Horizon Worlds where English as Second Language (ESL) speakers work together to create collaborative narratives.
Solution
VR as a collaborative language learning playground
We designed a game in Meta's Horizon Worlds where English as Second Language (ESL) speakers work together to create collaborative narratives.
01/ Main Features
01/ Main Features
01/ Main Features
FEATURE 1- Campfire
Fueling growth mindset through visualization
All interactions are designed to encourage the user’s learning process. For example, main fire grows larger providing positive feedback to users.
FEATURE 1- Campfire
Fueling growth mindset through visualization
All interactions are designed to encourage the user’s learning process. For example, main fire grows larger providing positive feedback to users.
FEATURE 1- Campfire
Fueling growth mindset through visualization
To engage users, we leveraged familiar elements from games, such as conversational UI and onboarding prologue.
FEATURE 2-Empowering Users
Maximizing learner agency through scaffolding
To boost learner agency, we designed 3 types of scaffolding interactions to empower users to navigate through challenges in the game.
FEATURE 2-Empowering Users
Maximizing learner agency through scaffolding
To boost learner agency, we designed 3 types of scaffolding interactions to empower users to navigate through challenges in the game.
FEATURE 2-Empowering Users
Maximizing learner agency through scaffolding
To boost learner agency, we designed 3 types of scaffolding interactions to empower users to navigate through challenges in the game.
For example, this clickable mushrooms were designed enable users to guess the meaning of the word instead of directly asking other players for help.
For example, this clickable mushrooms were designed enable users to guess the meaning of the word instead of directly asking other players for help.
FEATURE 3-Social VR
"Togetherness" to encourage positive attitudes
Targeting a positive attitudinal change, our gamification strategy focused on fostering collaboration instead of competition.
FEATURE 3-Social VR
"Togetherness" to encourage positive attitudes
Targeting a positive attitudinal change, our gamification strategy focused on fostering collaboration instead of competition.
FEATURE 3-Social VR
"Togetherness" to encourage positive attitudes
Given our target's short attention spans, we used a variety of gesture- and sensor-based interactions to keep them engaged.
FEATURE 4- Rewards
Manifestation of collaborative achievement
Campfire, book, and staircases were metaphorically used to imbue a sense of accomplishment. When the storytelling activity is completed, a book appears as a trophy and physical manifestation of their collaborative efforts and achievement.
FEATURE 4- Rewards
Manifestation of collaborative achievement
Campfire, book, and staircases were metaphorically used to imbue a sense of accomplishment. When the storytelling activity is completed, a book appears as a trophy and physical manifestation of their collaborative efforts and achievement.
FEATURE 4- Rewards
Manifestation of collaborative achievement
Given our target's short attention spans, we used a variety of gesture- and sensor-based interactions to keep them engaged.
02/ Problem Space
Problem Space
How might we use VR to support positive attitude change for language learners?
What are VR's potentials to reduce negative emotions and promote social interactions among second language learners?
Problem Space
How might we use VR to support positive attitude change for language learners?
What are VR's potentials to reduce negative emotions and promote social interactions among second language learners?
Problem Space
How might we use VR to support positive attitude change for language learners?
What are VR's potentials to reduce negative emotions and promote social interactions among second language learners?
Theoretical Framework
From social psychology to language education
Our project derived frameworks and terms from social psychology, linguistic pedagogy, growth mindset, attitude change, and intrinsic motivation studies.
Theoretical Framework
From social psychology to language education
Our project derived frameworks and terms from social psychology, linguistic pedagogy, growth mindset, attitude change, and intrinsic motivation studies.
Theoretical Framework
From social psychology to language education
Our project derived frameworks and terms from social psychology, linguistic pedagogy, growth mindset, attitude change, and intrinsic motivation studies.
VR for
education
Sociali-zation
Intrinsic
motivation
Socialization
VR for
education
Intrinsic
motivation
03/ Research & Data Collection
Research Methods
Participatory Design
Taking a participatory design method, we iterated our VR interactions by conducting playtests with our target users. 11 participants were recurited for our play tests.
Research Methods
Participatory Design
Taking a participatory design method, we iterated our VR interactions by conducting playtests with our target users. 11 participants were recurited for our play tests.
Research Methods
Participatory Design
1
Participants
1
Participants
1
Participants
2
Processs
2
Processs
2
Processs
3
Duration
3
Duration
3
Duration
Data Analysis
Quantitative & Qualitative Data Analysis
Both quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed after surveys, playtests, and interviews.
Data Analysis
Quantitative & Qualitative Data Analysis
Both quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed after surveys, playtests, and interviews.
Data Analysis
Quantitative & Qualitative Data Analysis
1
Qualitative Data
1
Qualitative Data
1
Qualitative Data
2
Quantitative Data
2
Quantitative Data
2
Quantitative Data
04/ Design Iterations
challenge 1 - Immersiveness
Increasing the sense of presence
challenge 1 - Immersiveness
Increasing the sense of presence
CHALLENGE 1 - Immersiveness
Increasing the sense of presence
User Test Discovery
1
Lack of immersion
Participants reported a distraction due to verbal instructions given by the researchers during the VR experience.
1
Lack of immersion
Participants reported a distraction due to verbal instructions given by the researchers during the VR experience.
1
Lack of immersion
Participants reported a distraction due to verbal instructions given by the researchers during the VR experience.
After
1
Increased immersion
Based on the user feedback, we added "welcome boards" which shows individual user name for personalized feelings and provided non-verbal guide without distractions.
1
Increased immersion
Based on the user feedback, we added "welcome boards" which shows individual user name for personalized feelings and provided non-verbal guide without distractions.
1
Increased immersion
Based on the user feedback, we added "welcome boards" which shows individual user name for personalized feelings and provided non-verbal guide without distractions.
challenge 2- User Navigation
Improving Usability and Navigation
challenge 2- User Navigation
Improving Usability and Navigation
CHALLENGE 2- Usability & navigation
Improving Usability and Navigation
User Test Discovery
User Test Discovery
1
Log
There was feedback on visibility of vocabulary on the logs. Some participants found it uncomfortable to twist the log with VR controllers to identify the word written on the bottom.
1
Log
There was feedback on visibility of vocabulary on the logs. Some participants found it uncomfortable to twist the log with VR controllers to identify the word written on the bottom.
1
Log
There was feedback on visibility of vocabulary on the logs. Some participants found it uncomfortable to twist the log with VR controllers to identify the word written on the bottom.
2
Staircase
Also, some participants reported the diffulty of going up the curvy staircase. We also observed some falling off the stairs, which can provoke feelings of frustration and failure.
2
Staircase
Also, some participants reported the diffulty of going up the curvy staircase. We also observed some falling off the stairs, which can provoke feelings of frustration and failure.
2
Staircase
Also, some participants reported the diffulty of going up the curvy staircase. We also observed some falling off the stairs, which can provoke feelings of frustration and failure.
After
1
Increased usability and navigation
To increase the visibility and usability, we relocated the vocabulary to the horizontal side of the log. Additionally, we updated the staircase to a straight version.
1
Increased usability and navigation
To increase the visibility and usability, we relocated the vocabulary to the horizontal side of the log. Additionally, we updated the staircase to a straight version.
1
Increased usability and navigation
To increase the visibility and usability, we relocated the vocabulary to the horizontal side of the log. Additionally, we updated the staircase to a straight version.
challenge 3 - Applying education
Applying Scaffolds for Learning
challenge 3 - Applying education
Applying Scaffolds for Learning
CHALLENGE 3-Scaffolds
Applying Scaffolds for Learning
User Test Discovery
1
Lack of learner agency
Some users showed the willingness to seek clarification about unfamiliar words inside the VR, such as how to use them in a sentence or about their syntactic categories.
1
Lack of learner agency
Some users showed the willingness to seek clarification about unfamiliar words inside the VR, such as how to use them in a sentence or about their syntactic categories.
1
Lack of learner agency
Some users showed the willingness to seek clarification about unfamiliar words inside the VR, such as how to use them in a sentence or about their syntactic categories.
Scaffolds Re-designed
1
Listen to the pronunciation
According to the contiguity principle of multimedia learning, we added pronunciation of the words adjacent to the vocab text as an interactable mushroom. Users can touch the mushroom to listen to the pronunciation.
1
Listen to the pronunciation
According to the contiguity principle of multimedia learning, we added pronunciation of the words adjacent to the vocab text as an interactable mushroom. Users can touch the mushroom to listen to the pronunciation.
1
Listen to the pronunciation
According to the contiguity principle of multimedia learning, we added pronunciation of the words adjacent to the vocab text as an interactable mushroom. Users can touch the mushroom to listen to the pronunciation.
2
Listen to the word within the context
A "mushroom field" was designed where users can find tips. The color of each mushroom corresponds to the color of the mushrooms on the logs. By touching the same colored mushroom, they can hear the word in a sentence, helping them understand the meaning of the word based on the context.
2
Listen to the word within the context
A "mushroom field" was designed where users can find tips. The color of each mushroom corresponds to the color of the mushrooms on the logs. By touching the same colored mushroom, they can hear the word in a sentence, helping them understand the meaning of the word based on the context.
2
Listen to the word within the context
A "mushroom field" was designed where users can find tips. The color of each mushroom corresponds to the color of the mushrooms on the logs. By touching the same colored mushroom, they can hear the word in a sentence, helping them understand the meaning of the word based on the context.
3
Ring the bell for a direct explanation
We installed a "metal bell" for users who still have difficulty understanding or guessing the meaning. They can ring the metal bell to summon an actual NPC, who will explain the word's meaning.
3
Ring the bell for a direct explanation
We installed a "metal bell" for users who still have difficulty understanding or guessing the meaning. They can ring the metal bell to summon an actual NPC, who will explain the word's meaning.
3
Ring the bell for a direct explanation
We installed a "metal bell" for users who still have difficulty understanding or guessing the meaning. They can ring the metal bell to summon an actual NPC, who will explain the word's meaning.
04/ Impact
45.5%
Felt more comfortable
speaking in English
Felt more comfortable
speaking in English
54.6%
Found it more effective
than traditional methods
Found it more effective
than traditional methods
The majority of participants reflected positively on the social aspect of the activity, including feeling more comfortable in practicing English and enhancement in language learning compared to traditional methods.
The majority of participants reflected positively on the social aspect of the activity, including feeling more comfortable in practicing English and enhancement in language learning compared to traditional methods.
05/ Takeaways
1
Learning from Users
During this project, we took the participatory design method. Conducting multiple playtests and implementing findings from the tests taught me how to iterate designs and make it more user-friendly.
1
Learning from Users
During this project, we took the participatory design method. Conducting multiple playtests and implementing findings from the tests taught me how to iterate designs and make it more user-friendly.
1
Learning from Users
During this project, we took the participatory design method. Conducting multiple playtests and implementing findings from the tests taught me how to iterate designs and make it more user-friendly.
2
Theory into Practices
2
Theory into Practices
2
Theory into Practices
3
How to Code in VR
3
How to Code in VR
3
How to Code in VR