The Development of a No-Code VR Authoring Platform for Post-Secondary Educators
摘要
The use of Immersive Virtual Learning Environments (iVLEs), which incorporate Virtual Reality and other technologies to simulate real and imagined scenarios, is rapidly growing in education. With increasingly diverse student populations and learning models, the post-secondary educational context presents unique opportunities and challenges for iVLE adoption. Specific challenges relate to iVLEs’ fixed scenarios, which, aside from minor changes, require a programmer to modify, and instructor readiness to incorporate complex technology into their pedagogical approaches. This paper outlines the development of a no-code VR authoring platform that allows educators to create and modify iVLEs to better address their pedagogic objectives. The research follows the four phases of the Medical Research Council Framework for Developing and Evaluating Complex Interventions, incorporating additional frameworks within the overarching structure. In the Development phase, a rapid literature review was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statements framework. Its findings informed the development of an Educator Technology Literacy Questionnaire that follows a modified Delphi method of inquiry. It will inform the development of the platform, which in the Feasibility phase, will be piloted and refined as guided by the Design-Based Research framework. Thereafter, the Evaluation phase will involve an assessment of the platform’s effectiveness based on user feedback. The final Implementation phase is not within the research scope. This work seeks to foster iVLEs’ seamless post-secondary adoption, contributing to more innovative, engaging and inclusive learning experiences.