Human-Computer Interaction

Abstract—Virtual reality (VR) has become an alternative medium for entertainment purposes, ranging from watching a movie to playing video games. Given the increasing use of VR for video gaming, the current study investigated whether VR gaming might affect the video gaming user experience (UX). We
compared three different gaming platforms, namely desktop computer, Oculus Rift, and HTC Vive, in terms of gaming UX satisfaction. A total of 48 participants were randomly assigned to
one of the three gaming platforms. Participants played a firstperson shooter video game for ten minutes and provided game UX satisfaction ratings. Results revealed no statistically significant differences across the three platforms in video game UX satisfaction levels. Participants, however, rated desktop gaming as significantly more usable, when compared to the two VR conditions. In addition, sense of presence was a strong predictor of game UX satisfaction. Taken together, these results indicate that VR gaming may not always be a better alternative to traditional desktop gaming in terms of video game UX
satisfaction, while at the same time providing further support for the putative role sense of presence plays in game satisfaction.

Abstract—Virtual reality (VR) has become an alternative medium for entertainment purposes, ranging from watching a movie to playing video games. Given the increasing use of VR for video gaming, the current study investigated whether VR gaming might affect the video gaming user experience (UX). We
compared three different gaming platforms, namely desktop computer, Oculus Rift, and HTC Vive, in terms of gaming UX satisfaction. A total of 48 participants were randomly assigned to
one of the three gaming platforms. Participants played a firstperson shooter video game for ten minutes and provided game UX satisfaction ratings. Results revealed no statistically significant differences across the three platforms in video game UX satisfaction levels. Participants, however, rated desktop gaming as significantly more usable, when compared to the two VR conditions. In addition, sense of presence was a strong predictor of game UX satisfaction. Taken together, these results indicate that VR gaming may not always be a better alternative to traditional desktop gaming in terms of video game UX
satisfaction, while at the same time providing further support for the putative role sense of presence plays in game satisfaction.

This design-based research project examines two iterations of Tree Investigators, which supports science learning with mobile devices in an arboretum. Researchers coded videorecords of children and parents (n=40 people) to understand how digital augmentations influenced observation and understandings about trees. In Iteration 1, learners focused on tree identification; Iteration 2, learners focused on tree life cycles. We focus here on Iteration 2, where children completed a pre- and post-test assessment and participated in a photographic collage task to document a tree’s life cycle. Findings suggested that a touch-screen conceptual organizer that provided a model of the life cycle, along with text and contrastive images, supported people’s observations. The learners also collected photographic evidence of life cycle stages in a knowledge generative task. Increases in factual and conceptual knowledge of the life cycle were observed pre- and post-test; however, learners did not show consistent appropriation of new scientific vocabulary.

This research examines the Tree Investigators project to support science learning with mobile devices during family public programmes in an arboretum. Using a case study methodology, researchers analysed video records of 10 families (25 people) using mobile technologies with naturalists at an arboretum to understand how mobile devices supported science talk related to tree biodiversity.

The conceptual framework brings together research on technological supports for science learning and research on strategies that encourage families to engage in conversations that support observation and explanation practices. Findings suggested that families engaged in high levels of perceptual talk (describing and identifying) while using mobile computers. Commonly, families articulated scientific observations when supported by prompts, visuals, and scaffolds delivered by the mobile computers. Families struggled to make explanations about the biological importance of what they saw in relation to ecological principles; however, families made connections to their everyday life within explanations they developed at the arboretum. Our research showed the importance of mobile supports that provided on-demand, localised sensemaking resources for explanation building while limiting observational complexity.

Movement time prediction methods were developed by Paul Fitts as a part of a long history in the examination of the issue of speed vs. accuracy. Fitts' Law has been an integral method that has been used when designing computer technology since the advent of the pointing device. The debate about its validity and which incarnation of the multiple versions that have been developed continue to drive researchers to learn more about its effectiveness based on particular applications. A study of movement time using Samsung Galaxy Tab touchscreens was completed to determine if the application of MacKenzie's suggested version of Fitts' Law would provide a useful prediction model. The results were mixed, but the coefficients derived from testing provided prediction results that compared favorably to the observed movement times from the experiment.

This study investigates the classroom integration of an innovative technology, augmented reality. Although the process of adding new technologies into a classroom setting can be daunting, the concept of augmented reality has demonstrated the ability to educate students and to assist with their comprehension of a procedural task. One half of the students of a sixth grade class were exposed to augmented reality technology when they were assigned the procedural task of building Lego™ robots. As a control group, the other half of the class learned how to construct their robots using only the static paper manual that was provided by the manufacturer of the robot kit. The students who experienced the augmented reality technology did so by interacting with an animated version of the same static manual where they observed video tutorials that were overlaid onto the static manual to provide an augmented representation of each step. This technology solution was developed using the Aurasma™ augmented reality application which ran on Apple iPads™. Results have indicated that the students who used the animated manual to learn the procedural task showcased significantly higher comprehension scores when compared to those who only used the static manual. Our findings support the claims that the integration of augmented reality into a classroom setting may be beneficial to student learning.