Author(s): Peixoto, Bruno ; Gonçalves, Guilherme ; Bessa, Maximino ; Bessa, Luciana C. Pereira ; Melo, Miguel
Date: 2024
Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10198/34661
Origin: Biblioteca Digital do IPB
Subject(s): Immersive Virtual Reality; Education; Foreign Language Learners; User Interface; Virtual Environments
This paper presents a study comparing different user interface modes (Controller-Based Selection, Object Interaction, and Voice Recognition) within immersive Virtual Reality (iVR) environments for foreign language learning. Given the rapid advancements and potential of iVR in education, there is a need for focused research on optimising user interfaces for effective learning experiences. This study aimed to identify optimal interfaces for integrating iVR applications as complementary educational tools while gauging student preferences. Participants engaged in interactive learning tasks across the three conditions, with assessments focused on System Usability, Presence, User Satisfaction, Cybersickness, Learning Outcomes, and Task Duration. Findings indicate high usability across all conditions, with a preference observed for Controller-Based Selection and Object Interaction. Object Interaction showed strong motivational appeal but required more time to complete tasks than Controller-Based. Therefore, for time-constrained educational settings, the Controller-Based Selection interface is practical due to its lower physical effort requirement. Despite recent advances, our study found Voice Recognition interaction to be the least preferred interaction method, indicating a need for further technological improvements to boost its acceptance and effectiveness in educational contexts.
