PERCEIVED COGNITIVE LOAD OF EXTENDED REALITY SERIOUS EDUCATIONAL GAMES ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE: Received: 27th August 2023 Revised: 9th November 2023, 28th November 2023, 1st December 2023 Accepted: 14th September 2023

Leonard Annetta; Mark Newton

Authors

Leonard Annetta Ph.D. Taft Distinguished Professor of Science Education, East Carolina University, Flanagan Bldg., Greenville, NC, 27858 USA
Mark Newton Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Science Education, East Carolina University, Flanagan Bldg., Greenville, NC, 27858 USA

Keywords:

Extended Reality, Climate Change, Undergraduate, Science

Abstract

Integrating extended reality (XR) into undergraduate classrooms is not a new concept. However, comparing identical content in subdomains of XR is unique. This study compared two undergraduate courses with objectives about climate change on the Outer Banks of North Carolina coast at a large university in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. The purpose of these courses was to examine human and environmental impacts of global climate change in a local context. Investigating the challenges facing North Carolina barrier islands, the class took a 5-day field trip to the Outer Banks of North Carolina and visited four sites where they used augmented reality (MR) to learn about the impact on climate change at those respected locations. The comparison class immersed in virtual reality (iVR) of the four sites using the same information provided in the MR. 24 (6 MR and 18 iVR) participants completed the National Aeronautics and Space Agency Task Load Index (TLX) immediately after completion of either the respective MR or iVR based game. Independent samples Mann-Whitney U testing rejected the null hypotheses for temporal, effort, and performance only. An explanation for possible reasons for these results are discussed.

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PERCEIVED COGNITIVE LOAD OF EXTENDED REALITY SERIOUS EDUCATIONAL GAMES ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE

Received: 27th August 2023 Revised: 9th November 2023, 28th November 2023, 1st December 2023 Accepted: 14th September 2023

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