My research proposal is:

Analysis of the Application of Immersive Technologies and Gamification to Computer Science Education

In our rapidly evolving digital age, traditional education methods are constantly being challenged. My research dives deep into the merging of immersive technologies and gamification in computer science education. Leveraging the immersion of virtual reality (VR) and the engagement of game-based learning, I’ve undertaken research into the topic, and developed and evaluated several immersive experiences, including 'MoonBase VR' - a tool designed to make programming concepts tangible and engaging. Through this innovative blend,  my findings aim to enhance teachers’ and learner motivations, improve understanding, and pave the way for a new era of interactive and personalised education. Let's explore the future of learning, where the boundaries between the virtual and real blur, and offer students a rich, immersive, and dynamic educational experience.

New programming students often struggle to write code, partly because it requires them to change their use of the written word from linear communication to the creation of sequences of operations that are often nested within more complex functional structures. This written barrier can hinder the conceptual acquisition of basic programming concepts (e.g. data structures, functions, events) and thus visual aids are often employed to help when teaching programming. Existing work has looked at the use of gamification to teach coding, helping learners to develop metacognitive strategies for learning that are built around low stakes competition as a means of attaining basic conceptual knowledge and skills. Crosswords, missing word games and jigsaw puzzles can assist in closing the linguistic gap, but the conceptual linkages between coding processes are less suited to these methods.

This project seeks to investigate the use of immersive visual and audio stimuli with simple gamification techniques, to better convey basic programming concepts prior to their translation into written instructions. Functional elements will be represented using visual communication concepts (e.g. procedure/concepts/facts) whilst feedback will be provided using a combination of speech and sonification alerts. In so doing, a self-directed learning path will be constructed based on a simple game narrative (inventory and progression) wherein the mechanics will be mapped to standard game controllers to reduce the impact of the interface on the learning tasks involved.

Thesis submitted June 2023

Viva Passed in August2023

Publications:

Virtual Reality vs Pancake Environments: A Comparison of Interaction on Immersive and Traditional Screens

MoonBase VR: Learning to program in a virtual reality game