Develop Innovative Virtual Reality Interaction Designs for the Learning of Computer Science Concepts and Theories
This study aims to investigate innovative virtual reality (VR) interaction designs for enhancing the learning of computer science concepts and theories, using affordable VR devices. Smartphones have been instrumental in facilitating both augmented reality (AR) experiences and fully immersive VR experiences. A diverse range of mobile apps empowers users to engage in AR experiences, allowing them to view virtual elements on their smartphone displays and interact with them within their real-world surroundings. On the other hand, fully immersive VR experiences necessitate a VR viewer device, like Google Cardboard, equipped with a smartphone slot for enhanced immersion. This low-cost VR device can be operated with a single button press that interacts with your smartphone screen. This capability enables users to both observe the virtual world and engage with its virtual objects presented in the immersive view. However, in order to facilitate more extensive interactions, a challenge we must address in the development of smartphone-based VR applications is the limited control options they provide. Lacking additional controllers, mobile VR relies on the movements of its head-mounted device and a single available button for user input. To overcome these control limitations, we propose implementing a combination of head pointing, dwell selection, and various button operations, including button hold, double-button click, and triple-button click. We implemented and showcased these functions within an educational VR game focused on practicing the minimum spanning tree algorithm. We aim to explore and design VR mobile apps to facilitate effective learning of abstract computer science concepts and theories.