Abstract:

Education has moved towards the use of interactive technologies to help impart knowledge and understanding as an alternative to books, pencils and pens combining the real and virtual worlds (Choi, 2016). Spatial immersion into virtual reality (VR) is a perception of being physically present in a non- physical world (Freina & Ott, 2015). Virtual reality can help students learn abstract concepts because they can experience and visualize these concepts in the virtual environment with positive findings (Kavanagh et al., 2017). However, when we talk about virtual reality and entertainment, we immediately think of video games, typically based on gameplay mechanics and storytelling. Given the levels of engagement generated by these elements, can they be included in the learning design of a training course, to make it more motivating and engaging? To answer this question, a course has been developed in an immersive environment including aspects of learning design and gamification. Gamification does not only mean adding points and medals, but it is mostly the use of elements of game design in non-game contexts, today very widespread in education (Caponetto et al., 2014).

This article describes the methodology used for the implementation of an immersive environment for professional training, addressed at educators specializing in inclusive teaching strategies and methodologies, in the management of the relationship between the school and the family of the student with learning disabilities (Waber et al., 2022). The course is presented as an immersive and gamified learning experience, realized in the MootUp virtual learning environment. More specifically, it presents the context (target and characteristics of the course), project purpose and objectives of the course, technology used (MootUp), game structure (levels, points, mission, winner and reward, expected behaviors in the game levels) and evaluation tools. The elements of the design models used, Octalysis (Chou, 2019), G.A.M.E (Gaggioli, 2022) and UDL (Cast, 2011), will be employed to analyze the characterizing elements of the course.

References:
[1] I. Caponetto, J. Earp and M. Ott, “Gamification and education: A literature review”, European Conference on Games Based Learning, vol. 1, p. 50, Academic Conferences International Limited, 2014.
[2] Cast, Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Guidelines version 2.0. Wakefield, MA, 2011.
[3] D. H. Choi, A. Dailey-Hebert, and J. S. Estes, eds. Emerging tools and applications of virtual reality in education. Hershey, PA, USA: Information Science Reference, 2016.
[4] Y.K. Chou, Actionable gamification: Beyond points, badges, and leaderboards. Packt Publishing Ltd, United States, 2019.
[5] L. Freina and M. Ott "A literature review on immersive virtual reality in education: state of the art and perspectives", The international scientific conference e-learning and software for education, vol. 1, no. 133, 2015.
[6] C. Gaggioli C., La classe oltre le mura. Gamificare per includere, Franco Angeli, Milan, 2022.
[7] S. Kavanagh, A. Luxton-Reilly, B. Wuensche and B. Plimmer “A systematic review of Virtual Reality in education”, Themes in Science and Technology Education, vol.10, no.2, pp. 85-119, 2017.
[8] D. P. Waber, E. C. Boiselle, P. W. Forbes and G. D. Sideridis, “Special education services and school-related quality of life in children with learning disorders and their families: a one-year follow-up study”, Journal of Learning Disabilities, vol.55, no.5, pp.351-358, 2022.

Keywords:

Immersive learning environment, virtual reality, gamification, educators training, learning disorders.