B6 Bachelor AvataVR  

Introduction inside the Apartment

In this scene the player is greeted by the instructor, and asked to point out some different uses of electric current in a regular household. To learn about the transformation from electric current to heat, the player needs to interact with the toaster. To activate an electric magnet one needs to point out the Toy Crane, and by using the lamp, the player can light up the scene. Supported by some amusing voicelines the player is playfully introduced into the topic of electric energy, before being confronted with more complex topics.

Lesson in the Workshop

In this workshop setting, the avatar guides the user through the differences between a basic circuit diagram, as commonly known from physics classes, and an electrician’s circuit diagram. Not only do the symbols differ, but now there are also ciruits switches included in the drawings. The instructor emphasizes a fundamental rule in the electrician’s craft: always disable the circuit switches before working on the electrical components!

The instructor then challenges the user to reconstruct the circuit. Various 3D assets, including a switch, a lamp, and cables, are laid out on the table in front of the player. A template next to them allows the components to be placed and snapped into place. The power source and fuse switches are already mounted on the edge of the template, animated to signify electrical flow.

Ideally, the user starts building without deactivating the fuse switches. If a component under power is touched, a loud bang surprises the player, and the environment disappears. The instructor’s voice from offscreen explains that the first and most important safety rule has been overlooked.

Now, the user has the opportunity to try again, earning the instructor’s praise once they successfully build the circuit without causing an explosion.

Conducting the Study Using Different Avatar Representations

In order to examine if the difference in character design had an impact on the relationship with the teacher, we conducted tests on two groups of participants during the span of two days on campus. The participants filled out questionnaires to provide insights into their experience and perception.

The study aimed to explore the impact of avatar design on the relationship between the user and the virtual instructor. Two distinct avatar representations were used, and participants were divided into two groups, each exposed to a different representation.

To measure the effectiveness of the different avatars, we drew inspiration from existing research methodologies:

Telepresence, Copresence, and Social Presence:

• The study drew inspiration from Kristine L. Nowak and Frank Biocca’s work on the effect of agency and anthropomorphism on users’ sense of telepresence, copresence, and social presence in virtual environments. ¹

Emotion Measurement:

• The Self-Assessment Manikin and the Semantic Differential, as introduced by Margaret M. Bradley and Peter J. Lang, were employed to measure the emotional responses of participants during the virtual interactions. ²

Impact on Learning Environment:

• The study considered the impact of avatar trust on learners’ perceived participation intentions in an e-learning environment, based on the research by Seong Wook Chae, Kun Chang Lee, and Young Wook Seo. ³

The gathered data and feedback from the participants were crucial in assessing the effectiveness of different avatar representations in virtual educational settings.