Learning About Puget Sound Using Virtual Reality TechnologyChristian Sarason & Fritz Stahr, Ocean Inquiry Project, Seattle, WA cpsarason@oceaninquiry.org; stahr@oceaninquiry.org

William Winn, Ruth Fruland & YenLing Lee, College of Education, University of Washington, Seattle, WA billwinn@u.washington.edu; fruland@u.washington.edu; yenling@u.washington.eduPeter Oppenheimer, Human Interface Technology Laboratory, University of Washington, Seattle, WA peter@hitl.washington.edu

Above. On her pre-test, a student drew water temperature layers that followed the bottom contours (left). After VPS, she drew horizontal layering, a more accurate representation, on her post-test (right).

Left. Post-VPS plan view of water circulation includes vortex outside entrance to Puget Sound.

BEFORE: AFTER:

Peripheral learning:

Virtual Puget Sound Interactive Tools (from left to right)Measurement panel, salinity cross sections, particle release points, tide chart, legend

Virtual Puget Sound: Water and Salinity Changes over Tide CycleSalinity Cross Sections, Water direction and velocity vectors “on”; bathymetry “off”

Ocean Inquiry Project Puget Sound

IntroductionVirtual Puget Sound (VPS) is a dynamic, interactive, 3D learning environment created with bathymetry, topography and data generated by a Princeton Ocean Model of Puget Sound (M. Kawase). Its purpose is to teach oceanographic principles to middle school through college-level students. The Ocean Inquiry Project seeks to teach students oceanography in both traditional classroom settings and on oceanographic cruises on the Sound. Objectives: The present collaboration seeks to demonstrate the interrelationship between field-based and model-based research, and to determine what students learn from each individually, and from both combined.Methods: Iterative laboratory-based experiments used to design visualizations and tasks that foster learning, now have been ported to PC and laptop platforms and taken into the classroom to determine the feasibility and usefulness of using desktop VR in normal teaching environments.Results: VPS was used successfully in a college-level oceanographic class in two modes: as a visual aid that demonstrated concepts during lecture; and as a station where students could use VPS during student-centered activities. In these two modes, one computer with VPS was able to support about 20 students.Students made substantial conceptual gains based on traditional assessments and concept maps, but because students experienced both VPS and cruise, their relative contributions are not clear.Future Work: This fall, two courses using identical instructional content will provide two conditions: one course will use VPS only; one course will have an oceanographic cruise only.

Ocean Inquiry Project Field Trips on Puget SoundAbove: Casting the CDT. Below: Observing CDT measurements as they are displayed.

Ocean Inquiry Project Field Trip on Puget SoundLeft (Top): On board discussions; Left (Bottom): Lowering Secchi disc.

Below: Close up of CDT measurements as they are displayed in real time.

Virtual Puget Sound

Conceptual change: Before VPS (left). After an hour in VPS (right), student drew accurate representation of overall circulation in Puget Sound.

BEFORE AFTER

Below: VPS laboratory setting and some results from middle school study.