LAUSR

Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) consists of artificial computer-generated environments allowing a user to perceive the sensation of being present and interact in an ambience that convincingly replaces the physical world. When travel is restricted, such visualization power can be shared globally as an essential remote teaching tool for educational institutions through the Internet. The current advancements in IVR technology and their ubiquitous availability at affordable costs present a conducive environment for teaching and learning in both in-person and remote settings. The research presented in this paper explores the use of IVR technologies for teaching architectural history and presents tangible student learning outcomes. Specifically, the Pantheon in Rome was used as a representative test case for evaluating the effectiveness of IVR as a medium for remote teaching. Unlike Augmented Reality (AR), where virtual information is overlaid on physical real-world objects, this research focuses on IVR implementation and its effectiveness as a history teaching medium from exploring: (1) the nature of VR, (2) how IVR can be used online for teaching history, (3) the representation of IVR for presenting history, and (4) issues of learning outcomes. Two assessments with 57 and 68 students were separately conducted and five independent variables of: (1) learning about architecture, (2) history, (3) sense of presence in VR, (4) structural realism, and (5) comparison to in-class learning were evaluated using scores. Studies revealed that the intricate architectural details combined with high-resolution imagery and audio narrations for objects of historical interest in coordination with the user’s viewpoint within the IVR environment provided an excellent learning experience. The true past and the reality of history can be implemented in IVR through seeing objects and hearing historical data. Further, the use of IVR afforded the opportunity for students to accurately gauge, recognize, and appreciate the 3D aspects, size, and proportion of virtual spaces. The preparation of the Pantheon model, the development of an interactive IVR application, the design of the studies, the measurement of learning outcomes, and technological challenges are presented in this paper. Future exploration of new technologies to improve the representation of history by execution speed, which is the determining factor impacting realism of model and viewing experience, are also explained.