PILOTING MIXED REALITY IN ICT NETWORKING TO VISUALIZE COMPLEX THEORETICAL MULTI-STEP PROBLEMS

Michael CowlingSchool of Engineering & Technology

CQUniversity, Australia

James BirtFaculty of Society and Design

Bond University, Australia

Merging physical and virtual worlds through

virtual reality, augmented reality, 3d printing & game

technology

www.mixedrealityresearch.com

Introduction• Difficult to teach complex multi

step processes - especially without a real world model (Tasker & Dalton, 2008)

• ICT computer networking àtraditional method uses abstract visualizations that don’t capture complexity leaving hidden concepts (Williamson et al., 2012)

• E.g. the multi-step traversal of packets along the layers of the fundamental TCP/IP packet networking model

TCP/IP Model

Pilot Study Rationale• Visualizations are positive learning

support tools (Birt & Hovorka, 2014; Mayer, 2014; …)

• Kinaesthetic tools better form mental models (Pass & Sweller, 2014)

• Use 3D printing & AR simulation àassist with learning complex multi step problems

• Evaluate effectiveness of mixed reality visualization technique in ICT networking & the learners understanding of TCP/IP packet flow

https://youtu.be/HsomAvtwav4

Research Methods• Action research (Kemmis, 2006)• First loop - usability test with six (6) users of the system

(as per Nielsen, 2012 – HCI quality measures)• Students to assess against a set of measures developed

from previous work (Birt & Horvaka, 2014)• Accessibility, Learnability, Efficiency, Satisfaction, Memorability,

Error Free, Manipulability, Navigability, Visibility, Real world, Communication, Creativity, Engaging, Motivating

“How does 3D printing and augmented reality assist ICT networking students in visualising

complex multi-step processes?”

Experimental Design• Two-step process:

• Physical component provided first to allow students to build a network (Bell, 2014)

• Followed by an app that could be used to simulate network operations over the physical network that was built by students

• Use 3D printed networking components that students physically assemble, visualise & manipulate using an app built with Unity3d & Vuforia https://youtu.be/xaMbpBpOpaQ

Results à Likert 1-5, (1):strongly disagree (5):strongly agree

Observations• [Learners] enjoyed diving in and asked if they could

download [the app] to their own device and if the markers worked across multiple devices at the same time

• [Learner] urgency resulted in problems … building large networks and then having difficulty visualising these networks using the app

• [Memorability] was good … [Learners] were able to successfully use the tool to build networks and to visualise the TCP/IP model

“[TCP/IP] was more clarified through this [simulation] and it’s good to work with such networking concepts. It gives user friendly interface, easy to interact and act upon it”

ICT Student (2016)

Where to from here?• More loops in the current intervention development in ICT

• Upgrades & Changes to the Simulation (markers, more scenarios etc)

• Transition intervention into other disciplines• Visual Arts & Multimedia (e.g. web design)• Network Security

• Empirical Evidence of Learning Outcomes• Learning Analytics through pre-test/post-test (e.g. Serious Game)

http://www.mixedrealityresearch.com/#networkModeling