Browsing by Subject "yhteenkuuluvuuden tunne"

Objectives. Virtual reality has gained a lot of interest with its new possibilities for teaching and learning, but research has focused on usability rather than lesson designs that support learning. The aim of this study is to examine how the elements of cooperative learning and relatedness are supported in a student group learning with one pair of VR headset. The study compared students’ experiences with a conventional workshop lesson and a lesson with a VR learning tool. Methods. The participants of this study were forestry students (N=35) both in upper secondary and higher education. Mixed methods were used, and data were collected using semi-structured thematic interviews and electronic surveys. The data consisted of two group interviews and one pair interview, as well as data from four surveys from each participant. The data were analysed with theory-driven thematic analysis and nonparametric quantitative methods. Results and conclusions. The results of this study showed that cooperative learning was less experienced in the lesson with a VR learning tool than in the lesson with a physical machine. VR tool was seen to encourage more individual work and decreasing communication between the user and the peers, negatively affecting the positive interdependence and promotive interaction between group members. The results also suggested that experiences of relatedness became stronger when changing from VR lesson to workshop and weakened when changing from workshop to VR, though these results were not statistically significant. The findings suggest that experiences with VR might be more positive when the tool is used as an introduction to a new topic in the studies. When cooperative learning of students is pursued, it is suggested that more focus should be laid on supporting positive interdependence and promotive interaction in a lesson design with a VR tool.