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With the increasing use of virtual simulated environments and immersive technologies in STEM education and workforce training, it is becoming increasingly important to study and understand how learners interactions and navigation in virtual environments affect their learning and skill development. In this paper, we quantify and assess the effect of learners' navigation in an immersive simulated environment on learning outcomes, where navigation is characterized by the total time spent in the simulation and time allocations to different areas within the virtual environment. We implement a set of immersive simulation-based learning (1 S BL) modules in an undergraduate computer science course with eighteen students and record their screen as they navigate in the simulation environment to perform the tasks needed to complete the ISBL assignments. We use a video analytics tool to process and analyze the videos and collect statistics related to a set of navigation-related measures for each student. We also use surveys to collect data on students' demographics, prior knowledge and experience, personality, experiential learning, and self-assessment of learning. We then perform a set of multivariable regression analyses to characterize and explain the relationship between navigation measures and constructs assessed via survey instruments to determine how/if users' navigation in the simulated environment can be a predictor of their learning outcomes. The results indicate that the total time spent in the simulation and the distribution of time allocations among different areas within the simulated environment are predictors of experiential learning and students' self-assessment of learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors explore the development of an educational program that focuses on an ethical and critical approach to teaching digital placemaking to middle school students. Topics discussed include an increase in youth experiences in digital places, prompts that can help learners to examine bodily habits that are encouraged by popular digital places, and examples of counter placemaking by Indigenous artists.

This research aims to explore the impact of STEAM on VR-based interdisciplinary courses and the course satisfaction of students from a sci-tech university. To achieve the goal, this study took students taking interdisciplinary courses at a sci-tech university in south Taiwan as the research subject and carried out an 18-week "STEAM course about the development of VR-based textbooks" through small-group cooperative learning. To investigate the impact of the STEAM course and the course satisfaction of students, this study adopted both quantitative analysis and qualitative analysis, such as questionnaire analysis and file analysis, to evaluate students' performances on the products and grades. This study creatively combined the interdisciplinary and convergent thinking of STEAM with the course about the development of VR-based textbooks. Based on the student-centered and teacher-facilitated concepts, this study designed the STEAM course about the development of VR-based textbooks and found that most students think highly of the impact of STEA M, course satisfaction, and the assistance of VR-based textbooks to STEAM. Lastly, this study proposed some practical advice on how to combine STEAM with VR-based course teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Educators of the 21st century have to be techno-friendly to cater to students' needs who embrace the latest technologies. Using visual-based methods like PowerPoint presentations, videos, animation, etc., has helped the students retain information compared to the traditional methods. One of the breath-taking advancements in visualizing technology is Virtual Reality (VR). This paper provides an overview of Virtual Reality (VR) technology and its applications in education. During this study, to better understand VR's contributions to education, a systematic review of the literature was conducted from Scopus, IEEE, and Google Scholar databases. The paper aims to highlight the core concepts, the origination of the technology, its impact, associated problems, and future directions of VR concerning education and the methods considered by notorious researchers. Identified gaps in the chosen literature works were also highlighted, and suggestions to overcome the identified gaps were summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study intends to examine English as a foreign language (EFL) learners' attitudes toward practicing English in Second Life (SL) and to unpack the effects of avatar identities on EFL learners' sense of self-efficacy and language practices. Nine EFL learners worldwide participated in a task-based course in SL, using avatars to carry out SL-related tasks while interacting with peers and the teacher via voice chat. Qualitative data were triangulated from multiple sources: learner reflective journals, a post-course survey, and semi-structured interviews. Three major themes emerged: (1) the effects of masked identity on learning, (2) the impact of telepresence and copresence on learning, and (3) the perceived attitudes toward avatar affinity. Findings implicate that the avatar form renders masked identities to safeguard learners' self-efficacy and empower their language practices. It also opens up a research avenue on the impact of avatar identities on language learning and teaching in 3D virtual environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Social Affairs is the property of Journal of Social Affairs and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of International Journal of InformaticsTechnologies is the property of Institute of Informatics, Gazi University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper presents a systematic review of models and methodologies that integrate information and communication technologies (ICT) and education. The systematic review was based on the methodology of Kitchenham. The steps used and developed correspond to the steps proposed in the methodology. The starting point of the review are the research questions, then keywords, selection of the databases, definition of the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the definition of the search chains, search process and selection of papers, the analyzes of the paper and the results of the systematic review to answer the questions posed. In the systematic review, 919 papers were found in 6 academic databases and 129 relevant papers were selected. The work developed intends to know the different models and methodologies that integrate the ICT and the education. Develop an analysis and characterize to find common elements among models and methodologies. The idea is to find limitations, disadvantages and spaces that allow to propose a new model. This systematic review is the first step in the development of a doctoral research in which the development of a U-Learning model based on Connective Learning and Experience Learning is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research links learner engagement with interactions when Hybrid Virtual Learning models are used. Various aspects have been considered, such as learners' prior experiences related to virtual worlds, their preconceptions regarding their use as a learning tool, and the impact that instructional designers' choices have on enhancing the opportunities for interactions. In this article, the impact that educational and leisure games have on university students' engagement is examined. The findings suggest that the use of game-like content can contribute positively to students' engagement, without, however, having a spectacular impact on the learning process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New virtual reality (VR) applications for education appear frequently in the marketplace but rarely contain explicit pedagogies. The research objective of this study was to identify and categorize principles and practices of pedagogy that are evident but not articulated in selected VR applications for education. Analysis of public content for the VR applications showed most were experiential while others were categorized as discovery learning, constructivism, situated cognition, direct instruction, or unclassified approaches. Educators and VR designers could use explicit pedagogical frameworks to support faculty development, construct extended, and congruent curricular options that stimulate reflections, build insights, and insure innovative and measurable outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

3D animation production is an animation course widely set up in colleges currently aiming at cultivating 3D animation production talents. But in actual teaching, there exist problems of teaching practice not prominent, teaching not intuitive, and students' learning interest not strong. Based on this condition, this paper plans to use SOA design and VR technology in teaching system design with the help of good information integration, service integration function of SOA design and advantages of VR technology of directly and dynamically reflecting object forms so as to improve teaching interesting-ness and intuition, help students to increase knowledge and improve teaching quality in relaxed atmosphere. Finally, this paper presents teaching effect comparison experiments which show that the virtual teaching system designed and developed in this paper can improve students' learning activity, teacher-student communication and obtain better teaching effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in integration of technology for pedagogical purposes. The present study aimed at finding out how presentation in the frame of virtual courses can control embarrassment and shyness of Iranian EFL learners. The practical part concentrated on using Skype for the purpose of presentation in seminar courses. The data collection was based on Revised Cheek and Briggs Shyness Scale (PRSS 14 item) and the target group was selected from three seminar classes during 2016. The final scores of the face to face presentation were compared with presentations via the Skype in such courses. The data were analyzed using a paired sample t-test. The results revealed a significant difference between observed results and expected results. The data were also gathered from semi-structured interviews based on the students' attitudes towards using the Skype to increase the validity of the method. The findings showed that the students had highly positive attitudes towards integration of the technology. This study could impact those students who have enough competence but their personality type prevents them from transferring their knowledge. It could also be fruitful for curriculum developers who want to organize pedagogical area efficiently by overcoming time and place constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid development of computer and network has promoted the emergence and development of new teaching methods and teaching media. This paper takes the computer distance virtual experiment teaching as the research goal, by literature investigation, summarization and case analysis methods, basing on analysis of computer distance teaching, Virtual Reality (VR) technology, virtual experiment teaching, and other related technology theories, the paper proposes a computer distance virtual experiment teaching mode based on VR technology. By taking the virtual computer assembly experiment as an example, this paper designs a computer distance virtual experiment teaching mode based on VR technology, realizes the computer distance virtual experiment teaching of the computer assembly experiment, and verifies the feasibility of the teaching mode. The research results indicate that, this teaching mode has a certain practical significance on improving the computer distance teaching mode and promoting the smooth development of computer distance teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of web-based online laboratory for engineering education has made big progress in recent years with state-of-the-art technologies. In order to further promote the effectiveness within an online virtual environment, the virtual reality (VR) interactive feature of WebVR Control laboratory based on HTML5 is presented in this paper. The educational objective is to assist the students or researchers to conduct a realistic and immersive experiment of control engineering with a head-mounted display (HMD) equipped. The implementation of the VR technique mainly relies on the Three.js graphic engine based on Web Graphics Library (WebGL) which has been supported by most of the mainstream web browsers in their latest version without a plugin embedded. At the end of the paper, the ball and beam system is taken as an example to illustrate the whole operational approach of the VR experiment in detail. While such a VR interactive feature hasn't been integrated into some of the current web-based online laboratories, the technical solution could be inspirational for them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virtual reality has attracted the interest of the research community due to the endless possibilities it offers in the educational arena. Although a wide range of applications already exists, further research is required to establish effective practices for a fruitful classroom implementation. This quantitative research of a sample of 37 primary school students explores the educational affordances and students' perceptions of virtual reality systems as supportive tools for teaching English as a foreign language. To address the objective of the study, an evaluation test and a questionnaire were administered to the participants. The results showed a positive outcome on students' performance, since it motivated them to visualize abstract knowledge within the virtual world without having to leave the comfort zone of their classroom. The current work revealed the growing potential of VR in the teaching and learning practices and can serve as a reference point for studies to follow. The vision of further agenda on the dynamics of virtual reality in the field of foreign language education is highlighted. Finally, implications for the implementation of VR in the educational system in Cyprus are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents exploratory research into an education-based virtual mentoring provision, the Virtual Professional Learning and Development (VPLD) program, and uses the Elements of Value Pyramid to help frame findings in a way that highlights the participants' (mentors' and mentees') perceived value of working together. Participants were educators and education leaders based within primary and secondary schools and kura in Aotearoa New Zealand. Drawing on principles of phenomenology, the four authors/virtual mentors used self-study to unpack their "lived experience," and draw on previous case study data that focused on the VPLD program. By building on the benefits, while also working within the constraints, of the virtual environment, the mentors were able to adapt their mentoring skills and approaches to answer the questions, "Without the face-to-face collaborative, empathic, and full sensory human experience, how can virtual mentors be responsive to diversity among mentees?" and "What approaches support the raising of collaborative understandings, the recognition and acknowledgement of assumptions, the exploration of protocols, and the respectful engagement with the languages, cultures, and identities of self and others?" Findings, although related to virtual mentoring in the school sector, have relevance for higher education, especially aspects such as workload. Overall, the findings indicate that the culturally responsive, highly fluid approach of the mentoring partnership meant that participants felt they 1) participated in initiatives where they had a social impact, 2) had a strong sense of hope and belonging, 3) had access to people, skills, and strategies that helped increase their motivation and self actualization, and 4) had access to multiple professional and personal development pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This special issue of AJET explores the critical educational use of the recently popularised technologies of mobile augmented reality (AR) and mobile virtual reality (VR). The advent of Pokemon Go brought the world's awareness of mobile AR to a brief climax, and the hype surrounding the rise of affordable virtual reality technologies has been driven by social media giants Google and Facebook, and subsequent uptake by the main smartphone manufacturers. With the ubiquity of smartphone ownership among our students this presents a unique opportunity to explore the educational impact of these symbiotic technologies and their emergent ecosystems. While it is early days for research in these domains, we were interested in exploring beyond the technological hype to finding examples of integrating these technologies within learning designs that scaffold learner-generated content and contexts based upon a solid foundation of the scholarship of technology enhanced learning. The six articles in this special issue give us insights into these critical issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consumer-grade virtual reality has recently become available for both desktop and mobile platforms and may redefine the way that students learn. However, the decision regarding which device to utilise within a curriculum is unclear. Desktop-based VR has considerably higher setup costs involved, whereas mobile-based VR cannot produce the quality of environment due to its limited processing power. This study aimed to compare performance in an anatomical knowledge test between two virtual reality headsets, the Oculus Rift and Gear VR, as well as to investigate student perceptions and adverse health effects experienced from their use. An identical lesson on spine anatomy was presented to subjects using either the Oculus Rift or Gear VR, with no significant differences observed in test scores from participants using either device, with both groups answering 60% of the questions correctly. However, 40% of participants experienced significantly higher rates of nausea and blurred vision when using the Gear VR (P < 0.05). It was established that the more cost effective mobile-based VR was just as suitable for teaching isolated-systems than the more expensive desktop-based VR. These outcomes show great promise for the effective use of mobile-based virtual reality devices in medical and health science education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

M-learning has the potential to take education out of classroom boundaries. Based on the device used, any student/learner can access a vast area of content. Varying from podcasts to videos, participate in virtual lessons or just ask a mentor over the net directly for answers to his problems. These new technological capabilities create demand for rethinking pedagogy and school system education. For that reason, our examples of mobile applications within education (formal/informal) been made in correlation with technology. Usability details for each app are being discussed through the ISO9241 part11 standard. While describing current trends by taking in consideration curriculum prescribed directions and differentiated instruction's theoretical suggestions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The virtualization and the digital environments are common learning platforms in several different domains, such as in flying airplanes or controlling nuclear power plants. However, virtual reality is no longer expensive special hardware; the basic installations for virtual and augmented reality can be done within household budgets and with common customer products. In this paper, we study the aspect of usability issues in a scenario, where a new virtual learning environment is built to teach correct prevention mechanics and strategies against common physical and cybersecurity threats in healthcare, namely in a hospital. Our proof-of-concept studies indicate that the concept is functional and that on hardware level components exist. The problems are in the usability and user immersion aspects, which are discussed in this paper and further studied in the proposed research setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the implementation of task-based approach in education for security and safety taught in virtual environment. The research conducted among a group of 124 Polish students revealed that the application of this approach brings numerous advantages. Students become naturally engaged in the learning process, memorize procedures better and perceive this form of learning as attractive. Regarding competences, not all saving-life behaviours can be performed and trained in effective way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the popular spread of electronic products, more and more related applications based on a virtual platform are being utilized. Meanwhile, more and more concerns are surfacing about the implementation of the functionality of virtual reality technology in the education or training field. The paper gives a specific example to propose the characteristics of a gaming education application based on Shiva 3D game engine. The implementation of this kind of application indicates that virtual reality technology of video games can be used in self-learning in education and training and can have significant results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the advent of open source virtual environments, the associated cost reductions, and the more flexible options, avatar-based virtual reality environments are within reach of educators. By using and repurposing readily available virtual environments, instructors can bring engaging, community-building, and immersive learning opportunities to students. Based on many years of academic research and development within this environment, the authors suggest educationally productive, research-supported ways to create learning environments that can motivate, engage, and educate participants. Instructors can develop virtual communities as centers for meetings, collaborations, and shared experiences, moving distance experiences beyond the limitations of engagement and collaboration in nonimmersive settings. The authors explain how instructors can develop useful learning interactions, pilot their learning environments, assess learners, and evaluate the environment. Specific experiences, images, and videos from the authors' work are shared as well as broader application that could suit multiple purposes in guiding an instructor's development and instructional efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virtual reality technology is a way for teachers and students to create a simulated three-dimensional world, a vivid and lifelike learning evironment for students in terms of vision, hearing and touch, having the students feel as participants of the virtual environment.A multi-user virtual campus system based on virtual reality technology is put forward in this paper, which includes the basic models, system structure and implementation scheme. The system is a simulation of real life in campus where students can take activities such as having class, doing exercises and making friends; and teacher can make lectures, review works of students and conduct examinations; managers can manage the daily teaching activities and students' affairs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focusing on the topic of improving the table tennis teaching quality with the visual field training, the test is to grab images repeatedly by using a camera in a speed of 119s, and the final result shows that it gets the correct hitting points on racket coordinating with correct racket angles, which verifies the effectiveness of the visual field training. Finally, it's concluded that the visual field training can improve the athletes' abilities of focus and judgment, and enhance their exercise stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at design a digital art teaching system and improve its performance, the interactive virtual technology is proposed. The art design major education innovation must abide by the open character and build scientists' teaching and curricula system and quality judgment criteria and mechanisms. We can exploit digital art major education with creativity, so invigorated digital art design stimulates education develops soundly, orderly and creatively. The system was implemented in 9 levels of the 206 universities. The results indicate that the system will help the combination of science and art, highlight distinctive university management with scientific teaching system and transform students 9 intelligence cultivation into wisdom and creation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present ship driving teaching system cannot ensure that all seafarers or students have enough time to go into training for basic skills, and it is not practical or feasible in all cases. We construct a consistent VR marine training environment to enhance maritime education and training at all levels. The basic equation of key algorithm involving the multilevel virtual reality ship driving teaching system is presented in this paper. The system is equipped with V.Dragon 2000. The application results show that the system can project visual system with wide field of view, and instructor control station etc. The training environment provides a strong visual reinforcement and a strong sense of immersion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve vitality and efficiency of teaching in music, with the multi-sensing, immersion and interactivity feature in the virtual reality (VR) technology, the VR system can solve the low cross mutual inductance and low efficiency in traditional music teaching. An online error identification algorithm was proposed in the paper. The teaching performance was evaluated with dimensions and confirmatory factor analysis. The results indicate the enthusiasm of students' autonomous learning and learning efficiency has been greatly improved with teaching system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Swimming is one of the most popular spots among college students, though it is hard to master. With virtual reality (VR) technology, problems of the low-cross mutual inductance and low efficiency can be solved. A physical model and the software framework of the virtual reality system was proposed. The swimming teaching system can solve the problem that perception-action separation, improve the study ecological validity, and hold great promise for the study of perception- action. A comparison analysis between students' correct and wrong swimming movements is carried out, and the analysis results show that the virtual reality system solves the problem of monotonicity in real swimming teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through introducing VR technology, multiscreen display technology and the necessity of application of VR technology in teaching and combining the course example of Art Painting, this paper expounded the basic method and realization approach of VR technology application in network teaching. First of all, virtual teaching and virtual experiment were achieved, and then online storage and sharing of Art Painting teaching content were achieved to reach the purpose of well mastering painting skills, theory and course features under network teaching environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virtual Reality (VR) technologies have shown potential for learning and assessment for children, adolescents, and adults with autism. Much of the research in this area has taken a conceptual stance of veridicality; that is, that VR offers promise because it can provide authenticity and levels of realism alongside stimulus or environmental control, or both, which may first facilitate learning and the generalization of skills to the real world, and secondly can provide experimental contexts with strong ecological validity for assessment. This conceptual review raises questions about the assumption of veridicality of VR for autism research by examining research literature that has used VR to support learning and to investigate social responding. In so doing, it provides a framework for examining the assumed relationship between virtual and real contexts in order to highlight particular features of design and interaction, as well as background characteristics of participants, that may help or hinder learning and understanding in virtual environments. The conclusions suggest there is a need for the field to systematically examine the different factors that influence responding in VR in order to understand when, and under what circumstances, the responses of individuals with autism can be considered appropriately authentic. There are also opportunities for thinking more radically about research directions by focusing on the strengths and preferences of people with autism, and promoting more participatory and inclusive approaches to research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The web teaching platform based on virtual reality technique is a challenge to the traditional teaching mode and a necessity with the development and maturity of information technologies. Based on the easily made and operated VR techniques with its immersion and interactivity, this paper combined resources about the enginery knowledge and information to build the overall platform. It significantly improves users' feeling about and understanding of the part models. It can be visually perceived and is flexible and convenient, providing users with operating experience which makes virtual reality and the real world consistent with each other. Eventually, both people and models can dynamically interact and perceptively communicate with each other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Informatica (03505596) is the property of Slovene Society Informatika and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Informatica (03505596) is the property of Slovene Society Informatika and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The aim of this study is to introduce a new platform, called En Plein, for the kinesthetic practice of phonological skills by preschool children and to examine its feasibility in combination with more traditional teaching methods. The rationale is that the manipulation of structural phonological units is important to train the necessary prerequisites for writing and reading and to help the identification of early learning disability precursors. The system includes a large number of phonological activities for children and allows interaction with a playful virtual environment via a cartoon-avatar controlled by a gesture-based natural user interface. En Plein relies on the Microsoft Kinect™ motion sensor. In the pilot study, the system has been placed in a classroom of an Italian kindergarten for 5 weeks of training. A test for assessing the phonological skills in Italian language for kindergarten (Valutazione delle Competenze Metafonologiche [CMF]) has been administered before and after training. Children who worked with the platform showed improvements in their phonological awareness (mean increase of CMF scores of 9%), while their peers who received only the traditional education had a mean increase of CMF scores of 1%. Results from this preliminary study show that children who used the system were more confident in manipulating structural phonological units, increased their awareness of words sound structures and generalized these skills by applying them to different tasks. The performance of En Plein is particularly encouraging for future large-scale applications in kindergartens and possible tests with children at risk of developing specific learning disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virtual presence and flow are usually presented as two core facets of the individual’s immersion in online education settings, yet their delimitation is still unclear. We seek to address this issue by theoretically explaining, and empirically showing, their different extents. From a sample of students of engineering and ICT programmes in a pure-online education setting, we have found that although virtual presence and flow are both triggered by focused attention (which in turn is prompted by a similar feeling of perceived control), virtual presence is directly activated by the challenges perceived in the online environment—and its activation facilitates flow states. The findings also support the impact of challenge and skill on perceived control. These results shed light on the complexity of immersive experiences in virtual education environments, and offer implications for higher education institutions and instructors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, virtual drama systems have been greatly developed. In fact, various researchers have explored computer-based frameworks for storytelling, leading to the study and design of virtual theatres in which virtual actors can (or cannot) interact under the control of human users. This chapter aims at describing the components involved in virtual storytelling (characters - avatars - setting and systems), methodological references, and their possible use in classroom or laboratories. Regarding their utilization for learning, guidelines are present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pedagogical and design considerations for the use of a virtual reality (VR) learning environment are important for prospective and current teachers. However, empirical research investigating how preservice teachers interact with transformative content representation, facilitation, and learning activities in a VR educational simulation is still limited. The purpose of this study is to examine prospective teachers’ user experiences in a VR-based learning environment, thus exploring VR-based instructional strategies and providing potential heuristics that assist teachers to integrate VR learning environments into their future teaching practices. Five preservice teachers participated in the study. An OpenSim-supported virtual simulation of a sushi restaurant was designed to enable preservice math teachers to experience 3D simulation-based math teaching and learning. All of the data in this study were collected via video archives, interview, and infield observation. The study results indicated the importance of transformative content representation in a VR educational simulation. The results also informed on the salient heuristics of VR-based learning facilitation and learning activity design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]