Approved-By:  "EDTECH Moderator" <21765EDT@MSU.BITNET>
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.edtech
Date:         Wed, 11 Nov 1992 10:28:16 EST
From:         "M. Young" <MYOUNG@UCONNVM.BITNET>
Subject:      Education & Virtual Reality

Stan (stankuli@uwf) writes:

1  i have been reading the control systems group (CSG-L@uiucvmd.BITNET) for
some years now, and i find their discussions far from convincing.
ocassionally some bit of insight, enough to tantalize but not enough for
thorough work.  like the behaviorists before them, elemental linguistics
eludes them.

2  good, give us some examples of how concepts can be taught through sensory
data, no matter how complex.  i did admit to the benefit of VR in sensory
translation when the relevant phenomena is otherwise imperceptible.  but
THESE ARE, BY AND LARGE, EXOTIC TOPIC AREAS.

3  what sensory data would you use to define 'truth'?  it is a kids joke
the when the dictionary defines 'ugly' they put in a picture of you. :-)
one of the earliest concepts acquired in child language is the genitive.

4  yes, consider expert knowledge.  it is valued because it does not resemble
common sense.  again we are talking about exotic, peripheral areas of
curriculum.  that will be the forte of VR, the heart will remain in symbolic
textual structures for considerable time to come.

Allow a brief response to each of these point:
1. Liguistics is clearly the most difficult cognitive skill to tie directly
to experience, agreed.  It develops quickly and effortlessly in the context
of everyday events, though, right?  And language is acquired far more
effortfully in American French and Spanish classrooms.  Perhaps there are
Virtual experiences that can afford more naturalistic language acquisition.

2. An example:  How about teaching higher level thinking skills, such as
planning and information finding, in the context of mathematical and
scientific problem solving.  We have been using a videodisc-based program,
the "Jasper Series" to do that with "at risk" 5th graders for 5 years now,
with some success (see Cognition & Technology Group at Vanderbilt,
Educational Researcher, v19, No6, 1990).  Yet, I believe even more students
would become engaged with the problem if they were able to experience the
situation more directly.
1;0c
3. 'truth': True it is hard to develop an image for truth.  But how about the
student standing in front of a tank at Tienamin (sp?) Square in China as an
image of democracy?  And VR can present more than images, it can present
working models of gears and atoms and Newtonian "space" conditions for
student to "feel" Newton's laws. Consider the points made by George Lakoff in
his book Women, Fire, and Dangerous Things- categorical knowledge is not
gained through dictionary definitions or even conceptual discussions alone,
categories are maliable and subject to individual interpretations that are
inherently based on individual EXPERIENCEs.  Hardly exotic topics.

4. Expert knowledge: It is possible to mistake VR as only capable of creating
"realistic" environments.  It can also create "conceptual" environment to be
spatially navigated.  Consider a organizational chart on VR in which you
move through the organization like a concept map.  Also consider a symbolic
VR creation of data, in which the scientist can navigate among factor analytic
structures in a 3-D space to full understand the interactions.  These are
conceptual aids, not impoverished direct physical, "low level" activities.

Mike

PS. for Stans list of "universal lies" consider:
Hi. I work for State-- I'm here to help you.

MICHAEL YOUNG, PH.D.             INTERNET:MYOUNG@UCONNVM.UCONN.EDU
U-4, 249 GLENBROOK RD            BITNET: MYOUNG@UCONNVM
STORRS, CT 06269-2004            APPLELINK: YOUNG.MIKE
(203) 486-0182                   AM. ONLINE: MIKE YOUNG
FAX: (203) 486-0210
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