Designing Role Playing Lessons in VR Experiencing Classroom
Heejeon, SuhTongmyong University, Korea
heejeon.suh@gmail.com

Abstract: The ubiquitous and virtual technology is influencing conventional teaching methods in school
education. Mixed Reality is one of new technology in school and makes learners' experience more"engaging" and promotes active and interactive learning. Role play is an effective teaching method for
affecting individual attitudes and developing interpersonal skills through dramatizations. This study aims todesign the role playing lesson for children in a mixed reality classroom. For the purpose of this study, weanalyzed the mixed reality contents and VR experiencing classroom environment in a smart model schoolin Sejong City, Korea, and planned the role playing lessons for children using mixed reality contents. The
result of this study, four mixed reality lessons for Korean and English of elementary school were developed.
It is needed to apply the role play lessons to elementary school students and to evaluate the effectiveness ofthese lessons in further studies.
Keywords: Role Playing Lesson, Mixed Reality Contents, VR Experiencing Classroom

Introduction
The ubiquitous and virtual technology is influencing conventional teaching methods in school education. Mixed
Reality is one of new technology in school and makes learners' experience more "engaging" and promotes active andinteractive learning.
Mixed reality is a kind of virtual reality which makes users perceive mixed images by showing the world
incorporating real world with virtual world with computer graphics. It is a computer interface technology interacting
computers by manipulating virtual objects through actions of users in real time. In mixed reality based learning
environments, learners can experience problems in concrete contexts and can experience feedbacks and concrete
results through interactions by actual manipulations. As learning processes are worked by learning behaviors,behaviors trigger explorative activities and lead to meaningful learning(Kim, et al, 2011; Jo ,et al., 2011; Hyun, et al.,2011).
Mixed reality technology has been applied to education in Korea since it was pilot applied to Elementary Schoolclasses through science, English and mathematic contents which were developed by adding virtual objects on
existing textbooks (Kim, et al., 2008), and currently enforced reality books are developed, commercialized andsupplied (Fig. 1). Marker based MR technology is being developed to OASIS (Object-Aware Situated InteractiveSystem) system which projects objects placed on the desktop using interface technology increasing absorption ofusers, projector and Kinect syle camera and interacts using user’s fingers by enforcing additional digital contents
using a projector on the printed educational books such as Live Book (Fig. 2).

Fig 1. digilog book (www.digilogbook.co.kr)

LIVE bookOASIS
Fig 2. LIVE book & OASIS (Heo et al., 2011)

In Korea, 14 SMART education model schools were appointed from 2012 and S Elementary School in Daejeon
City and C Elementary School in Sejong City are providing experiential learning environments through VR
classroom to which mixed technologies are applied. In Singapore, through a future project such as ‘FutureSchools@Singapore,’ six model future schools are appointed and being operated. Among them, Beacon Elementary School
provides Beacon World, which is a 3D virtual learning simulation environment supporting customized curriculum ofElementary Schools.
On the other hand, ‘Role Play’ is an effective teaching method for affecting individual attitudes and developing
interpersonal skills through dramatizations (Shaftel, 1982). Role play Learning Model is performing classes by usingrole-plays (a kind of Lehrstuck) in teaching-learning process. Role play Learning Model is the method to understandthe given problems and to solve the problems by experiencing situations indirectly through the process of setting
virtual situations and performing roles. Classes are performed through setting situations, preparation and practice,performance and evaluation. This model can develop sensitive values or emotions, problem solving capabilities,
communication capabilities and expression capabilities by making them explore problem situations and discussing

their roles (Cabral, 1987; MOE, 2009). In previous studies on the effects of traditional fairy tale learning andexperiential fairy tale learning using enforced reality, enforced reality experiencing group which received 8 weeks
classes using augmented reality contents on ‘King Midas’ through the process of storytelling, quest, and role playshowed significantly higher activeness in action and language, although they did not show higher learning effects or
higher concentration on learning. Additionally, experimental group showed relatively higher learner-driven activities
and interactions (Kim & Kim, 2011). When looking into the studies on children’s response in juvenile drama
activities based on augmented reality and robot technology, it was found that children did not feel difficulties inunderstanding roles and functions of marker and augmented reality technology and manipulating them, and that they
thought it interesting that various object images were combined with different backgrounds and being enforced(Hyun, Choi, & Yeon, 2012).
This study aims to design the role play lesson for children in a mixed reality classroom. For the purpose of thisstudy, we analyzed the mixed reality contents and a classroom environment in a smart model school in Sejong City,Korea, and planned the role play lessons for children using mixed reality contents.

Research Method
In this study, it was tried to analyze problems in virtual reality classes of C Elementary School in Sejong City,
one of pilot SMART schools in Korea, and to propose teaching-learning activities and VR classroom operation
guidelines using mixed reality contents. For this, we performed interviews with teachers responsible for virtualreality experiencing classroom to understand the classroom environments and classroom operational status. Second,
we took a video on interaction processes by operating mixed reality contents and analyzed characteristics to analyze
problems of classes in the virtual reality classroom. Third, we devised practical units for subjects andteaching-learning activities and developed role play lesson plans considering mixed reality contents characteristics,
virtual reality classroom infra and subject goals of the school. They were modified and supplemented according to
the results of the review by an Elementary School teacher and an educational technology expert.

Analyzing a Mixed Reality Classroom Environment & Instruction
Mixed Reality Contents and Virtual Reality Experiencing Classroom Environments
Mixed reality contents means the contents that learners participate in 3D virtual contents based on mixed reality
technology and experience learning through interactions with learning contents (Lee, et al., 2012). In C Elementary
School 15 kinds of virtual contents of Korean language, Science and English were in place.
The virtual reality experiencing classroom established in C Elementary School provided a mixed reality
experiencing contents system and an operational program for teachers. As a Kinect camera was implemented on thelarge mixed reality contents screen and it perceived a students in the Action Zone, it synthesized the contents and thestudent and projected on the synthesized image on the screen. Students can interact by selecting virtual contents
icons using their hands. As there is an electronic blackboard on the opposite side of mixed reality contents screen,teachers can connect the virtual reality experiencing classes to ordinary general classes.

Fig 4. MR Contents Screen

Fig 3. VR Experiencing Classroom

Fig 5. MR Contents

Status and Problems of Classes in Virtual Reality Experiencing Classroom
The Status and Problems of classes in virtual reality experiencing room in C Elementary School are as follows.
First, actual usability is very low considering the number of contents established in the school and only 1 teacher wasusing the system. Second, the teacher had to lead the class while he/she was operating the contents program of virtual
reality experiencing system, and therefore problems were made as the location of the teacher had to be fixed atsystem operating PC. Third, there was inconvenience to move desks and chairs placed in the virtual reality
experiencing room in order to secure an Action Zone to operate Kinect recognizing students. Fourth, as Kinect can
only recognize one or two students in the Action Zone, rest of students had to watch them experiencing virtual reality.
Fifth, virtual reality experiencing class operation guidelines for teachers were not sufficient.

Role Play Lessons Plan using Mixed Reality Contents in VR Classroom
In this study, three kinds of lessons were planned based on role playing model focusing on mixed reality contents
as fairy tales. These classes can be utilized for elementary school students and each class is composed of 2 units.
Table 1 shows the summary of the devised virtual reality experiencing contents teaching-learning activities.
Table 1. Role Playing Activities
ContentsTitle

ThreePiglet
Brothers

SubjectCreativity
Experiencing
KoreanLanguage

Grade

Major Teaching-Learning Activities2○ Learning objectives: “To make free andcreative expressions through role playingactivities”○ Major Activities· To watch ‘Three Piglet Brothers’ andlearn songs· Role distribution (characters, choirs,musical instruments and superintendent)· Perform role playing activities (Twoteams as Team A and Team B)Mixed Reality Contents ScreenCreativity
Experiencing
KoreanLanguage

Old Manwith aLump

The
Wizard ofOz

English○Learning objectives: To express fairytales with various reading activities○ Major Activities· To watch ‘Old Man with a Lump’
through Mixed reality content· To make reading poster and fairy tale
advertisement

3○Learning objectives: To perform roleplaying activities using expressions to ask
and show the way○ Major Activities· To listen and to comprehend the fairy
tale using expressions to ask and show theway· To let students compose their own roleplaying activities· To reconstruct a part of the tale using
asking and showing the way and asking
help5

Table 2. Role Play Lesson Example using “Three Piglet Brothers” Mixed Reality Content (Suh, et al., 2012)
GradeGrade 2

CourseLearning
Subject
Learning
objectives

Learning
Materials

Beauty of Story

Subject
Place

VR Classroom

Creativity Experiencing Korean Language
Time

1~2/2 (80 minutes)

Fun of fairy tales expressed in role playing activities▪ To perform role playing activities cooperatively using props, background and costumes.
▪ To enjoy creative expressing processes by participating in art activities in 3D virtual reality
experiencing program.
▪ To learn and understand the lesson of the fairy tale through ‘Three Piglet Brothers.’
Teacher
Student

Electronic blackboard, 3D virtual reality experiencing program, images of major
scenes of the fairy tale, video of songs in the fairy tale, props matching with roles (2sets), role play scripts
Musical instruments (tambourine, small drums, castanets and so on)

Stage

Detailed Activities

Setting a Situation

O To understand learning objectives
O To listen to ‘Three Piglet Brothers’ and learn songs using virtual
reality experiencing contents
O To talk about the story (background and characters)
O To distribute roles (characters, choir, instruments, superintendantand narrator)
O To practice the role
O To prepare costumes and props and to put on make-up

Preparation and PracticeTime
15 Minutes

25 Minutes

Performance

Evaluation

O Rehearsal and feedback
O To perform a role play (Perform by Team A, and Team B)• To fix the order of role play presentation• To instruct how to appreciate the role play
• To make them pay attention to the role play by letting them know
the start of the play
O To redistribute seats and arrange props after role play
O To share thoughts• To give their thought about the role play
• Strengths and weaknesses of each team
O To herald the next session

25 Minutes

15 Minutes

Conclusion
Three class activities utilizing role playing model based on mixed reality contents were proposed as the results ofthis study. It is needed to apply the role play lessons to elementary school students and to evaluate the effectivenessof these lessons in further studies. To expand the role paly lesson utilizing mixed reality contents, first it is needed todevelop a complete subject contents highly related to curriculum from the perspective of educational contents quality.
Second, virtual reality experiencing system should be easy to use so that a teacher can lead the class while operating
virtual reality experiencing system from the perspective of the environments of virtual reality experiencing
classroom. Third, it is need to develop teaching-learning activity teaching plan utilizing mixed reality contents andvirtual reality experiencing system operation guidelines for teachers from the perspective of class operation.

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