Numerous meta-analyses suggest that Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) technologies can be effective for training and performance enhancement. However, the broad assertion of AR/VR effectiveness is overly simplistic and clouds important factors influencing the generalizability of findings. To clarify how to use the AR/VR findings, we conducted an initial review of the research literature, organized and simplified knowledge scattered across effectiveness studies, and developed a training effectiveness framework to organize and explain them. The initial set of studies reviewed were conducted by those in disparate fields including computer scientists and engineers who focused on technology, educators who focused on instructional methods, and domain specialists (e.g., medical, military, and construction) who focused on implementations in their disciplines. Our initial review found many clarity issues, such as lack of: descriptions of users’ task experience (26% of studies), AR/VR technology experience (28%), and performance measures (29%). In addition, we found inconsistent use of terms, identification of a system without specifying features used, and limited descriptions of task trained. Based on this initial review and discussion sessions with AR/VR professionals, we developed a practitioner-oriented framework to help systematize and bring clarity to the often discrepant research findings. The framework features a common language with five categories. The categories are: What is the technology? How is it used? Who are the users? What is the performance or training domain? What effectiveness was found? Using this framework, we are populating an online knowledge base that can be queried with specific characteristics that help tease apart the evidence of effectiveness for AR/VR technologies in a nuanced and systematic way. We summarized each study in the knowledge base using the framework’s standardized structure to make the empirical findings more coherent, and to help practitioners better translate the research findings into practice.
Keywords
AUGMENTED AND VIRTUAL REALITY (AR/VR),BEST PRACTICES,KNOWLEDGE COMPONENTS,SYNTHETIC ENVIRONMENT,TRAINING
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