The U.S. Army’s Synthetic Training Environment (STE) capability development invites questions such as whether infantry Soldiers would benefit from more immersive simulation-based training capabilities. Results from an empirical mixed methods pilot study suggest the impact of combined immersion and embodiment positively influence learning gains. The study showed learning gains and emotional outcomes. The between-subject design experiment included 15 participants randomly assigned to one of three system configurations. Each configuration gradually increased immersion and embodiment as combined system features. The control condition was a desktop configuration, while the experimental conditions included a Virtual Reality headset (VR) configuration, and a novel configuration using an omnidirectional treadmill with a VR headset enabling full-body virtual environment (VE) exploration. Each condition accessed the same realistically modeled geospatial VE and learning content and completed the same VE-interaction measurement instruments. The pre-test included declarative information-focused questions or complicated tasks, while the post-test repeated the pre-test and included a situational awareness measurement or complex task requiring participants to draw a sketch map. Learning gains occurred in all three conditions, however, statistical tests revealed no significant differences between conditions. There were significant strong positive correlations between increased immersion-embodiment levels and emotional factors which contribute to learning. Reviewing graphical depictions combined with quantitative and qualitative data highlighted patterns worth noting. Patterns suggest learning task type interacts with system configuration. Increased immersion levels, increase subjective feelings of presence and immersion, and higher feelings of immersion are significantly and strongly correlated to emotional outcomes viewed as important for long-term memory retention. A larger sample is required for increased statistical power to determine the significance of identified differences. These results may inform Army senior leaders about the educational/training capabilities of immersive-embodied simulations for improved related decision-making.

Keywords
3D, EDUCATION, EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES, ENVIRONMENTS, FIDELITY, HEAD-MOUNTED DISPLAYS, IMMERSIVE, INTERACTIVE, SIMULATIONS, SPATIAL NAVIGATION, VIRTUAL

Additional Keywords
Learning, Embodiment, Immersion, Omnidirectional Treadmill, Virtual Reality, Geospatial