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Two years ago, the Centre for Learning Sciences and Technologies (CLST), The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) launched the EduVenture^® learning system, which has been well received by students and teachers. CLST has recently developed EduVenture^® VR (Virtual Reality), a sub-system of EduVenture^®.  This is a user-friendly web-based composer for teachers to produce VR and AR (Augmented Reality)-based immersive fieldtrips. Through this system, students of limited means or with special needs can also experience real-life fieldtrips which would otherwise be costly, difficult or impractical. 

The Faculty of Education, CUHK is passionate about improving education for our children. As a unit under the Faculty, CLST provides innovative technology support to schools to enhance the quality of teaching and learning. EduVenture^®, an integrated GPS-supported outdoor mobile learning system launched in late 2014, consists of EV-Composer; EV-eXplorer, and EV-Retriever. EduVenture^® provides an effective solution to the problems encountered by teachers and students during outdoor fieldtrips, such as insufficient student participation, individual discrepancies, and lack of in-depth investigation during learning. To date, more than 250 primary, secondary and special schools are using this system.

Prof. JONG Siu Yung Morris, Director of CLST said, ‘EduVenture^® adopts affordable interactive 360º spherical VR and AR technologies for teachers to produce VR-based immersive fieldtrip learning videos that capture real-world environments layered with AR-based pedagogic scaffolds. Students can go on the virtual fieldtrip via mouse, touch pad, mobile device, Google Cardboard or other HMDs (head-mounted displays).’ 

There are various advantages in using EduVenture^® VR to produce a virtual fieldtrip. For example, some real-life fieldtrips are costly, difficult or impractical, like overseas fieldtrips or a polar expedition. In the virtual world, they become feasible. EduVenture® VR brings significant meaning to the target learners with disabilities or special needs because a virtual field trip provides more opportunities to understand the world through rather realistic experiences which are better than the 2D book or TV. Moreover, it allows teachers to integrate learning and teaching content into the VR world, making classroom activities a lot more enjoyable and more flexible and this can effectively strengthen students’ learning motivation. A community and blog has been built for EduVenture^®, where teachers can share all resources and tips in a resource bank for the community. EduVenture^® VR also has its own resourceful community for the same purpose. In addition, adopting this system is economically viable. Students can experience the virtual fieldtrip simply by using a low-cost Google Cardboard. 

Mr. NG Yu Kit, a teacher at Confucian Tai Shing Primary School and a long-term supporter of EduVenture^®, said that he would also adopt EduVenture^® VR, ‘Adopting EduVenture^® for outdoor learning helps nurture students’ self-learning and investigative interest and greatly enhances teaching quality. Now, with the help of the newly developed EduVenture^® VR, we can further break the time and space constraints of outdoor fieldtrips, enabling students to enjoy a virtual fieldtrip inside the classroom. It not only enhances students’ interest in learning, but also broadens teaching space for teachers, especially for those students with special needs. I believe that this learning method will become a major trend in future.’

CUHK will participate in the InnoCarnival 2016, organised by the Innovation and Technology Commission of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, from 29 October to 6 November at the Hong Kong Science Park. Members of the public are welcome to visit CUHK’s booth (No. F20) to experience a virtual fieldtrip and see the other 11 innovative projects. Interactive games are also available to deepen visitors’ knowledge of the showcased projects.

Website of InnoCarnival 2016: http://www.itm.gov.hk/ 

About EduVenture^®:

• EduVenture^® Composer is a pre-fieldtrip, cloud-based, user-friendly platform for the teacher to edit teaching materials after logging into the system. Teachers can design customised learning materials for different scenarios. There are many variable tools including multiple-choice, fill-in the blank, sound recording, data collection, photo taking and conceptual graph in the platform, which can meet different users’ requirements. Furthermore, the system can upload all the inputs into its server automatically, and it is empowered by Windows PC as well as MAC.
• EduVenture^® eXplorer is a mobile App for iPad or iPhone. It can run via GPS, without connection to the internet. Once the learner downloads the specific materials into the App and that learner physically steps in the corresponding geo-locations during the fieldtrip, the embedded scaffolds will pop up accordingly. The contents inside the scaffolds will then guide the student to probe into the corresponding exploratory spots and answer the corresponding questions. The learner’s answers will then be saved into the App automatically. With this App, it is as if learners were right in the scene, immersed in a unique mobile outdoor learning experience.
• EduVenture^® Retriever is a cloud-based platform for retrieving and managing the student’s fieldtrip proceedings. Teachers can review, correct, and search learners’ results, or the corresponding discussion or sharing. This platform can help teachers assess students’ performances on the fieldtrip, prepare for post-fieldtrip debriefing and lead the class to reflect and conclude on the learning process and the result.