Stanislaus Fall 2020 Familiarity with Forest and Fire Management
Jiayan Zhao
December 17, 2020
What is your level of familiarity with and understanding of forest and fire management issues?
1+2 vs 4+5
Demographics
Total
| count | average | male | female | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 111 | 21.94595 | 61 | 50 |
##Age 
##
## Descriptive statistics by group
## group: Total
## vars n mean sd median trimmed mad min max range skew kurtosis se
## X1 1 111 21.95 5.1 21 20.87 1.48 18 57 39 4.52 23.62 0.48
##
## Descriptive statistics by group
## group: Low Familiarity
## vars n mean sd median trimmed mad min max range skew kurtosis se
## X1 1 38 21.42 3.28 21 20.78 1.48 18 36 18 2.85 8.77 0.53
##
## Descriptive statistics by group
## group: High Familiarity
## vars n mean sd median trimmed mad min max range skew kurtosis se
## X1 1 22 23.68 6.89 21 22 1.48 19 46 27 2.11 3.52 1.47##
##
## Wilcoxon rank sum test with continuity correction
##
## data: total$value by total$condition
## W = 496.5, p-value = 0.2134
## alternative hypothesis: true location shift is not equal to 0
##
##
## [1] "Cohen's d"
## [1] 0.4608093
##Year of study 
##
## Descriptive statistics by group
## group: Total
## vars n mean sd median trimmed mad min max range skew kurtosis se
## X1 1 111 3.14 0.78 3 3.19 0 1 6 5 -0.24 1.58 0.07
##
## Descriptive statistics by group
## group: Low Familiarity
## vars n mean sd median trimmed mad min max range skew kurtosis se
## X1 1 38 3.03 1 3 3.06 0 1 6 5 -0.05 1.14 0.16
##
## Descriptive statistics by group
## group: High Familiarity
## vars n mean sd median trimmed mad min max range skew kurtosis se
## X1 1 22 3.36 0.58 3 3.39 0 2 4 2 -0.18 -0.95 0.12##
##
## Welch Two Sample t-test
##
## data: group1.dataframe$value and group2.dataframe$value
## t = -1.6529, df = 57.989, p-value = 0.1037
## alternative hypothesis: true difference in means is not equal to 0
## 95 percent confidence interval:
## -0.7458165 0.0711754
## sample estimates:
## mean of x mean of y
## 3.026316 3.363636
##
##
## [1] "Cohen's d"
## [1] 0.3870009
Familiarity with Forest and Fire Management
What is your level of familiarity with and understanding of forest and fire management issues?
##
## Descriptive statistics by group
## group: Total
## vars n mean sd median trimmed mad min max range skew kurtosis se
## X1 1 111 2.81 0.9 3 2.82 1.48 1 5 4 0 -0.17 0.09
##
## Descriptive statistics by group
## group: Low Familiarity
## vars n mean sd median trimmed mad min max range skew kurtosis se
## X1 1 38 1.79 0.41 2 1.84 0 1 2 1 -1.36 -0.14 0.07
##
## Descriptive statistics by group
## group: High Familiarity
## vars n mean sd median trimmed mad min max range skew kurtosis se
## X1 1 22 4.14 0.35 4 4.06 0 4 5 1 1.98 2 0.07##
##
## Wilcoxon rank sum test with continuity correction
##
## data: total$value by total$condition
## W = 836, p-value = 2.875e-12
## alternative hypothesis: true location shift is not equal to 0
##
##
## [1] "Cohen's d"
## [1] 5.988918
Perceived usefulness
“Using this type of computer program as a tool for learning in classroom increase/will increase my learning and academic performance”
“Using this type of computer program enhances/will enhance the effectiveness on my learning”
“This type of computer program allows/will allow me to progress at my own pace”
“This type of computer program is useful in supporting my learning”
##
## Descriptive statistics by group
## group: Total
## vars n mean sd median trimmed mad min max range skew kurtosis se
## X1 1 111 3.85 0.88 4 3.92 0.74 1 5 4 -0.6 -0.09 0.08
##
## Descriptive statistics by group
## group: Low Familiarity
## vars n mean sd median trimmed mad min max range skew kurtosis se
## X1 1 38 3.88 0.85 4 3.95 0.74 1 5 4 -0.99 1.46 0.14
##
## Descriptive statistics by group
## group: High Familiarity
## vars n mean sd median trimmed mad min max range skew kurtosis se
## X1 1 22 4.16 0.78 4.25 4.26 0.74 2 5 3 -0.99 0.59 0.17##
##
## Welch Two Sample t-test
##
## data: group1.dataframe$value and group2.dataframe$value
## t = -1.2847, df = 46.995, p-value = 0.2052
## alternative hypothesis: true difference in means is not equal to 0
## 95 percent confidence interval:
## -0.7120599 0.1570359
## sample estimates:
## mean of x mean of y
## 3.881579 4.159091
##
##
## [1] "Cohen's d"
## [1] 0.3366595
Perceived ease of use
“Learning to operate this type of computer program is easy for me”
“Learning how to use this type of computer program as an assignment is too complicated and difficult for me”
“It is easy for me to find information in this computer program”
“Overall, I think this type of computer program is easy to use”
##
## Descriptive statistics by group
## group: Total
## vars n mean sd median trimmed mad min max range skew kurtosis se
## X1 1 111 4.08 0.82 4.25 4.18 0.74 2 5 3 -0.82 -0.32 0.08
##
## Descriptive statistics by group
## group: Low Familiarity
## vars n mean sd median trimmed mad min max range skew kurtosis se
## X1 1 38 4.21 0.71 4.25 4.3 0.74 2 5 3 -1.33 1.67 0.12
##
## Descriptive statistics by group
## group: High Familiarity
## vars n mean sd median trimmed mad min max range skew kurtosis se
## X1 1 22 4.17 0.8 4.38 4.26 0.56 2.5 5 2.5 -0.85 -0.49 0.17##
##
## Welch Two Sample t-test
##
## data: group1.dataframe$value and group2.dataframe$value
## t = 0.19452, df = 39.986, p-value = 0.8468
## alternative hypothesis: true difference in means is not equal to 0
## 95 percent confidence interval:
## -0.3762806 0.4564241
## sample estimates:
## mean of x mean of y
## 4.210526 4.170455
##
##
## [1] "Cohen's d"
## [1] 0.05374786
Spatail situation model
###“Even now, I could still draw a plan of the spatial environment I observed.” ###“Even now, I could still find my way around the spatial environment.” ###“Even now, I still have a concrete mental image of the spatial environment.” ###“In my mind’s eye, I was able to clearly see the arrangements of the objects presented.” ###“I was able to make a good estimate of the size of the spatial environment.” ###“I was able to make a good estimate of how far apart things were from each other.” ###“I was able to imagine the arrangement of the space very well.” ###“I had a precise idea of the spatial surroundings.” 
##
## Descriptive statistics by group
## group: Total
## vars n mean sd median trimmed mad min max range skew kurtosis se
## X1 1 111 3.93 0.74 4 3.96 0.93 1.5 5 3.5 -0.42 -0.07 0.07
##
## Descriptive statistics by group
## group: Low Familiarity
## vars n mean sd median trimmed mad min max range skew kurtosis se
## X1 1 38 3.96 0.6 3.94 3.96 0.69 3 5 2 0.16 -1.04 0.1
##
## Descriptive statistics by group
## group: High Familiarity
## vars n mean sd median trimmed mad min max range skew kurtosis se
## X1 1 22 4.07 0.92 4 4.22 1.02 1.5 5 3.5 -1.32 1.28 0.2##
##
## Welch Two Sample t-test
##
## data: group1.dataframe$value and group2.dataframe$value
## t = -0.48576, df = 31.509, p-value = 0.6305
## alternative hypothesis: true difference in means is not equal to 0
## 95 percent confidence interval:
## -0.5495953 0.3380437
## sample estimates:
## mean of x mean of y
## 3.962406 4.068182
##
##
## [1] "Cohen's d"
## [1] 0.1453046
Cognitive benefits
###1. This type of computer program makes the comprehension easier ###2. This type of computer program makes the memorization easier. ###3. This type of computer program helps me to better apply what was learned. ###4. This type of computer program helps me to better analyze the problems. ###5. This type of computer program helps me to have a better overview of the content learned.
##
## Descriptive statistics by group
## group: Total
## vars n mean sd median trimmed mad min max range skew kurtosis se
## X1 1 111 4.03 0.8 4 4.12 0.59 1 5 4 -1.11 1.9 0.08
##
## Descriptive statistics by group
## group: Low Familiarity
## vars n mean sd median trimmed mad min max range skew kurtosis se
## X1 1 38 4.04 0.76 4 4.11 0.59 1 5 4 -1.51 4.61 0.12
##
## Descriptive statistics by group
## group: High Familiarity
## vars n mean sd median trimmed mad min max range skew kurtosis se
## X1 1 22 4.15 0.9 4.3 4.3 0.44 1.2 5 3.8 -1.67 2.95 0.19##
##
## Wilcoxon rank sum test with continuity correction
##
## data: total$value by total$condition
## W = 493, p-value = 0.2486
## alternative hypothesis: true location shift is not equal to 0
##
##
## [1] "Cohen's d"
## [1] 0.1276364
Reflective thinking
“I was able to reflect on how I learn”
“I was able to link new knowledge with my previous knowledge and experiences”
“I was able to become a better learner”
" I was able to reflect on my own understanding"
##
## Descriptive statistics by group
## group: Total
## vars n mean sd median trimmed mad min max range skew kurtosis se
## X1 1 111 3.81 0.86 3.75 3.85 0.74 1 5 4 -0.56 0.64 0.08
##
## Descriptive statistics by group
## group: Low Familiarity
## vars n mean sd median trimmed mad min max range skew kurtosis se
## X1 1 38 3.78 0.83 3.75 3.81 0.74 1 5 4 -0.64 1.36 0.13
##
## Descriptive statistics by group
## group: High Familiarity
## vars n mean sd median trimmed mad min max range skew kurtosis se
## X1 1 22 3.9 0.92 4 3.99 1.11 1.75 5 3.25 -0.49 -0.55 0.2##
##
## Welch Two Sample t-test
##
## data: group1.dataframe$value and group2.dataframe$value
## t = -0.50981, df = 40.302, p-value = 0.613
## alternative hypothesis: true difference in means is not equal to 0
## 95 percent confidence interval:
## -0.6026212 0.3597982
## sample estimates:
## mean of x mean of y
## 3.776316 3.897727
##
##
## [1] "Cohen's d"
## [1] 0.1405075
Perceived learning effectiveness
“I was more interested to learn the topics”
“I learned a lot of factual information”
" I gained a good understanding of the basic concepts"
“I learned to identify the main and important issues”
“I was interested and stimulated to learn more”
“I was able to summarize what I learned”
“The learning activities were meaningful”
“I can apply what I learned in real life”
##
## Descriptive statistics by group
## group: Total
## vars n mean sd median trimmed mad min max range skew kurtosis se
## X1 1 111 3.9 0.82 3.88 3.97 0.74 1 5 4 -0.82 0.87 0.08
##
## Descriptive statistics by group
## group: Low Familiarity
## vars n mean sd median trimmed mad min max range skew kurtosis se
## X1 1 38 3.9 0.76 3.81 3.96 0.46 1 5 4 -1.33 3.61 0.12
##
## Descriptive statistics by group
## group: High Familiarity
## vars n mean sd median trimmed mad min max range skew kurtosis se
## X1 1 22 4.12 0.85 4.12 4.24 1.02 2.12 5 2.88 -0.85 -0.24 0.18##
##
## Wilcoxon rank sum test with continuity correction
##
## data: total$value by total$condition
## W = 514.5, p-value = 0.1394
## alternative hypothesis: true location shift is not equal to 0
##
##
## [1] "Cohen's d"
## [1] 0.2865026
Satisfaction
" I was satisfied with this type of virtual learning experience"
“A wide variety of learning materials was provided in this type of virtual environment”
“I don’t think this type of virtual environment would benefit my learning achievement”
“I was satisfied with the information gained in this type of virtual learning environment”
“I was satisfied with the teaching methods in this type of virtual learning environment”
“I was satisfied with this type of virtual learning environment”
“I was satisfied with the overall learning effectiveness”
##
## Descriptive statistics by group
## group: Total
## vars n mean sd median trimmed mad min max range skew kurtosis se
## X1 1 111 3.81 0.79 3.86 3.87 0.64 1 5 4 -0.94 1.46 0.08
##
## Descriptive statistics by group
## group: Low Familiarity
## vars n mean sd median trimmed mad min max range skew kurtosis se
## X1 1 38 3.83 0.74 3.86 3.86 0.42 1 5 4 -1.17 3.43 0.12
##
## Descriptive statistics by group
## group: High Familiarity
## vars n mean sd median trimmed mad min max range skew kurtosis se
## X1 1 22 3.95 0.74 4 4 0.74 1.86 5 3.14 -0.67 0.74 0.16##
##
## Wilcoxon rank sum test with continuity correction
##
## data: total$value by total$condition
## W = 464, p-value = 0.4831
## alternative hypothesis: true location shift is not equal to 0
##
##
## [1] "Cohen's d"
## [1] 0.1714534
Understanding improvement
The VR tour improved my understanding of how fires historically influenced forests and how forests have changed in the absence of fire.
The VR tour improved my understanding of how thinning reduces wildfire hazard.
The VR tour improved my understanding of the role of prescribed fire following thinning for reducing wildfire hazard.
The VR tour improved my understanding of how thinning approaches might be modified to better enhance biodiversity.
##
## Descriptive statistics by group
## group: Total
## vars n mean sd median trimmed mad min max range skew kurtosis se
## X1 1 111 4.09 0.85 4 4.19 1.11 1 5 4 -0.9 0.73 0.08
##
## Descriptive statistics by group
## group: Low Familiarity
## vars n mean sd median trimmed mad min max range skew kurtosis se
## X1 1 38 4.02 0.87 4 4.11 0.74 1 5 4 -1.05 1.75 0.14
##
## Descriptive statistics by group
## group: High Familiarity
## vars n mean sd median trimmed mad min max range skew kurtosis se
## X1 1 22 4.4 0.77 4.75 4.53 0.37 2 5 3 -1.35 1.8 0.16##
##
## Welch Two Sample t-test
##
## data: group1.dataframe$value and group2.dataframe$value
## t = -1.7502, df = 48.684, p-value = 0.08638
## alternative hypothesis: true difference in means is not equal to 0
## 95 percent confidence interval:
## -0.81206509 0.05608423
## sample estimates:
## mean of x mean of y
## 4.019737 4.397727
##
##
## [1] "Cohen's d"
## [1] 0.4530136
Multiple-choice questions
What do you like MOST about the virtual tour experience? (select up to four options)
Total
| count | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 111 | 56 | 55 | 80 | 31 | 61 | 50 | 93 | 18 | 56 | 55 | 78 | 33 | 69 | 42 | 93 | 18 | 67 | 44 | 87 | 24 | 97 | 14 |
Low Familiarity
| count | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low Familiarity | 38 | 19 | 19 | 26 | 12 | 20 | 18 | 36 | 2 | 23 | 15 | 26 | 12 | 23 | 15 | 32 | 6 | 19 | 19 | 33 | 5 | 33 | 5 |
High Familiarity
| count | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High Familiarity | 22 | 11 | 11 | 17 | 5 | 13 | 9 | 18 | 4 | 14 | 8 | 15 | 7 | 11 | 11 | 18 | 4 | 14 | 8 | 14 | 8 | 19 | 3 |
Multiple-choice questions
What do you like LEAST about the virtual tour experience? (select up to four options)
Total
| count | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 111 | 102 | 9 | 87 | 24 | 106 | 5 | 94 | 17 | 65 | 46 | 99 | 12 | 83 | 28 | 110 | 1 | 56 | 55 | 98 | 13 |
Low Familiarity
| count | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low Familiarity | 38 | 36 | 2 | 32 | 6 | 35 | 3 | 33 | 5 | 26 | 12 | 33 | 5 | 25 | 13 | 20 | 18 | 31 | 7 |
High Familiarity
| count | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High Familiarity | 22 | 20 | 2 | 19 | 3 | 18 | 4 | 13 | 9 | 21 | 1 | 19 | 3 | 14 | 8 |
Open-ended responses
Total
| Describe which things you liked the MOST about the virtual tour experience and why? Please answer in descending order of importance. | Describe which things you liked the least about the virtual tour experience and why? Please answer in descending order of importance. | If any, did this current method of instruction have advantages over classical methods of teaching used in classrooms? | What are the functionalities you would like to see in future developments of this application? Please answer in descending order of importance. | What user group(s) do you think would benefit most from this kind of virtual tour application? How would these applications benefit them? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The thing I liked the most was definitely how the vr tour enhanced my understanding of the fires impacted and influenced forests it was cool to see it through VR. | I didn’t like how my movements were restricted. | No | More in-depth information available. | Students |
| I liked how realistic the images were. | I was ready to move on from some locations before the audio was over. | It was more interesting being on a tour rather than learning on a board. | Same, N/A | N/A |
| I most liked the 360 point of view immersion element of it. I also liked the how certain areas of the image were labeled in order to clarify the image. | I did not like how there was no control over which section of the forest we were on. I also would’ve liked it a text transcription was added on. | I think it’s much better because one can directly see how the forest is different in various areas. I think this instruction method is a great complement to written notes. | I would like to be able to control which location I’m at. Similarly I would like to be able to skip through or go back on the narration. I also would like to be able to walk in the forest a bit. | I think children would benefit the most because I think children learn most easily when there are concrete visual examples compared to learning from a textbook for example. That being said, I think a lot of people like to learn visually. |
| I liked that I was able to get a realistic image of the environment because I am a visual learner | I did not like that the audio was the only source of information, I think subtitles would help make it easier to follow along | Yes, it provides interaction and visuals | Subtitles or closed captioning to help follow along with the audio | Students |
| I liked how realistic the virtual tour felt. I could place myself in the forest and as a visual learner, it was super helpful to see what I was learning about. I was very interested the whole time because this was something new for me, so i was very engaged throughout the whole tour. I also really liked how I could pause the tour and also go back and revisit certain locations after it was over if I needed to. | I felt that my movements were slightly constricting. It was a little challenging for me to move my mouse to see certain areas. In addition, I think that there could have been slightly more guidance to walk me through the tour and really take full advantage of seeing what I am learning. | I believe that this method did have advantages over classic methods of teaching. Teachers can show pictures and videos of things in class, but the tour was helpful because I was walking through as I was listening to the information at the same time. Therefore, I was learning as I was observing rather than absorbing a bunch of information through a lecture and then watching a video afterwards. | I would like to see the beginning of the tour to be zoomed out with a map of all of the locations of the forests. Then, after touring one, it can zoom back out so we can see where these forests are in relation to one another and understand where we are going next. Also, I think it would be beneficial to have options on the tour to click on certain areas in the forest that are being discussed in order to really follow along with the information. | I think that those who are visual learners and have a short attention span would really benefit from this kind of virtual tour. A lot of times it can be challenging for kids with short attention spans to sit through a lecture which causes them to not focus as well on the material. A virtual tour could grasp their attention more and keep them intrigued because they have control over their learning and where they are looking. |
| Virtual tour allows for you to somewhat immerse yourself. It gives you a basis for what the real world looks like when discussing the issues. | For a newcomer, in certain areas there wasn’t guidance and what to look at. Almost too much freedom. Once there were guided labels, life was great. | I think this is a great tool, but can’t be the only way. A mixture and balance of classical and virtual reality would be excellent. Start with classical, add in virtual, and learning can be reinforced strongly. | Info labels at each spot. Clicking on an area that has an info box to label what is what would be great. | Virtual formats can benefit all. It also can make this field of study more accessible to those with physical disabilities |
| I liked the immersion because I was able to see everything the narrator was describing | Sometimes I was too preoccupied with panning around that I wasn’t listening to what was being said | I think the immersion works a lot better than trying to imagine what was happening in a few pictures | maybe more time to pan around before audio comes in | anyone |
| 360 views of somewhere I won’t pribably get to go to | The commentary was dry | More fun! | More 360 functionalities | Elementary school children |
| I really appreciated that there was a variety of sites and each was described to point out the differences in how they were managed. I also liked the informational commentary on how the different mitigation strategies such as controlled burns and logging affected the forest in positive and negative ways. | It was a bit hard to compare the sites, if there was a way to put a chart or something at the end to recap all of the sites and items such as their densities or what treatments they had undergone compared too the historical figures that would’ve been helpful. Also just making sure that the information given is concise, there were a couple times I felt myself getting lost in what the speaker was saying. Another way to improve this would be to add inflections to the voice over since it is very monotone which makes it hard to understand. Also, just as a side note, I think it was site 6, but the labels for the tree spacing were put on at the very end and by the time I went to look through them the site was changing. | Being able to see all of the different sites was very useful. Having the labels for the different spacings as well as being able to scroll and zoom were useful. | I would like to be able to move from site to site at my own pace. If there was a way to make it more interactive with clicking on aspects of the site to reveal facts or something like that, that would also make it more interesting. | Anyone interested in learning about forest ecology would benefit from this tour, as well as anyone looking to gain a basic understanding of the benefits and disadvantages of logging and controlled burns. These applications could benefit them by providing them with an immersive experience that they may otherwise not have a chance to experience. |
| I liked the idea of showing the actual imagery of the area and being able to zoom in and out. It allowed for a more detailed view of the subjects. | The timeline and the relationship of the location were not displayed clearly. And the audio was monotonous, so at points, interest in the content was lost. | At this level, although helpful for quick 3d demonstration, I don’t think it’s hugely advantageous to the other media. | Duration of the video, a small map of the park and where we are in relation to that, more labeling and highlighting the content based on the narration | students would benefit a lot. It also can be used in museums. |
| The 3D imagery When things were labeled in the imagery to relate what the speaker was talking about How the speaker explained the imagery history and current status | lack of control of time in each image inability to rewind and revisit without watching the whole thing again | it gave a lot more visuals and allowed me to relate what was being taught to real life situations | ability to pause, rewind, and fast forward buttons to control images instead of the mouse | people who learn by visual learning rather than reading or listening to lectures it is a lot easier to learn with this tool for those type of people (when they are not able to go visit these areas in person) |
| It was immersive and held my attention better. It is a lot easier to learn and understand the issues when you can see them like that. | There was too much talking at some points, seemed repetitive. | Absolutely, way more attention-grabbing and effective to visualize. | Maybe a little walking around, interactivity. | Students learning and people who want to be educated on these topics. Easy way to teach without going there. |
| I liked the visual freedom to really be able to see everything around me and being able to patrol everywhere. | I didn’t really dislike anything in the tour as everything was very straightforward and clear to me | I’m so much better at virtual learning as opposed to the regular technical way. I am very good with computers so it’s fun for me to learn new things virtually. | There was a couple of bugs that need fixed with moving around and sometimes my audio was distorted. It could have been a technical error on my end though | Groups that are within my field of study like computer science majors would love to do this to learn more. |
| I liked the drone images, the overall images, and being able to interact with the images. | How I couldn’t control how long I was at a site. | Just that it was more interactive, pretty easy to follow, and cohesive unlike, say, a powerpoint presentation. | Being able to control the pace of it. | Younger children, people who are better with tactile learning. |
| I liked how I was able to move around to see what I wanted to see. | I thought it was a little too long. | Being that I am learning virtually, I think that it was better than methods used currently. | to explore more (walk around, move fowards/backwards) | people who are interested in geography. |
| Being able to see in an immersive environment some things that I had briefly learned in the past. | I would like to be able to go quicker or have more freedom in the order or the experience. | As a complimentary method, yes, but not as a replacement. | Students learning virtually or in an online setting | |
| I liked being able to look around and having an interactive element. Being able to engage in the presentation made it easier to keep focused and made it more interesting. In addition to this, having different settings during the tour kept it fresh and less repetitive than standard classroom presentations with the same photos. | I think that it was longer than necessary. As a business student, it went into depth about things that are beyond my level of education which made it hard to understand. However, for someone who is majoring in this field it may be more beneficial to have the lengthy explanations. | I think that the engagement aspect of it has an advantage due to our generation being more hands on and having short attention spans. | I think closed captioning would be beneficial, especially since a lot of the terms and topics are unfamiliar to other majors. | I think visual learners and those who struggle to focus in a normal classroom would benefit. Seeing things as if we are there is very helpful to fully understand the implications to the forests. Having an interactive element will prevent people from zoning out and becoming distracted. |
| I liked that I was able to see what was being talked about. All to often do we just have to visualize on our own and we dont know if its correct or not. | The zoom didnt work the best. Took a LONG time to load Only saw a portion of area No guidance for what to look at | Yes, you could see what was being discussed You were immersed You controlled your own watching | Faster loading Better zoom Able to walk around Able to get an overhead view | Forestry students-get to actually be in the forest and be “hands-on” without actually being there |
| The different locations didn’t seem different enough from each other to emphasize the effects of different management techniques. They all seemed the same. | In person will always be better than virtual. | Common questions and answers since we can’t ask anyone questions. | Only people who can’t be there in person. | |
| I like how VR helps me feel more immersive. I think it makes me feel more engaged and interested in the materials. | I don’t like how we can not go back to listen to certain parts again. | Yes, I think it is better than the current instruction method (online readings and videos). It spurs my interest more since I can experience what the forest is actually like. | The playback function. | I think this can benefit almost everyone except those who might experience dizziness with VR. |
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It was more interactive. I did enjoy it and could visualize what I was learning.j | I would like to have had the areas he was referring to highlighted so I always know what to be looking at. Sometimes he used vocabulary that I was not familiar with and I had trouble following. | Students learning about the environment and also the general public learning about fire prevention. |
| It seems like the people putting this together went through a lot of extra effort to add material that only confuses which should be a simple powerpoint. | No. | I literally do not see a reason that anybody would need this. | ||
| I liked how I felt like I was in the middle of the forest. It made it super easy to understand what the narrator was talking about. | I didn’t like how monotone and boring the speakers voice was. | It is high-tech and easy to work with. | A way to rewind. | Geography majors. |
| I liked the idea of the 3d perspective, and how I was able to see everything from above. I also liked the different spots the tour led me to, and how I could move the camera at my own pace. | Some of the audio was difficult to understand, as well as some of the words the tour guide was saying. | Yes, having the opportunity to look at a site in real life and have control over it is something great, that I have never been exposed to before in the classroom. | I would like the ability to be able to change the camera angle. | Students who are involved in forestry and wildlife studies. I believe that this would enhance their learning by experiencing the views up close and in person. |
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-Clumsy Controls -Not always sure what I was supposed to be looking for -Should not take the place of course material | I think it is engaging because it is a different mode of instruction. I would be happy to see it used in other courses to go along with or enhance my weekly work, but I would not want the tour to be my main instructional tool. | I would like it to be more interactive. I think it would have been great f you were able to click on specific trees and learn the species and any interesting facts. The 3D video needs to do more to connect people and keep them interested. | I think kids could really enjoy this kind of instruction and would find it engaging. I would love to see it in my marketing classes. |
| I liked best that I could visualize the differences between each sections and could clearly understand what the narrator was describing | I least liked that I did not have subtitles or a written overview of each landscape | I definitely had better visual understanding of each landscape and now that I have seen them I am more likely to remember them because I can visualize them in my head | I would like written subtitles or a title on each landscape so during the description I can remember which landscape I am looking at. | I think students would definitely benefit from virtual tour application because it is easier to remember things that you have seen first hand. Also it makes what your learning no theoretical it puts you there so you feel you are a part of what your learning. |
| I found the 360 degree images very useful for gaining knowledge in the fact of learning and seeing it at the same time. This made it feel like I was almost at the area being discussed. | The tour guide spoke pretty quickly in the fact of not being able to slow him down or pause at any moment. | Better sense of actually visiting these areas rather than a small image on canvas. | Ability to pause tour/ slow down speaker. Maybe add in some video questions to make sure we are collecting the right knowledge from the lesson. | Students who would use this for virtual labs, as it would be more benefiting than watching a YouTube video on how the experiment was preformed. Hands on classes could use this in covid time and I know it would benefit. |
| I liked how you could look around and see all angles and sides. I like how you choose where to look and it was very realistic. | There was not much energy or interest from the speaker. Many of the different locations were super similar to each other. | Yes definitely, many opportunities to be able to look around 360 degrees. However still was similar to a lecture. Not too much excitement just someone talking the whole time. | More excitement from speaker. More directions of specific things of where to look at, and what it is. More differences in pictures. (Many pictures in forest were super similar.) | Definitely students as a mixed learning method. Also people who work virtually. It is a unique learning environment which can help to switch things up. |
| i felt immersed and this kind of virtual reality pictures made me feel as if I had been to this place, and it gave me a deeper understanding of the course content. | This teaching model allows students have immersive experience and learn course content. Compared to learning in a traditional classroom, this virtual reality method allows students to better understand through 360-degree photos. | Yes, I think it defiantly help students’s understanding to the course contents. | Students can control which part to start or the time spent in each part. | Students who are good at picture memory and students who prefer to actually participate in activities. |
| I enjoyed the 360 camera view, and the knowledge that was given regarding the different environments. | It would have been nice to move around a little if possible. | Yes, it was nice to see pictures along with the overview provided | It would be nice to be able to move a little more than just looking around in a circle, maybe even some interaction with the environment. | I think this is great for college students in environmental studies, it will help with the comprehension of the knowledge and also help put a picture to the words. |
| I liked following the voice commentary and having images to connect it to. | Some of the images were very bright and hurt my eyes. | More images | ||
| What I liked most about the virtual tour experience was how I could actually see what we are talking about in class in a more realistic setting. Pictures, words and videos do not do complete justice in showing what a certain park looks or feels like and this tour did a much better job at that. It made it easier to understand other things relating to the park because it felt like I was actually in the forrest. | I did not like how I was not free to move around on my own. I think it would have been better if it was possible to move around on your own to look at the forrest and other things while listening to the narrator. | Yes, I think this was not only more fun and involving then classical methods of teaching, it helped me better understand the material. | I would say I would most like to see the ability to have free movement in the future. I would also like to see the ability to move around the person’s height and or perspective to get different views. | I think college age students and even high school age students would benefit the most from this because they are the age groups most emerged in technology and this is more fun and interactive so it would keep their attention better. |
| I liked how I could see everything and be there without actually being there | My movements were delayed and laggy | Yes I could see and move in real time like I was actually there. | Being able to click on things and it identifies what they are | Anyone learning about a place they can’t actually visit, or are not near at the time |
| The 3d | need more guidance | it is efficient | could go to more than one place | students |
| It is very new to me. | Display quality | It is very interesting | ||
| I liked that we were able to visually see the forest and compare the difference tree groups by moving our mouse around. It added on to the audio commentary. I also thought the information presented in the virtual tour was very interesting and new to me. I liked the pictures of graphs/charts used to help explain parts of the commentary. | I would have liked subtitles so that I could follow along more easily with the commentary. I also wish I had more control over the movement and could go backward or forward to better observe the physical environment. | The visual aid added to the commentary and made it seem a little more interesting. I would have liked to have more movement, perhaps being able to move forward or backward to look at the forest at different angles. | More interaction would be nice such as clicking on the different groups of trees to inspect them more closely. I’d also like for there to be more pictures/ability to move around the forest. | Probably students who are already learning about forest and fire management. Having a virtual tour would add on to the experience and help students apply what they learned in class to a seemingly real life environment. |
| I think the immersion is really the best part of the experience, with the information seems more relevant when you are there | I think it was hard to figure out how to free explore, and you should make it easier for people to see where to can click to move to | It’s definitely more interesting than just a slide show or a canvas page, so people would probably pay attention more | I think this kind of immersive environment would be cool if you could artificially modify it to teach points (like simulating a fire) in the forest so we can see the effects. This may be a future thing to add as its prtty complex | I think kids would really enjoy it and if they could control how they move around they would probably love it |
| It was easier to actually see what was being taught and not just think about it. | The time spent at each site | Yes more interesting and attention grabbing | Added into course material as assignments instead of readings | Environmental science students who are new to the subject to get a sort of hands on right from home |
| I liked the new medium of learning, The viewing was very immersive. | Low image quality. | Just more immersive. | Further control over the experience. | Students that have issues focusing on lectures, this method allows them to be more in control of their learning. |
| It made me feel immersed in the information, I was able to understand it from a visual standpoint because I was looking at the information. | I am not very good at understanding things the first time, so I was a bit confused at first. | I did not think so. | Explain instructions a bit more clearly in the beginning of the visual tour. | Maybe schools would benefit from this, specifically elementary schools because the kids can learn in a more interactive way like this rather than just reading information from a textbook. |
| I enjoyed feeling as though I was actually in the forest, especially since I am a very visual learner. Being able to view what the expert commentator was talking about helped me to connect the ideas presented. Having control of what I was seeing in each scene was also a plus because I could take it all in at my own pace. | The one thing that I struggled with during the virtual tour experience was completely paying attention to the information provided because I tend to lose focus. I sometimes would have a hard time paying attention because I was too busy using the mouse controls to view the current visual. | I enjoyed being able to feel as though I was at the location, unlike when I am in a classroom learning the material. I am a visual learner, so having the virtual reality experienced definitely helped me to learn more. | Being able to zoom in more, if possible | Students who are visual learners, especially if you cannot travel to a place to learn about it. |
| The thing I liked the most was being able to visualize what the narrator was explaining and being able to have an image in my head that gave me a better understanding of the information. | The thing that I liked the least was having no control over how much time was spent at each location because at times I found it hard to focus. | I think this method of instruction was unique and different from most classical methods and I believe it was a good change and captured my attention to focus. It also helped to share a lot of information and made it easier to learn by providing images. | I would like to see more freedom to explore various parts of the tour at an individual’s own pace. | Personally, I feel as though everyone could benefit from this kind of virtual tour application and not one singular group. I believe it provides all individuals with great insight and a different point of view of learning where they feel as though they are part of it and are learning as they go. |
| I liked the audio narration paired with the visual experience of being in the areas he was talking about. I also liked the pictures and graphics which allowed me to better picture the scenarios of fire at the spaces I was in. | I didn’t like the restrictiveness of being kept in one spot, with my only options being to spin and zoom. | I think it did because it allowed me to actually see and be in the spaces I was learning about. That allowed me a greater understanding than just learning with pictures. | I would like to see a development where you can move around in the areas, perhaps walk to different landmarks and click on them to hear the narration and learn about a group, or a gap, or downed trees and duff. | I think this would most benefit students of any age. The information could be simplified for younger elementary students, or made more in depth for college aged students. |
| I did like that I was able to see everything while listening as I am a visual learner. I personally thought the drone image-based views were really cool and a marvelous experience in the last couple of locations. The lessons showing the groups and how forests have been impacted by fires and then the absence of fires were very clear and easy to understand. | At first, I was a little confused about what was happening and what I had to do but I picked it up within the first location. I thought it was a 360-degree view tour so I was stuck on the fact that it was restricted. I did not exactly like that it was an automatic tour though as I would be looking around and then it would just move on by itself. | I do like that we are able to exactly see what we are talking about as if we are actually at the site. | I would like to be able to do a 360-degree turn as I did not like the restriction. | I think it could help children and youth adults as they are still learning how to learn and visual learning is the best way to learn for them. |
| The views were very nice the drone view was very good | The audio was very confusing and i felt like it could be made a bit more interactive. | More interactive activities | Tourists | |
| I like to enjoy the realism of the computer screen in the virtual immersion experience because it seems to take me to the forest. | I don’t like audio commentary very much. Although I can understand it, I am tired because English is not my mother tongue. I think that reminders like subtitles can enhance the experience. | It absolutely has advantages. | Add more text information such as subtitles | I think almost all people can benefit from the teaching method of virtual immersion experience. Because of the virtual nature of this method, it can bring people a lot of convenience. However, this method may not be suitable for some disadvantaged groups such as blind or deaf people. |
| I think it offered a new way to learn that we don’t get from our other classes and I found that it was more interesting. | I think it was glitchy and had touble loading with my service. | I think just being something new and different offers an advantige over the traditional method. | Maybe make it easier to load up the system and get higher quality picture. | I think this would be better used in an in-class setting where gourps or people can collaborate on desktops. |
| I liked the drone imagery as well as the ability to look around. I felt like I was actually standing in these locations listening to the narrator. The imagery also helped me visualize the concepts in a real-world setting. | At one point I pressed “B” to rewind the experience. The narrator’s voice went back ten seconds, but the pictures on the screen stayed the same. As soon as the audio linked back up to the pictures, I did not experience any more difficulties. | The ability to bounce from location to location. If we were visiting this site in-person it would take all day to walk around and visit these stands. | Captions for the narration | College students, forest landowners, Forest Service Employees, people who use forest land for recreation. |
| I enjoyed the ability to navigate a field of vision while the voiceover was going and seeing exactly what he was referring to. The footage was very clear and easy to work around, and the varying elevations were extremely interesting in terms of perspectives (especially in observing things like gaps). | Honestly the only downside I could think of is that we were unable to determine how long to spend in each location and that we couldn’t easily rewind to review information (e.g., like a youtube video). Some of the information would have been nice to replay, but I understand how that might be difficult to incorporate. | I certainly think so. It was a nice touch to be able to navigate to what you wanted to see as the instructor was covering materials and to see different vantage points. And going back to materials after the tour was always a viable option. | I would mostly like to see an option to rewind/fastforward at the viewers leisure if they’d like to review the material again without going over the entire section again. There’s nothing that can really be done about slow internet speeds, so that was my only quarrel with the system. | Visual learners would likely have the most to benefit from this kind of virtual tour, but any aged group of learners would benefit from the various kinds of media and having some aspect of control in the ability to look around while the instructor is covering materials as you would in an in-person lab environment. |
| I did not like the limited motions, though the audio accompanied them. I also did not see an option to have subtitles, which would have been beneficial. | Yes, because we were immersed into the environment. It was useful have very strong visuals for the content provided. | Definitely a legend for key functions in the actual presentation, though they are presented before hand it would be helpful to have access to that during the presentation. It would have also been nice to have a pause function. | Visual learners for sure, its very helpful having the images to compare and contrast. | |
| There wasn’t much I liked about it. | I did not like that this was a virtual tour. Forestry is a profession that needs to be learned in the field, not at a computer. Looking at pictures on the screen does not give near the perspective seeing things in the field does. | The only advantage this would have over classical methods of teaching in the classroom is you get to see images of the area. While the virtual reality does provide more spatial perspective than a photo, it is still not anything like being in the field. The audio was also very dry which made it hard to concentrate on. | I would like to see students be able to actually go to study sites and learn rather than watch it on the computer. Trying to learn forestry on a screen is only half the education one gets from learning in the field. | I think it would only benefit those who are unable to go out into the field to learn because they still would get some sort of experience other than pictures and powerpoints. |
| The digital quality and organization of the program were surprisingly good, which aided in my enjoyment and understanding of the topics at hand. | My top complaint about the entire experience was that the loading time for this program was over an hour with all of the recommended settings and high speed internet. This definitely negatively affected my overall experience. | I think the most prominent advantage would be the immersion that this program provides. I believe this program garners much more attention than a traditional lecture with supplemental pictures. | I think a free-roam option for a select portion of the program would greatly improve its efficacy as a learning tool by providing an opportunity for curiosity to take over. Overall, I think more user control and interaction would lead to a more engaging lesson. | Younger students would probably benefit most from this application as a way to introduce them to forest management that is not so disconnected from nature itself. I believe that traditional classroom lectures do not do environmental sciences justice. |
| Being able to visually see the effects of fires and the lack of effects without fires was easily understandable. The ability to see the spacing of a stand that has had different management practices helps visually understand it. | None | Being able to visually see something in a 360 degree way allowed you to understand more than a picture in a lecture | Be able to see other regions in the US with this technology. | High Schools need to teach this kind of concept because still to this day, people view fire only for its destructive nature, not the benefit it brings. |
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This method of instruction was advantageous because it allowed the viewer to have a more realistic learning experience. In addition, this type of learning experience promoted exploration and analysis over memorization. | In the future developments of this application, I think it would be important to create the option to explore different elements of the forest, instead of restricting the view to a minimal zoom 360-degree viewpoint. In addition, I think it would be important to include options to elaborate on certain topics and analyze certain sites more without pausing the audio. | I think young adults and undergraduate students would benefit most from this virtual tour because they often have limited field-based experience. This application would allow them to learn about the landscape first hand and apply their lecture-based material. |
| I liked the 360 degree pan around the different locations. It helped nearly immerse yourself in the stand. | I didn’t like that you couldn’t move throughout the stand. | It helps during the COVID-19 situation when we cannot load up on a bus and go out to different forests/stands as a class. | Maybe a few drone photos from each stand would help a user get a better visual. | College students who cannot go to a forest out west. |
| Realistic views that allowed for easy estimations of the area. Covering several areas in a short amount of time. | Sometimes it was difficult for me to move the view around to orient myself. | It was easier to estimate distances through this method. | I would like to see a compass that directed which way your are looking. | Students would most benefit because it would allow for a much more in depth understanding. |
| In short, I enjoyed the imagery the most. Whether that image was taken from a pedestal, drone, or ground level, the 360 degree HD imagery really hit home. | I would say no, over classical methods, as I would truly prefer to learn in-person from a real human. This would be great supplemental material for both in-person and online classes. | More interaction. Being able to “move” around was fun, but I would have liked to have also been able to click and interact. | Online learner, as online classes get boring very quickly and this would be a great way to change it up. | |
| The views from the drone surely helped me picture what was going on. Also, the navigation and different views of elevation helped as well. | The eye strain and the user interface were a little uncomfortable for me. | Yes, this allowed me to physically picture the information and content we were learning | A function where you can navigate through the environment a little better. Maybe more captured images and views so transitions are less drastic. | People like myself that are visual learners are do not learn much sitting in a classroom getting lectured at |
| I really liked the audio and the 360 pictures | We couldn’t control how long we spend on each topid | I thought it was interesting versus a normal lecture | Have a time control and able to move my mouse outside of the stimulation | I think someone who doesnt do well with listening to powerpoints |
| The imaging and drone features. | How it couldnt be completed at my own pace. | It seems more advanced and it is more effective in visualization then using slides. | A function that lets you dictate how much time is spent at each station. | I think visual learners would have the most to benefit out of any group. |
| I think this type of learning is very new and interesting, and I believe that this is what I like the most for the virtual tour. Also, I think this virtual tour is realistic since I can see a view in 360 degrees. | One thing I don’t like about this is that there was only a limited area that I can look around, which may be bored if looking at it for so long. Another thing I don’t like about the virtual tour is that I think it took me so long to get into the website. | I think a combine of both would be better. | I would like to see an expand on areas that I could look at. Also, in comparison to an automatic video recording, I prefer to control by my self. | I think this would benefit for people who take online classes just like me. |
| I liked how I could look around the forest to feel more like I was actually there. I could easily relate those images to my own experiences in forests. | I did not like the pace of the tour. I think it moved too slowly. | It was an advantage to be able to see the 360 degree images of the forests while hearing the lecture. | Perhaps an ability to go through the lecture at 1.5x or 2.0x speed. | I think visual learners benefit most from this type of application. |
| Things I like the most is the virtual tour could really help me to use the knowledge I learned to understand the real world, and if not because of this Imight never know the beauty of the environment. | Nothing really | Yes I think it will strongly assist the classical way and make the learning experience much better. | I can interact with the environment, and maybe see what would be the consequences. | I think junior high students would benefit from this a lot. Because that is the stage where you start to decide what to do in your life, so showing them the beautiful nature might inspire them. |
| seeing the landscape, the commentary | Hard to move | It was more interesting | to walk around not just move | younger kids because its more interesting |
| I think that the information provided was really interesting. The environment seemed cool at first. | I got a bit dizzy from the virtual tour. I think simply providing images can be just as or more effective. | I think that way we can interact with the location may be more beneficial to my learning, but it should not be used throughout the whole learning experience. It can cause distractions and dizziness. | Being able to move around the park, like moving through the streets in google maps. | I think people that would need to work with the land and have a complete view of the environment would most benefit from this type of virtual tour. |
| The things I liked most was the general commentary and facts about the relationship between forests and fires. | The site continually crashed and was extremely buggy despite the fact that I have strong wifi, have a google chrome and used chrome, and waited for everything to load. | Nope | Better functionality | Groups that are financially challenged, but then they likely won’t have computers so not sure. If they did have computers it could allow them to “go” to places they have never seen, but youtube exists so they can just look it up on there if they care to. |
| I think its new to me and make me interested to explore | Little bit dizzy and took too long to load | Yes, I think so | I think more fun? All in all it is a great idea like Astro7N’s class, new way to learn. | most of the students I think, its new and attract eyes |
| I felt like I was in the forest with the teacher and they were presenting as if they were in a classroom. | There was no option to pause between images. | I think for certain people this would be better than a textbook. | I would like to see more options for movement. | Online students. |
| I liked the realistic, 360 degree scenes that the virtual tour provided because it gave me a nice visual to follow along with the lesson. | I did not like how slow the tour moved and the lack of transitions between visuals because it became less and less engaging as time went on. | The current method of instruction allows students to work at their own pace and revisit lessons that they did not understand more than in a classroom setting. | I would like to see the incorporation of some text as well as a more interactive feel that forces students to remain attentive. This could be in the form of quiz questions throughout the lesson. | I think people that are forced to take virtual classes but are visual learners would benefit most because they are able to see what they are being taught and can form connections. |
| I like the image part, which give me more sense about the audio. | I cannot really understand the audio, if without any images. | the tour is realistic, which will let us feel good and more deep[ understanding. | I do not really understand. | students will be helped to learn more knowledge. |
| Visually learning instead of just text | Monotone speaker and not much movement or captions | advantages solely because of being placed in the actual environment | Closed captions pls | Younger generations with ease of technology use, visual learning |
| I think it was very intruiging to go on a tour and learn as if I were actually at the location. | I wish there were more interactive features to click on and view rather than listening the whole time with limited media content. | I would say its even, I prefer in-person classes though. | More interactive features and media content. | students interested in specific topics |
| It helped confirm and remind me about some of the information I had studied this semester. I liked the drone shots a lot!! | Nothing. I think it was all good. | I think it was engaging more than perhaps a text book. Books are fine, but being part of the environment or feeling like you’re part of the environment is better. | I thought maybe a little music behind the voiceover would have been nice. | I think it needs to go to younger kids who are going to inherit this problem if nothing is done to address it. |
| I liked the high tech views I was able to get when looking from the top of the forests. | How quick each section was. | Yes | Enhanced zoom with multiple cameras per section. | Tour guides and park rangers. Gives them a perspective they may never get to see. |
| I really liked the immersive feel to the tour. The 3D images were really great and the freedom to kind of explore the areas. | I’m a visual learner, so I had a hard time taking in the information from the audio because there was no text to put with it. | Yes! The 3D images and being able to explore were much more effective than staring at a picture on a screen. | Some sort of text or figures to go with the audio. | Every student would benefit from this. |
| i really liked being able to be at the locations and move around and specifically when the areas were labeled such as gap or group because it elped to undertans what the commentator was referring to. | I don’t know if its because I don’t have a mouse, but at some locations I couldn’t get it to look up which was restricting. Also, I fell like the time spent at some of the locations, specifically the first one if I remember correctly, could be too long which would cause me to loose interest if i had already looked at all of the angles. | Yes, because it was interactive it gained more attention then say a video with just pictures flashing by which can quickly become boring. | i would like there to be a road map that allows the viewer to click on each location and move around. This will allow the user to easily be able to go back an re-access a concept or location. | I think kids would love to use this since its interactive |
| I liked being able to immerse myself in an environment without actually being there. I also liked the voice-over as you are seeing things. It is good to be able to tie together info visually and audibly. | I nonly have a laptop so the scrolling and zooming wasn’t terribly smooth. | It is a lot more engaging than just reading a paragraph of texts or notes. | Maybe the ability to move more freely in all three directions. | Students because I believe this would be a great way to supplement and reinforce the info that we learn in class. |
| I liked how the tour took us to several different stops in order to gain knowledge on the topic | I think there were too many stops and too much information to remember it all | Not really | Maybe be able to walk through the forest like google maps | high school students or people learning the information for the first time |
| I loved how I was able to look at things at my own pace. If I wanted to move the camera, then I had the ability to. I also liked the labels that described what was being talked about. | The voiceover was slow and monotone and multiple points of the tour. This was tough sometimes | Yes. I think it is important to have some sort of interaction. I do not think this is a substitute for going outside but could supplement it for sure. | potentially a farther zoom in option and more dynamic labels on images. | Students and visitors of the forest |
| I liked the audio and appreciated that it wasn’t just something that I had to click through and read. I also liked the visual because personally it helps me retain more information. | I didn’t like that you didn’t have an option in how long you stay at each location it just went straight into the next without asking you if you wanted to go back and review before you move on. | I don’ think it had a strong advantage. I really liked the articles and course layout this semester, I think it is one of the reasons I did very well, because it was very well organized. | I would like it to have a button that allows you to review or repeat the section before moving onto the next. Sometimes you miss something and want to go back and rewatch it to strengthen your understanding before moving on. | I think this would be beneficial to other Geog classes to watch . It really helped and made the material easier to understand by having visuals, a virtual experience and audio. |
| I liked most that the speakers spoke very clearly because I have a heard time with listening comprehension, and while there were not captions to assist, the speakers spoke slower than normal conversation levels and I could accurately follow what they were saying. Second, I enjoyed the use of photos showing what the land looked like before compared to now because the photos also give you an idea of smart management looks like compared to merely cutting down wood for logging purposes. Third, I did like that at times there were written words on the screen referencing talking points, but it was not consistent. | One thing I did not like was that at times it seemed like the speaker was talking of something that I was not able to follow because I did not have something pointing me into the direction of what I was supposed to be looking at. | I would say yes and no. Yes because this type of instruction I feel is best for before going out into the field, but also no because it is not hands-on work so you are going based off a best judgement call as to what something is either supposed to look like or even feel like. | I would like to see captions and possibly pointer arrows when you are referencing something specific on the screen. | I think that first-year students would benefit most from this type of virtual tour as this is a way to immerse yourself before potentially getting lost in a forest. |
| It was helpful to get a first hand view of the areas of interest that the study described to help develop a better understanding and the forest dynamics. | fixed locations within a study area, could only zoom and rotate | Yes, this gives an immersive feel that create a better understanding than just pictures and maps alone | Being able to move around throughout each study area | Anyone who can benefit from in person training that can not access it |
| I liked the visuals, and realness of it. | The speed couldn’t be changed. I would have liked if the narrator went a little faster or we could choose how long we spend in each section. | students can learn at their own pace. | I would like to see a speed option added. | I would think students who like to take their time and learn at their own paces would like this. |
| It felt very realistic and I was able to visualize what was being talked about. | The monologe voice and that there was no other information (charts, data sets) to compare with what was being discussed. | I prefer classical teaching methods because I can ask questions but an advantage to this method would be, like I said earlier, it gives an opportunity to really visualize it (particularly good with this subject matter). | More interatctive | I think that people with disablities would greatly benefit from a learning application such as this one. |
| I liked the information the tour provided first and foremost, it was very interesting and exciting. The next aspect I would have to confer to the nature of the simulation, it was well formulated and presented in a graphical and pedagogical sense and certainly captivating. | No extraordinary complaints | Yes, this was certainly much more engaging and lively. | Perhaps a greater ability to control the rate of speed of the tour, however this can pose challenging I’m sure. | I think just about any user group would benefit from this educational tour. It was certainly captivating, and the points were well articulated. |
| I liked the comparisons between the current control forests and the historical forest structure. I liked seeing the difference between the high variability thinning, low variability thinning, and the control forests. | The sites were not numbered on the map when I tried to revisit them. | The advantages were actually seeing the sites from different vantage points. Also, I could move the picture around and look at things myself instead of having someone show me what to directly look at. | n/a | Students - learn about ecology, thinning, prescribed fire Wildland firefighters - to show the result of their work Public - doesn’t have much of an idea about the benefits of thinning and prescribed fire |
| The ease of access and being able to experience forests in other parts of the country and look at them with narration from a professional forester. | not being able to decide how long I spent at each site. | The only advantage would be the ability to see and analyze forests in other parts of the country. | The ability to “ask” the instructor questions which could be done as being able to click from a list of the most commonly asked questions with each question having a pre recorded response. | With the prompts? Students who are still new to the forestry program. A form of the program without any narration could be effective for senior level forestry students who can analyze the pictures with an instructor in class. |
| The tour allowed me to feel like I was standing in the forest. This let me relate it to other forests I’ve been in. The 360 imagery below the crowns combined with the low altitude birds eye view was most helpful in understanding the variable density strategy. | Issues with slow image rendering and snapping movements as I looked around made it difficult to clearly make out the forest structure at times. The inability to move around within a plot was disheartening, but understandable as that is a whole different undertaking. The inability to step back in the commentary was also frustrating. If I missed a key point or it took a second to become clear, I would like to go back 30 seconds and hear it again. This would be more helpful than just being able to go back and explore after. | Currently, it is difficult to get a group of students in to the woods due to the pandemic. Furthermore, while we have access to experimental forests and different study sites, it is difficult to get the whole picture in a 2-3 hour walking tour/lab. The drone imagery and ability to “look around” provided the feeling of being in a PSW forest while sitting in the NE Appalachians. |
Commentary control and visible UI heads-up-display. Although it is immersive, I feel there is more learning potential in adding some augmented reality to the VR. Ability to move within plots. The 360 cam is awesome, but my first instinct after looking around was to try to take a few steps to look at a tree. |
Students in NR management fields - increased exposure and immersion in areas otherwise inaccessible. Policymakers - This brings the forest to them. It seems like a very effective way to educate individuals who may not spend time in these remote areas. |
| This is the best tool I have seen for presenting forestry research projects. It made visualizing the study extremely easy | I did not like that I was stationary in the tour. It would be cool to move around the forest as if I was walking in a video game. | It is better then a power point or zoom meeting, but not better then a real in person tour. | I would like to be able to walk around the program as if I were playing a video game. | All the forestry students who are stuck in zoom classes or sick of watching power point presentations everyday of the semester. The information presented was too technical for most of the general public. |
| The experience of being able to visually interact with the study areas. The information shared. | The lack of further controls within the interaction. | Yes, especially in actually being able to see the subject of the lessons without physically being at the locations. | Further freedom of exploration. Information on the screen. | I would believe that most if not all naturalistic professions would benefit greatly from this type of system. This would benefit them, as it would be easier to experience the subjects of their lessons in a way that gets everyone engaged but also instructs them in a very detailed and hands-on way. |
| I liked being able to see the forest from higher up so I could get a better overall image of the stand. I also liked being able to see the differences each treatment had on each stand. | I didn’t like how the tour automatically jumped from location to location | I think this method really helped me visualize the effects of different treatments and other disturbances have on forests | If possible, a way to move through the forests instead of being stagnent, even if on a fixed path, or a way to toggle between multiple 360 photos of the same location | People who like to learn more visually. Sometimes I have a harder time picturing outcomes so this could help people like me connecting processes and outcomes |
| I liked multiply different locations and height of the camera angle. I like this because it gave more of a diverse learning method when doing the tour. the different height also gave me a better understanding of canopy dynamics. I also liked how the tour included past pictures. The pictures painted a better picture of the stand dynamic over time, and gave a better description of what was done (such as prescribed fires) and how they looked. | The only thing I disliked was the lack of guidance of what is was suppose to be looking at. I just found it a little difficult to located what the narrator was talking about, however, I eventually found it. | compared to in class teaching this had no advantages, however, its always good to see/ learn differently. | The only thing that would improve this is somehow include a question section. Maybe have a section of the tour with frequently asked questions and let the tourist choose a few questions, followed with answers. | High school students and college students interseted in this field of study. This could also benefit new employees by giving them a “rundown” on whats going on in a certain stand (assuming the company they work for created a similar tour). |
| I liked being able to look around the most because then I could have an accurate idea of what the location actually looks like. I was also able to spin around and zoom in on things, making it better than a picture. | The thing I liked least was not being able to control how long was spent in an area. | Yes, it was more immersive than current online classes. It was neat to have the ability to look around. | I would like to have more interactive ability, in terms of clicking and moving through the class or something. | I think any group that has a lot of outdoor learning. VR will be helpful to look at an area that maybe can’t be reached. This would benefit them because then even on days when the weather is to poor to go outside it is still possible to learn about an area. |
| My favorite part of the tour was the very end when we were seeing the forest from the perspective of a drone. I also enjoyed being able to move around because it made me feel like I was standing in the forest. | One thing I did not like as much was that I could only see a certain amount of forest. For example, in some spots, I could not see behind me. | I think this current method of instruction has advantages over classical methods of teaching because it gives students a better understanding of the environment and allows them to fully grasp what they are learning. | I would like to be able to move forward and backwards as if I am walking around. | I think that kids would really benefit from this kind of virtual tour application because kids are very visual and this tour is extremely realistic and visible. |
| I liked the ability to have a 360 view that I could move at my pace while the audio remained constant in the background. | I disliked the loading time as well as the way that the audio did not match the imagery at times or simply did not change the interactive landscape per what the speaker was discussing. | This seems like a good way to get students engaged over a typical classroom setting, but it could definitely use some improvement. | Faster loading time of materials, more interactive landscapes per each area, better image quality, better matching of the audio to each image. | Any online-based course would benefit from this sort of virtual tour. It provided variety to my learning experience and much needed engagement in the material. |
| I liked the camera angles, pictures, and in photo descriptions because it helped me visualize. | I did not like completely automatic. Made it just feel like a video. | It has the advantage of allowing the user to develop a feel for the spatial surroundings of the forest. | It would be nice to see more in photo descriptions of what the audio is talking about. Pop up boxes pointing to things in the environment and stuff like that. | I think groups requiring a strong visual aid. This was useful for forestry because you could visit that forest no matter where the classroom is. |
| I liked the maps and graphs they had shown us so we were able to get a picture of what they were talking about, detail of the VR, and I really liked how I was able to look and zoom in on areas to further inspect | the VR moves kind of fast for me (giving me a little bit of a headache) and I wished the narrator gave us a little bit of time to explore the pictures (I missed out on some information) | Yes, I like having pictures to go along with what is being taught and the different views around the park kept it interesting | More like a google maps where you can look at the forest at all angles and even move around a little bit | Definitely an older group of teenagers or young adults because younger children would probably not focus on the information being said and the older generation might struggle with the buttons you have to press if you need to pause, zoom, make it a full screen, start over, or even rewind. |
| The VR. It feels real. | The movements are restricted tho. Cannot really move around. | Yes. It’s more interesting. | Can move further. | |
| I liked the virtual tour because I felt immersed in the site without actually being there. | I didn’t like how the images of the slides would pop up right in the middle of the tour, if they appeared to the side then I would like it more. | Yes, I felt more interested because I was able to listen, and explore at the same time. | I would like to have more mobility and be able to click on more things that I can zoom into. | I think this would benefit younger kids a lot by keeping them interested and more immersed into the things they are learning. |
| I liked how immersive it was especially because during the pandemic it is basically impossible to travel and see new areas which makes tours like this the only way that we are able to see things like this. | I did not like that we could not control the speed. It was pretty slow to me and I think that being able to control the speed of things would make it a better experience for me to learn. | it was more relatable to learn from the images and the narration which make it easier for memorization to attach it to things that I know. | I think that this would be interesting for medical studies as well as environmental studies which more interactive qualities like a video game and a place to make notes and ask questions. | I think that people who need hands-on learning but cannot travel due to financials or pandemic would really benefit from learning like this. |
| The ability to visualize different forest densities from multiple angles. | The inability to work at my own speed. | Very helpful as an immersive experience. | Periodic testing of concepts. Ability to go at own speed. | Groups in other countries who have never visited California. Media covering wildfires. |
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