VR and Assessment

"Test what you teach; teach what you test."

A maxim of educational assessment is that assessments and learning objectives must be correlated. 

In the lesson plans and learning activities you have produced for this project, student achievement of learning objectives has been supported by the integration of interactive virtual reality components. It is appropriate that students should use VR to demonstrate their learning as well.

While VR modules can easily be incorporated into traditional formats of quizzes and test, they are particularly well suited to integration into performance-based assessments including essays, oral presentations,  hands-on problems, simulations, and other authentic tasks that involve a display of actual learning. Such assessments provide students with opportunities for extended demonstrations of knowledge or skills. They promote discussion and reflection. Artifacts produced by the student in performance-based assessments exhibit evidence of achievement of the learning objectives, and can be archived to document the accomplishments of the student. 

TIP! A simple method students can use to document their interaction with VR objects is make a "screen capture" of the VR image displayed on the monitor screen.   There are dozens of shareware and freeware programs designed to make screen captures, but Windows provides a built-in, easy method of making an image from the screen display.  With the desired image displayed on the screen simply press the "Print Screen"  key on your computer keyboard. This copies the screen image to the computer "clipboard." Now open a Windows application such as MS Word or PowerPoint, and "paste" the image into your document (Edit, then Paste on the menu bar, or CTRL + V on the keyboard.)

The images below were inserted into this html document using the technique described above, and cropped using the Picture tools described below!

After placement into the document the image can be easily cropped using the "Pictures" toolbar typically included in productivity applications. If this toolbar is not showing in your Microsoft Office application click View on the menu bar, then Toolbars, and Pictures to make it visible. Click the image to invoke the toolbar functions. On the Pictures toolbar, click the Crop tool  to activate it.                                                   Crop Tool A dotted Selection Frame appears over the selected image. Resize the frame until it contains the portion of the image you wish to keep for display. Click the Crop tool again to deactivate it. The "cropped" image is displayed!

Example: Screen Captured VRML object

VR Assessment Examples  

Scenario I
Medical Terminology: Grades 9-12 - Single computer classroom

Patient Diagnosis

After completing the Eye-movement simulator activities, students are called individually to the computer to diagnose a simulated patient. To set up the assessment the instructor opens the Eye Movement web site and configures the symptoms of the simulated patient. Careful arrangement of the browser window prevents the student from seeing the symptom settings. Under the observation of the teacher,  the student conducts an examination and makes notes of the observed symptoms. The learner makes a formal, written diagnosis, using appropriate terminology. The student is scored according to a rubric for their performance conducting the examination, and for the quality of their written product.

Scenario II

Science -MIddle  Grades:

Computer lab or library computers, and single-computer classroom 

After completing the learning activities the learner must create and environmental inventory of plants, animals, and habitat components of the assigned QTVR environment. The learner visits the appropriate web site and uses the print screen key to capture "screen shot" photos of the "virtual" environment. Screen captures are pasted into a PowerPoint Presentation. The learner creates written "speakers notes"  with appropriate written descriptions and comments. Using the notes and PowerPoint the learner makes a presentation to the class. The student is evaluated on the thoroughness and quality of the presentation.

Scenario III
Math/ Science 

The 3D INSECTS site provides students with a sort of "virtual" magnifying glass, by letting viewers examine "larger-than-life" VRML models of common insects. Problem: Just how much larger are these objects than the actual insects?

After completing a lesson on ratios and proportions students must calculate how many times larger the VRML ant is compared to the actual size of a real, living ant. The learner estimates the length of a real ant. Species is not important here, just go with the most common ant in your area (the creatures are probably around .25 inch in length!) The learner then visits the 3D INSECTS website, views the VRML ant, and manipulates it until the overall length of the creature can be measured.   Holding a ruler up to the monitor screen, the learner measures the length of the insect displayed on the screen! Using the collected information, and knowledge and skills acquired in the lesson the student makes the necessary calculations to determine how many times the VRML ant has been magnified. Extend the assessment by having the student use the calculated "magnification factor" to determine the "life size" of another VRML insect at the 3D INSECTS site.

WARNING! RESULTS MAY VARY! The "size" of the 3D insects measured on the screen will vary from computer to computer depending upon the monitor size and resolution settings, greatly affecting the learners' calculation of the "magnification factor".

Visit the planets and find out facts about the planets and the solar system. 

• List at least three facts on your planet paper about each planet.
• Try to find one interesting fact to share with the class. 
• Draw and color a picture of each planet. Label the planet clearly. 

• http://www.galaxies.com/vrml/planets/planets.wrl

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