How virtual reality turns students into scientists | Jessica Ochoa Hendrix

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Bruce Sung

How did you discover your passion

你要如何找出你的熱情

or find your career?

或者找到你的職涯？

Were you exposed to it?

你接觸過嗎？

Or was it trial and error?

還是採用試誤法？

As child rights advocate Marian Wright Edelman said,

兒童權利擁護者 瑪麗亞·賴特·埃德爾曼說：

"You can't be what you can't see."

「你不可能成為 你看不見的那種人。」

Fortunately, we now live in a time

幸運的是，在我們這個時代，

when emerging technologies may help us to solve this problem.

新興的科技可能可以 協助我們解決這個問題。

For the past two years,

過去兩年間，

I've been developing an extended reality program

我一直在研發一個擴展實境方案，

that enables middle school students from across the country

讓全國各地的中學生能夠

to take on the role of a marine biologist --

扮演海洋生物學家的角色——

even if they've never seen the ocean.

即使他們從來沒有見過海洋。

As one seventh grader who recently completed our program said,

正如一位近期才完成 這項方案的七年級學生所言：

"I could see myself as a scientist,

「我可以想像我將來會做科學家，

because I enjoyed this game."

因為我很享受這個遊戲。」

This feedback really excited me,

這則回饋讓我很興奮，

because too few students do see themselves as scientists.

因為太少有學生未來 會想要成為科學家了。

A 2014 study showed that 57 percent of eighth- and ninth-grade students

一項 2014 年的研究顯示，

57% 的八、九年級生

said, "Science isn't me."

都說：「科學不適合我。」

Coincidentally, also in 2014,

很巧合的是，同樣在 2014 年，

I met Mandë Holford, a marine biochemist,

我認識了海洋生物化學家 曼蒂·霍爾福德，

and Lindsay Portnoy, an educational psychologist.

以及教育心理學家琳賽·波提諾。

The three of us shared a passion

我們三人同樣都很熱衷

for getting students excited by and comfortable with science.

想要讓學生對科學 感到興奮和舒適自在。

We thought about how we could give children

我們思考要如何提供學生

the most realistic experience of a scientific career.

最真實的科學職涯體驗。

We discussed the research;

我們討論了一項研究，它指出

it showed that students felt comfortable taking risks when playing games.

學生在玩遊戲時對於 承擔風險會比較感到舒適自在。

So the three of us started an educational games company

於是我們三人創立了 一間教育遊戲公司，

to bring science to life.

讓科學活起來。

Virtual reality seemed like a low-cost way of increasing access.

若要增加可取得性，虛擬實境 似乎是一種低成本的方式。

In addition, academic research has shown

此外，學術研究指出，

that virtual reality may lead to increases in learning retention.

虛擬實境可能會造成 學習記憶力的增加。

This was perfect for us, as we wanted to be in schools

那對我們來說很完美， 因為我們想在學校裡進行，

so that we could reach the most number of students possible,

才能盡可能接觸到最多學生，

particularly students who have been underrepresented in science.

特別是在科學領域中 相對稀少的那些學生。

So, with funding from the National Science Foundation,

所以，靠著國家 科學基金會的資金，

we began developing our extended reality program

我們開始開發 我們的擴展實境方案，

that combined virtual reality

將虛擬實境與個人化的 數位日記結合。

with personalized digital journaling.

We worked with teachers while developing it

我們在開發時也與老師合作，

to ensure that it would fit seamlessly into existing curricula

以確保這個方案能 與既有的課程無縫接軌，

and empower teachers to use cutting-edge technology in their classroom.

讓老師可以在教室中 使用先進技術。

We designed the virtual reality for Google Cardboard,

我們的虛擬實境是針對 Google Cardboard 設計，

which requires only a smartphone

必要配備只有智慧手機

and a 10 dollar VR viewer made of cardboard.

以及十美元的 Cardboard 虛擬實境顯示器。

With this inexpensive headset,

戴上這個不貴的頭戴顯示器，

students are transported to an underwater expedition.

學生就會被傳送到 一場水底的探險中。

Students use their digital journal

學生可以用他們的數位日記 來寫下他們的筆記、

to write down their notes,

to answer questions,

回答問題、

to construct models

建立模型，

and to develop hypotheses.

以及提出假設。

Students then go to the virtual world to test their hypotheses

接著，學生進入虛擬世界

去測試他們的假設是否正確，

and see if they're accurate,

much as scientists go to the field

很像是職業科學家 去做實地測試一樣。

in their careers.

When students return to their digital journal,

當學生回到他們的數位日記，

they share their observations, claims,

他們可以分享他們的觀察、主張、

reasoning and evidence.

推論，以及證據。

The students' written answers and virtual interactions

學生所寫下的答案以及虛擬的互動

are all updated live

都會在教育者評估 儀表板上即時更新，

in an educator assessment dashboard,

so that teachers can follow their progress

老師可以追蹤他們的進度，

and support them as needed.

在必要時伸出援手。

To give you a better sense, I'm going to show you

為了讓各位更清楚， 我會展示給各位

a little bit of what students see.

看一些學生所看到的畫面。

This is the virtual reality when they're underwater

這是當學生在水底觀察

observing the flora and fauna.

植物群和動物群時的虛擬實境。

This is the digital journal where they're constructing their models

這是數位日記，讓他們 可以根據這些非生命資料

based on this abiotic data to show what they expect to see.

來建立他們的模型， 呈現出他們預期看到什麼。

Here, they're supporting that with qualitative statements.

在這裡，他們要用 質性的陳述來做支持。

And this is the educator dashboard that shows progress

這是教育者的儀表板， 上面會呈現進度，

and enables [teachers] to see the students' answers as they go.

讓〔老師〕看到學生 在過程中寫下的答案。

When we were creating BioDive,

我們在創造 BioDive 時，

again, we really wanted to focus on access,

我們著重的是可取得性，

so we designed it to require only one phone for every four students.

所以我們的設計是， 四個學生有一支手機即可。

We also knew how collaborative science work is,

我們也知道協作科學 是怎樣的狀況，

so we constructed the experience to only be solved

所以我們建立了一些體驗，

一定要透團隊合作來解決，

through collaborative teamwork,

as each student is an expert in a different geographic location.

每位學生扮演一位 在不同地理位置的專家 。

Given that these children's brains are still developing,

因為這些學生的大腦還在開發中，

we limited each experience to last a maximum of two minutes.

我們把每段體驗的長度 限制在最多兩分鐘。

And finally, because we know the importance of repeated exposure

最後，因為我們知道， 若要將知識內化，

重覆接觸是很重要的，

for internalizing knowledge,

we constructed BioDive to take place over five class periods.

所以我們安排五堂課的 時間給 BioDive。

We started piloting BioDive in 2017

2017 年我們開始策劃 BioDive，

in 20 schools in New York and New Jersey.

用在紐約州及新澤西州， 共計二十所學校。

We wanted to see students as they were using this new technology.

我們想要了解學生 使用這項新科技的狀況。

In 2019, now,

現在，2019 年，

we are now piloting in 26 states.

我們策劃要在二十六州實施。

What we have heard from teachers who have taught our program:

使用我們的方案 來教學的老師告訴我們：

"It was a nice way to show ocean dynamics without the luxury of actually being there

「用這種方式呈現 海洋動態真的很棒，

畢竟我們在俄亥俄， 要看到海洋太難了。」

since we are in Ohio."

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

"It's pretty mind-blowing."

「相當讓人印象深刻。」

"The students were totally engaged."

「學生完全投入了。」

But what really gives us hope is what we're hearing from students.

但真正讓我們燃起希望的 是學生告訴我們的。

"I liked how it felt like I was there."

「我喜歡這種身在現場的感覺。」

"It's interactive and a fun way to learn."

「這是種又互動 又有趣的學習方式。」

"It really gave me realistic examples of how these organisms appear."

「這方法能提供我逼真的例子， 了解這些有機體如何出現。」

"I could see myself as a scientist because it seems really fun."

「我會想要當科學家，

因為似乎很好玩。」

Our feedback wasn't always so positive.

我們得到的回饋 也不見得都是正面的。

When we began developing,

我們在開發之初

we started off by asking students

先是問學生

what they liked,

他們喜歡、不喜歡哪些部分，

what they didn't like

and what they found confusing.

及哪些部分讓他們困惑。

Eventually we began asking what they wished they could do.

最後，我們開始問 他們希望能做什麼。

Their feedback gave us concrete items to build in

有他們的回饋， 我們就能加入具體的項目，

to be sure that we were including student voices in what we were designing.

確保我們有把學生的聲音 納入到我們的設計中。

Overall, what we have learned is that this is the beginning of a new platform

畢竟，我們認為，

這會帶來一個新的平台，

for giving students both voice and ownership

給予學生發聲管道以及所有權，

in deciding how they want to have impact

可以決定他們想要 在職涯中有怎樣的影響。

in their careers.

We focused on science,

我們把焦點放在科學，

because we know we need scientists

因為我們需要科學家，

to help us solve our current and future challenges.

來協助我們解決 目前和未來的困難。

But virtual reality could support students in any area.

但虛擬實境可以 在任何領域中支持學生。

How could we support students in exploring all of their desires

我們要如何用這些讓人大開眼界的 體驗及從源頭學習的機會，

with these eye-opening experiences and chances to learn from primary sources?

來支持學生去探索 他們所有的慾望？

Could we create VR for inexpensive headsets

我們能否創造出虛擬實境 搭配不昂貴的頭戴顯示器，

that lets them be immersed in oral literature

讓他們能沉浸到口傳文學

or in critical moments of human history?

或人類歷史的關鍵時刻中？

Extended reality has the potential to change the trajectory

擴展實境有潛力可以改變

我們孩子生活的軌道，

of our children's lives

and lead them to careers they never imagined

引導他們進入他們 從來沒有想像過的職涯，

by giving them the chance to see what they can be.

因為可以提供他們機會， 讓他們看見他們能做什麼。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）