Annotating the Field: Investigating the Affordances of Mixed Reality for Learning Beyond the Classroom
While educational excursions are widely acknowledged to enhance student learning through immersive, real-world experiences, there is limited research on how students can best capture and retain knowledge during such activities. Traditional note-taking methods, such as pen and paper or digital device...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Virtual Worlds |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2813-2084/4/2/23 |
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| _version_ | 1839652407201497088 |
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| author | Kenneth Y. T. Lim Aaron J. C. Liang Yuyue Fang Bryan Z. W. Kuok |
| author_facet | Kenneth Y. T. Lim Aaron J. C. Liang Yuyue Fang Bryan Z. W. Kuok |
| author_sort | Kenneth Y. T. Lim |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | While educational excursions are widely acknowledged to enhance student learning through immersive, real-world experiences, there is limited research on how students can best capture and retain knowledge during such activities. Traditional note-taking methods, such as pen and paper or digital devices, may be inadequate for recording spatial or multimodal information encountered in these dynamic environments. With the emergence of mixed reality (MR) technologies, there is an opportunity to explore spatial, immersive note-taking that aligns with the dynamic nature of field-based learning. This study compares the effectiveness of mixed reality, pen and paper, and digital note-taking during educational excursions. A total of 50 participants in grades 7 through 12 used the Apple Vision Pro headset for mixed reality notes, mobile phones for digital notes, and clipboards paired with a pen and paper for traditional notes. The information encountered was categorised as physical, textual, or video-based. The effectiveness was evaluated through three measures: content extracted and organised in notes, post-activity quizzes on retention and critical thinking, and participant feedback. For physical information, mixed reality significantly improved the content extraction and retention. For textual information, mixed reality yielded more content, but pen and paper outperformed it in terms of organisation. Statistically, all the note-taking methods were equally effective in the remaining aspects. Although mixed reality shows potential to be integrated into educational excursions, participant feedback highlighted discomfort with the headset, suggesting that mixed reality should complement, not replace, traditional approaches. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7a90fbb9624241a28c8d66a9c9630f9f |
| institution | Matheson Library |
| issn | 2813-2084 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Virtual Worlds |
| spelling | doaj-art-7a90fbb9624241a28c8d66a9c9630f9f2025-06-25T14:30:47ZengMDPI AGVirtual Worlds2813-20842025-06-01422310.3390/virtualworlds4020023Annotating the Field: Investigating the Affordances of Mixed Reality for Learning Beyond the ClassroomKenneth Y. T. Lim0Aaron J. C. Liang1Yuyue Fang2Bryan Z. W. Kuok3National Institute of Education, 1 Nanyang Walk, Singapore 637616, SingaporeIndependent Researcher, Singapore 637616, SingaporeIndependent Researcher, Singapore 637616, SingaporeIndependent Researcher, Singapore 637616, SingaporeWhile educational excursions are widely acknowledged to enhance student learning through immersive, real-world experiences, there is limited research on how students can best capture and retain knowledge during such activities. Traditional note-taking methods, such as pen and paper or digital devices, may be inadequate for recording spatial or multimodal information encountered in these dynamic environments. With the emergence of mixed reality (MR) technologies, there is an opportunity to explore spatial, immersive note-taking that aligns with the dynamic nature of field-based learning. This study compares the effectiveness of mixed reality, pen and paper, and digital note-taking during educational excursions. A total of 50 participants in grades 7 through 12 used the Apple Vision Pro headset for mixed reality notes, mobile phones for digital notes, and clipboards paired with a pen and paper for traditional notes. The information encountered was categorised as physical, textual, or video-based. The effectiveness was evaluated through three measures: content extracted and organised in notes, post-activity quizzes on retention and critical thinking, and participant feedback. For physical information, mixed reality significantly improved the content extraction and retention. For textual information, mixed reality yielded more content, but pen and paper outperformed it in terms of organisation. Statistically, all the note-taking methods were equally effective in the remaining aspects. Although mixed reality shows potential to be integrated into educational excursions, participant feedback highlighted discomfort with the headset, suggesting that mixed reality should complement, not replace, traditional approaches.https://www.mdpi.com/2813-2084/4/2/23mixed realitynote-takingApple Vision Proeducational excursionsfield trips |
| spellingShingle | Kenneth Y. T. Lim Aaron J. C. Liang Yuyue Fang Bryan Z. W. Kuok Annotating the Field: Investigating the Affordances of Mixed Reality for Learning Beyond the Classroom Virtual Worlds mixed reality note-taking Apple Vision Pro educational excursions field trips |
| title | Annotating the Field: Investigating the Affordances of Mixed Reality for Learning Beyond the Classroom |
| title_full | Annotating the Field: Investigating the Affordances of Mixed Reality for Learning Beyond the Classroom |
| title_fullStr | Annotating the Field: Investigating the Affordances of Mixed Reality for Learning Beyond the Classroom |
| title_full_unstemmed | Annotating the Field: Investigating the Affordances of Mixed Reality for Learning Beyond the Classroom |
| title_short | Annotating the Field: Investigating the Affordances of Mixed Reality for Learning Beyond the Classroom |
| title_sort | annotating the field investigating the affordances of mixed reality for learning beyond the classroom |
| topic | mixed reality note-taking Apple Vision Pro educational excursions field trips |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2813-2084/4/2/23 |
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