STEM Learning in Extended Reality: Research, Design, and Examples (Synthesis Lectures on Engineering, Science, and Technology)

This book synthesizes findings from recent and ongoing research on the use of Extended Reality (XR) to support learning of STEM content. XR is slowly being introduced in classrooms due to significant changes in XR technology. These tools were historically costly, unfriendly, and developed only for gamers. Today, XR tools are able to enhance students’ immersive experiences in such settings. In classrooms, in particular, they provide learners with an opportunity to manipulate abstract objects as if they are physical objects. The book begins with an extensive and detailed description and evaluation of the impact of various XR interventions on learning and engagement in STEM classrooms. The author then concludes with theoretical frameworks for investigating learning in computer- immersive contexts and practical implications for effectively using XR tools to learn STEM.

Ferdie Rivera, Ph.D., is a Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics and Director of the Ed.D. Educational Leadership Program  at San Jose State University, USA. He conducts research in school- and university-based math cognition and, in particular,  investigates issues involving mathematical knowledge construction and development among learners. His interventions follow design-based research protocols that allow for empirical engagement in continuous cycles of development, testing, and refinement on the basis of how learners interact with learning tools in both individual and collaborative learning contexts. He has published significantly in the area of structural thinking in mathematics. His current research involves the development and scaling of virtual reality apps for learning mathematics in classrooms.