Exploring the Effectiveness of Face-to-face Mixed Reality for Teaching with Chalktalk

TL;DR

This paper investigates a Mixed Reality platform that integrates Chalktalk's interactive simulations into a virtual environment to enhance face-to-face teaching, aiming to improve engagement and learning outcomes.

Contribution

It introduces a novel MR system for face-to-face teaching with Chalktalk, combining dynamic simulations with natural interaction cues, and evaluates its effectiveness against traditional projected methods.

Findings

MR platform improves student engagement

Enhanced retention with MR-based teaching

Better interaction and awareness in face-to-face settings

Abstract

Teaching that uses projected presentation media such as slide-shows lacks support for dynamic content whose form and behaviors require live changes during a lecture. Recent software alternatives such as the Chalktalk software platform allow the creation of interactive simulations in arbitrary sequences and combinations within presentations. These more dynamic solutions, however, do not optimize for face-to-face interactions: eye-contact, gaze direction, and concurrent awareness of another person's movements together with the presented content. To explore the extent to which these face-to-face interactions may improve learning and engagement during a lecture, we propose a Mixed Reality (MR) platform that places Chalktalk's behaviors and simulations within a mirrored virtual world environment designed for face-to-face, one-on-one interactions. We compare our system with projected Chalktalk to evaluate its relative effectiveness for learning, retention, and level of engagement.