Teaching Math with the help of Virtual Reality

TL;DR

This paper presents a VR-based system designed to enhance high school students' understanding of analytical-geometric concepts in mathematics and physics through immersive learning environments, supplementing traditional methods.

Contribution

It introduces a VR system tailored for high school math and physics education, demonstrating its potential to improve spatial understanding and engagement.

Findings

VR increases spatial understanding of mathematical concepts

Students report higher engagement with VR-based learning

The system is well-received by students in initial testing

Abstract

In the present work we intend to introduce a system based on VR (Virtual Reality) for examining analytical-geometric structures that occur in the study of mathematics and physics concepts in the last high school classes. In our opinion, an immersive study environment has several advantages over traditional two-dimensional environments (such as a book or the simple screen of a PC or tablet), such as the spatial understanding of the concepts exposed, more peripheral awareness and moreover an evident decreasing in the information dispersion phenomenon. This does not mean that our pedagogical approach is a substitute for traditional pedagogical approaches, but is simply meant to be a robust support. In the first phase of our research we have tried to understand which mathematical objects and which tools to use to enhance mathematical teaching, to demonstrate that the use of VR techniques significantly increase the level of understanding of the mathematical subject investigated by the students.The system which provides for the integration of two machine levels, hardware and software, was subsequently tested by a representative sample of students who returned various food for thought through a questionnaire.