Behavioral Skills Training Through Smart Virtual Reality: Demonstration of Feasibility for a Verbal Mathematical Questioning Strategy

An Automated Virtual Reality Training System for Teacher-Student Interaction: A Randomized Controlled Trial

“…The maximum immersion permitted through VR may not be necessary in all scenarios (eg, conversation); however, VR allows for a realistic representation of nonverbal communication that accompanies speech as well as any potential physical interactions. In addition, removing components from a fully immersive simulation to place core content on platforms such as desktops is technically easier than adding critical immersive elements to simulations developed on less-sophisticated devices [14]. VR applications can be adapted to preserve their core functionality across a range of devices, thus making development on the platform potentially conducive to dissemination.…”

“…A recent experiment [14] demonstrated the effectiveness of an automated VR simulation capable of administering instructional procedures and assessing learner performance on the use of a mathematical questioning procedure. Evidence suggests that nondirective mathematical questioning, in which students' thought processes are elicited before confirming whether an answer is correct, can improve student outcomes [26].…”

“…The training developed by King et al [14] consisted of video-recorded lectures and simulations capable of providing automatic assessment, textual prompting, and feedback through the incorporation of VR and AI (eg, speech classification and speech-to-text). As in the research conducted by Clay et al [19], the components of the intervention were arranged in accordance with behavioral skills training (BST), an evidence-based approach to personnel preparation encompassing a range of instructional components, including didactic instruction, modeling, rehearsal, and feedback [29,30].…”

“…In contrast to many approaches to VR, which are not constructed in accordance with a specific learning theory [38], the simulation developed by King et al [14] was predicated on behavioral theories of learning and instruction [39] that aim to encourage appropriate responses in the presence of specific antecedents (ie, discriminative stimuli), for example, praising a student for correctly answering a math problem. The ability of an antecedent to evoke the correct response can be increased and sustained through the introduction and gradual fading of prompts.…”

“…Prompts and consequences are most effective when provided immediately. In King et al [14], the responses generated by simulated students represented antecedents associated with the correct steps of a procedure. The participants received textual prompts before they had an opportunity to respond.…”