Study on the Students’ Aptitude and Openness for the use of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality Technologies in Education and Instruction

Abstract

This paper is designed to quantitatively measure the level of aptitude and availability of the students from the “Nicolae Bălcescu” Land Forces Academy in Sibiu for the use of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies as teaching tools in the process of education and instruction. The paper is a first stage of a broader research topic, the results of which will be addressed to both teachers and researchers, as well as students and other categories of trainees. The introductory part of the paper analyses the importance of VR and AR technologies as learning environments for the military education system in particular and the advantages of using them for the cadets’ combat training. Also, the main characteristics of the three types of reality, environmental, virtual and augmented, are highlighted, which allow a better understanding of the structure and operation of AR and VR. The research methodology was then developed, establishing a survey by applying a questionnaire on a sample of 300 students from the academy and then processing and interpreting the results obtained. The conclusions of the paper show the general predisposition of students to understand and use the two technologies both as tools of learning in didactic teaching and as instruments of improving the skills of fighters in modelling and simulating military actions.

Design, Implementation and Preliminary Testing of a Virtual Reality System Used to Train Military Personnel on a Simulated Battlefield

“…In the "Nicolae Balcescu" Land Forces Academy of Sibiu, students use virtual and augmented reality technologies in the training process. With VBS-3 and VBS-4 applications, students have access to immersive experiences that capture their interest, encourage their creativity and offer them the opportunity to create their own scenarios and turn them into VR applications [5]. These applications allow the simulation of any planned tactical scenario, giving students the possibility to select from databases a variety of military equipment, weapon systems or combat vehicles.…”