A PILOT STUDY EXPLORING DIGITAL OUTDOOR KNOWLEDGE WORK AND LEARNING

Academia is challenged with learning and work in extended reality. This paper presents a pilot study, where a US university design class and an international university design class collaborated in a web-based 3D digital outdoor environment and then a web-based 2D digital outdoor environment with screen-based spatial proximity cues to provide students with informal design method learning and interaction. The spaces reflected spatial metaphors for these interactions to specifically support small groups. Students created avatars based on personas, took creative personal inventories, created, presented and discussed digital ID boards in small groups. Students were introduced to evaluation assessments such as the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ), an Immersive Tendencies Questionaire (ITQ), a workshop questionnaire, and a reflection assignment and class discussion. Findings presented are limited to the US class feedback. New foundations for future design learning and work are considered for these atmospheric mediated environments.