In the course of the project 6 classroom scenarios based on virtual reality (VR) technology were tested. The tasks dealt with geometric and spatial reasoning skills. The students worked under the guidance of dr hab. Jacek Stańdo, TUL prof., dr Tomasz Kopczyński, the University of Silesia, and a PhD candidate from the same university, mgr inż. Adam Nowak.
The project pioneered an innovative approach to learning and teaching geometry and spatial reasoning. Participants explored mathematical relationships between objects, such as congruence, symmetry, reflection, rotation, expansion and contraction in an immersive and accessible way offered by the designed virtual reality (VR) environment. 3D simulations have great educational potential and enable assessment of learning outcomes. The activities introduced the participants to the power of VR, but also revealed its limitations due to unequal access to Web and Internet services in different countries and other challenges that still remain to be tackled.
The School's curriculum also included creativity, entrepreneurship, and communication classes taught by the academic staff of Lodz University of Technology: prof. dr hab. inż. Ewa Korzeniewska, dr inż. Agnieszka Pietras, and dr inż. Iwona Staniec. During the gala certificate presentation event, prof. Nina Szczygieł offered a recap of the activities and remarked that the venue had not experienced the kind of energy that filled during the gamification activities since its opening.
The feedback and enthusiasm we were able to generate among the participants of the Summer School prove that cooperation between different university units and individuals working in fields yields extraordinary results. And it is common knowledge that VR enhances teaching and learning by immersing students in a 3D world. It is of the future and should be offered by all faculties of the University.
Having observed the activities, dr Sylwia Kania from the University of Silesia, vice-rector prof. Mária Kúdelčíková and prof. Beatrix Bačová from the University of Žilina, prof. Ana Breda and prof. Tatiana Cordeiro from the University of Aveiro, and Prasoon Kumar Vinodkumar, a doctoral candidate from Tartu Ulikool, said they intended to introduce the approach as good practice at their universities. Daniela Dias, a student from the University of Aveiro, presented the results of her Master thesis, also part of the GEOMETTRIX project. Her research dealt with gamification in mathematics instruction and showed maths lessons can become even more interesting.
The activities were funded from the Math3DGeoVR 2021-1-PL01-KA220-HED-000030365.