Augmented and Virtual Reality Application Design for Immersive Learning Research Using Virtual Nature: Making Knowledge Beautiful and Accessible with Information Fidelity

Described are two applications using immersive augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) for informal learning research. A critical design factor resulting from the authentication process in sourcing all text, media, and data is the high information fidelity (truth) in all signals transmitted to the human. The AR Perpetual Garden App was developed to annotate the Carnegie Museum of Natural History's dioramas and gardens to bring learning to all visitors. The Virtual UCF Arboretum was developed to represent the real UCF Arboretum in VR for immersive learning research. More like a virtual diorama or virtual field trip, they are open to independent exploration and learning. Unlike fantasy games or creative animations, these environments used accurate content, high information fidelity, to enhance immersion and presence. As data visualizations or simulations, and not point-clouds or interactive 360 VR video, they can show past, present, and future scenarios from data. As an application intended for informal learning, the needs of learners as well as the institutional stakeholders were integrated in a participatory design process by extending traditional user-centered design with expert-learner-user-centered design. The design patterns will be of interest to a broad community concerned with perception, emotions, learning, immersion and presence, and any who are developing educational, training and certification, or decision support applications with respect to improving natural knowledge.