Maria Roussou

Bio: Maria Roussou is an academic researcher from National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. The author has contributed to research in topics: Virtual reality & Interactivity. The author has an hindex of 23, co-authored 53 publications receiving 1865 citations. Previous affiliations of Maria Roussou include University College London.

Learning by doing and learning through play: an exploration of interactivity in virtual environments for children

Abstract: The development of interactive, participatory, multisensoryenvironments that combine the physical with the virtual comes as anatural continuation to the computer game industrys constant racefor more exciting user experiences. Specialized theme parks andvarious other leisure and entertainment centers worldwide areembracing the interactive promise that games have made usersexpect. This is not a trend limited to the entertainment domain;non-formal learning environments for children are also followingthis path, backed up by a theoretical notion of play as a coreactivity in a childs development. In this article we explore acentral thread in learning, play, as well as an essentialcharacteristic of virtual reality environments: interactivity. Acritical review of examples of immersive virtual reality worldscreated for children, with particular attention given to the roleand nature of interactivity, is attempted. Interactivity isexamined in relation to learning, play, narrative, and tocharacteristics inherent in virtual reality, such as immersion,presence, and the creation of illusion.

Reviving the past: cultural heritage meets virtual reality

Abstract: The use of immersive virtual reality (VR) systems in museums is a recent trend, as the development of new interactive technologies has inevitably impacted the more traditional sciences and arts. This is more evident in the case of novel interactive technologies that fascinate the broad public, as has always been the case with virtual reality. The increasing development of VR technologies has matured enough to expand research from the military and scientific visualization realm into more multidisciplinary areas, such as education, art and entertainment. This paper analyzes the interactive virtual environments developed at an institution of informal education and discusses the issues involved in developing immersive interactive virtual archaeology projects for the broad public.

Design and Evaluation of a Real-World Virtual Environment for Architecture and Urban Planning

Abstract: In this paper we present a user-centered design approach to the development of a Virtual Environment (VE), by utilizing an iterative, user-informed process throughout the entire design and development cycle. A preliminary survey was first undertaken with end users, that is, architects, chief engineers, and decision makers of a real-world architectural and urban planning project, followed by a study of the traditional workflow employed. We then determined the elements required to make the VE useful in the real-world setting, choosing appropriate graphical and auditory techniques to develop audiovisual VEs with a high level of realism. Our user-centered design approach guided the development of an appropriate interface and an evaluation methodology to test the overall usability of the system. The VE was evaluated both in the laboratory and, most importantly, in the users' natural work environments. In this study we present the choices we made as part of the design and evaluation methodologies employed, which successfully combined research goals with those of a real-world project. Among other results, this evaluation suggests that involving users and designers from the beginning improves the effectiveness of the VE in the context of the real world urban planning project. Furthermore, it demonstrates that appropriate levels of realism, in particular spatialized 3D sound, high-detail vegetation, and shadows, as well as the presence of rendered crowds, are significant for the design process and for communicating about designs; they enable better appreciation of overall ambience of the VE, perception of space and physical objects, as well as the sense of scale. We believe this study is of interest to VE researchers, designers, and practitioners, as well as professionals interested in using VR in their workplace.

The virtual playground: an educational virtual reality environment for evaluating interactivity and conceptual learning

Abstract: The research presented in this paper aims at investigating user interaction in immersive virtual learning environments, focusing on the role and the effect of interactivity on conceptual learning. The goal has been to examine if the learning of young users improves through interacting in (i.e. exploring, reacting to, and acting upon) an immersive virtual environment (VE) compared to non-interactive or non-immersive environments. Empirical work was carried out with more than 55 primary school students between the ages of 8 and 12, in different between-group experiments: an exploratory study, a pilot study, and a large-scale experiment. The latter was conducted in a virtual environment designed to simulate a playground. In this “Virtual Playground,” each participant was asked to complete a set of tasks designed to address arithmetical “fractions” problems. Three different conditions, two experimental virtual reality (VR) conditions and a non-VR condition, that varied the levels of activity and interactivity, were designed to evaluate how children accomplish the various tasks. Pre-tests, post-tests, interviews, video, audio, and log files were collected for each participant, and analysed both quantitatively and qualitatively. This paper presents a selection of case studies extracted from the qualitative analysis, which illustrate the variety of approaches taken by children in the VEs in response to visual cues and system feedback. Results suggest that the fully interactive VE aided children in problem solving but did not provide a strong evidence of conceptual change as expected; rather, it was the passive VR environment, where activity was guided by a virtual robot, that seemed to support student reflection and recall, leading to indications of conceptual change.

Photorealism and non-photorealism in virtual heritage representation

Abstract: The area of virtual heritage has long been concentrated on generating digital reconstructions of historical or archaeological artefacts and sites with enough fidelity to be truly accurate representations of their real-world counterparts. In some cases, the advancement of tools and techniques for achieving greater visual realism has distracted from the development of other directions that enhance a virtual experience, such as interactivity, sound or touch. Recent trends in the area of non-photorealistic rendering shift focus to the development of more "believable" environments, while maintaining the accuracy and validity of the visualised data, which is significant for archaeological research. In this paper we argue that it is important to enhance the perception of realism, achieved both through photorealistic and non-photorealistic visualisation approaches, with interactivity. This is illustrated by two example projects which develop prototype virtual environments created for specialists as well as novice users.

Democracy and education.

Abstract: Course Description In this course, we will explore the question of the actual and potential connections between democracy and education. Our focus of attention will be placed on a critical examination of democratic theory and its implications for the civic education roles and contributions of teachers, adult educators, community development practitioners, and community organizers. We will survey and deal critically with a range of competing conceptions of democracy, variously described as classical, republican, liberal, radical, marxist, neomarxist, pragmatist, feminist, populist, pluralist, postmodern, and/or participatory. Using narrative inquiry as a means for illuminating and interpreting contemporary practice, we will analyze the implications of different conceptions of democracy for the practical work of civic education.