Mathematics Input for Educational Applications in Virtual Reality

Abstract

As technology-enabled teaching progresses, math expression input remains a bottleneck. Virtual Reality (VR) solutions, becoming more affordable and available by the year, offer new, ground breaking interactive ways to visualise, experience, and ultimately understand otherwise abstract concepts such as mathematics. In spite of this strong potential, very little research is done in how to input mathematical formulae, in particular those involving two-dimensional elements.

This thesis attempts to fill this gap by presenting and comparing two different math expressions input methods in VR. By analysing the current research in the topics of the use of technology for mathematical education as well as interaction methods for VR, we detail several prototype ideas as well as their strengths and limitations. We then delve deeper into the implementation of the two chosen interaction methods, as well as a method used to represent formulae in a way that enables straightforward modifications. Lastly, we explain the process of the quantitative user study conducted to compare the implementations.

The data measured during the user study does not allow us to clearly separate the two input methods in terms of efficiency. Questionnaires filled by participants however indicated that while both prototypes have a good usability, their extraneous cognitive load could benefit from improvements. Combining those results with comments made by participants about the system in general allow us to derive some conclusions regarding future improvements of the system.