Children & VR: Emerging Possibilities & Challenges
November 2016- November 2017
Undertaken on behalf of Dubit
Commercially Funded
The Children and Virtual Reality project studied the effects of VR on 8 to 12 year olds, in terms of engagement and interaction, as well as health and safety issues. The findings of the project formed the basis of a collaborative research report between Dubit, Turner, WEARVR and the COST (EuropeanCooperation in Science and Technology) Action DigiLitEY:
Dubit, Turner and WEARVR are companies that specialise in digital, TV and VR content, with an interest in developing best practices around VR and children. DigiLitEY was a five year (2013-2017) academic network that focuses on existing and emerging communicative technologies for young children. This includes wearable technologies, 3D printers, robots, augmented reality, toys and games and relevant aspects of the Internet of Things.
The report brings together the research findings with ideas that arose from a COST-funded Think Tank to explore what the research findings might mean for the use of VR by under 8s. It was widely distributed to industry.
In addition to a quantative and thematic analysis I used graphic narratives and animation as two additional means of data analysis:
Images: Graphic narratives & line drawings used in data analysis
Related Website
http://childrenvr.org
Related Publications
Yamada-Rice, D. (2021) Children’s Interactive Storytelling in Virtual Reality. Multimodality & Society, Vol. 1 (1), p.48-67.
Yamada-Rice, D., Mushtaq, F., Woodgate, A., Bosmans, D, Douthwaite, A, Douthwaite, I, Harris, W, Holt, R, Kleeman, D, Marsh, J, Milovidov, E, Mon Williams, M, Parry, B, Riddler, A, Robinson, P, Rodrigues, D, Thompson, S and Whitley, S, (2017), Children and Virtual Reality: Emerging Possibilities and Challenges. Available online at http://childrenvr.org.
Yamada-Rice, D. (2018) Licking planets and Stomping on Buildings: children’s interactions with curated spaces in Virtual Reality. Children's Geographies, Vol.16, No. 5.
Yamada-Rice, D., Rodrigues, D. & Zubrycka, J. (2019) Makerspaces and Virtual Reality In: Blum-Ross, A., Kumpulainen, K. & Marsh, J. (eds) Enhancing digital Literacy and Creativity: Makerspaces in the Early Years. Chapter 9. Routledge.
Yamada-Rice, D. and Marsh, J., (2018) Using Augmented and virtual Reality in the Early Childhood Curriculum. Printed Publication available online.
Related Talks
Yamada-Rice, D. Children and VR: Emeging possibilities and Challenges, YouTube
Children and VR: Emeging possibilities and Challenges, BAFTA,19th September 2017
Children’s Media Conference, Sheffield
FOCUS Network Summer School
What is Narrative in VR? How can it be used in Education? DigiLitEY x Dubit Think Tank, April 25 2017
Images: project dissemination