'Virtual Memory Palaces in Education: Can you create an effective virtual memory palace that would encourage participants to utilize the mnemonic technique again?'
This project was my dissertation during my master's in User Experience Design at Napier. As the dissertation title would suggest, the paper explored Virtual Reality (VR) as a tool that could be used to enable the mnemonic theory of memory palaces. More specifically, could you create a virtual memory palace that could be used in an educational setting. Thus, encouraging participants to re-use the application.
project timetable
The projects aims / main research questions:
1. To create an optimized virtual memory palace. To achieve this previous studies were investigated with the aim of developing a list of design requirements for the virtual memory palace.
2. To identify the methodology best suited for gathering the participants feedback on the virtual memory palace, as well as their experience in the VR headset.
3. To discuss the key findings from the research task and compare the patterns and comments with the findings from the literature.
early virtual memory palace design
The literature focused on 3 main topics. VR as an application, virtual memory palaces, and VR in education. Following the literature review I created my Virtual Memory Palace. The deliverable was created in 'MozillaHubs' and involved a building that had flags in it. The virtual memory palace theory was explained to participants before the study. Next they were encouraged to explore the building in VR and take in the numerous flags and their surroundings. Lastly, the participants answered questions that tested their memory on the environment.
The methods used for collecting information during the tests were: pre-task questionnaire, thinking aloud with thematic analysis, virtual memory palace task questions, semi-structured interview, and a system usability score. The paper provided reasoning behind each method used.
Following the methodology the results were analysed and the findings were presented. For example, a thematic analyse was used for the post interview method to evaluate the findings. Key patterns were identified and put into a table.
After discussing the findings the conclusion was finalised. The virtual memory palace for this research study was successful in its aim. The findings suggest that the participants would be encouraged to utilize the virtual memory palace theory again and the VR technology. One caveat to this is that participants would only use the approach in certain situations - specifically, in an educational setting when learning something new.