Teaching Mixed Reality Using Video Tutorials

What are the learning potentials of using online video tutorials as educational tools in game programming of Mixed Reality (MR)? The paper reports on the first experiences of teaching third-semester engineering students design of MR using online step-by-step programming video tutorials. MR covers in this case both Augmented and Virtual Reality. Until recently, most of the instructional support for the software and game development came from paper tutorials. YouTube's rapid growth in popularity and easy to use programs for video production makes video tutorials a promising alternative to paper tutorials. It is often hard to find up-to-date thoroughly-worked-through textbooks on new and emerging topics such as MR. This motivated me to use existing video tutorials as teaching materials in the course titled Mixed Reality. The learning approach was inspired by the concepts of communities of practice and constructionist learning ideas. The imitating and copying of step-by-step programming video tutorials was a part of becoming a member of virtual community around game programming. In addition, the coding and problem-solving experiences were discussed in the classroom. The constructionist part was where the students made revisions and experiments by adding, combining and testing new coding elements to what they have already done in the tutorials. The students developed applications using the game engine Unity and tested the applications using android smartphones. Extending the applications based on the tutorials facilitated deeper learning for the students. For example, when they applied or recycled code components in new program contexts they developed a better and deeper understanding of the code. Surprisingly, comprehensive, polished and worked-through tutorials promoted minor changes in the developed applications. Whereas, less polished and less professional tutorials made the students become more creative and diverse in development of extended applications. The use of video tutorials in teaching of emerging technologies such as programming of MR prototypes is increasing. It is important to reflect on the learning potentials of both MR and video tutorials and to develop new appropriate teaching strategies to fit new types of learning materials.