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8. Motivation, comfort and inclusion

Decide: how do all learners stay in the lesson, and stay well?

8.1 Plan an early success​

Do

  • Make the first actions easy and clearly successful.
  • Show progress, for example "Step 3 of 8".

In ALF: in the panel text: Write the instructions. A sound or light when something works: Play a sound or effect when a part moves.

Why: experiencing success is the strongest source of confidence, and confidence predicts whether learners keep going. Self-efficacy (Bandura), ARCS: confidence (Keller).

8.2 Say why it matters​

Do: in the first step, connect the task to the learners' lab, job or next course in one sentence.

In ALF: the first panel, marked Initial: Write the instructions.

Why: learners invest more when they see the relevance for themselves. ARCS: relevance (Keller), Self-Determination Theory.

8.3 Keep learners comfortable​

Do

  • Don't move the learner's view for them. Let them walk or turn themselves.
  • Keep panels and controls within easy reach and at a comfortable height.
  • Keep each headset session short, and plan breaks between stages.
  • For learners who feel unwell easily, choose a player setup where they don't move through the virtual room.

In ALF

Avoid: long sessions with a lot of movement through the virtual room.

Why: motion sickness adds load and cuts sessions short. Comfort is a condition for learning, not a nicety. Simulator sickness (Kennedy et al.; LaViola).

8.4 Design for seated and one-hand use from the start​

Do

  • Place buttons, parts and panels so they can be reached while sitting.
  • Don't require two hands unless using two hands is part of the goal.

In ALF

Why: designing for different bodies from the start is easier and better than adapting for individuals later. Universal Design for Learning (CAST, UDL 3.0).

8.5 Make language easy​

Do

  • Use the same word for the same thing everywhere: on panels, on labels, in the real stage.
  • Label parts with their technical name, on the part.
  • Support key steps with an image, not only words.
  • Keep sentences short and built the same way.

In ALF: Add a label, Write the instructions: Image. For a second language, make a copy of the scene with translated panels, and add it to the main menu.

Why: learners learn a subject through its vocabulary. Consistent words and several ways of presenting content let more learners in. Language-sensitive teaching, UDL: multiple means of representation.

8.6 Choose videos with care​

Do: pick videos with captions, keep them short, and make sure the headset is online during the lesson.

In ALF: Write the instructions: Video explains that videos play from YouTube.

Why: captions help learners with another first language and learners in noisy rooms. Short videos are easier to follow and to watch again. UDL, segmenting (Mayer).

8.7 Short on time? Cut, don't compress​

Do: fewer steps, one task, no free exploration. A short lesson with a clear success is better than a long one done in a hurry.

Why: overloaded learners learn less, however immersive the scene. Cognitive Load Theory, CAMIL (Makransky & Petersen).