Team members: Phoebe Yin, Nertinia Tang
“umwelt vision”
“Umwelt Vision” is an educational initiative that redefines scientific learning. Immerse yourself in a dynamic, multi-platform, and multi-media interactive digital archive, curated with a wealth of biological and scientific knowledge. Whether on your phone, tablet, or computer, or through interactive VR experience, Umwelt Vision invites you to explore the intricacies of various species' senses, revolutionizing the way we engage with and comprehend the natural world.
Problem Overview
We live in a symbiotic relationship with all living things on this planet, whether they are predator, prey, wild or domestic. We acknowledge the existence of our non-human partners on this planet. Yet, we need more knowledge, education, and full comprehension of their crucial effects on our world and their capabilities to understand the world better and different from us. How can we effectively educate the public about the biosphere in the digital age in order to promote knowledge and preservation? How can we incorporate emerging technologies to rethink about conventional science education?
Educating people, especially students, about our biosphere and its ecosystems fosters environmental awareness and stewardship, empowering future generations to make informed, sustainable decisions. It enhances critical thinking and problem-solving skills needed to address environmental challenges, emphasizing the interdependence between human well-being and a healthy environment.
Previous studies indicate that incorporating both active and passive learning approaches into courses may yield greater advantages in terms of student preference and performance compared to relying solely on either method (Minhas & Ghosh, 2012). Integrating multimedia materials and methods into interactive learning experiences can provide various advantages including supporting conceptualization and contextualization of new material, actively involving learners in the learning process, and promoting internal reflection.
Research with Potential Stakeholders
︎ Method 1: Online Survey
This survey is designed to test our early low-fi application prototype with potential stakeholders. In this survey, we include a Figma wireframe prototype that shows a typical user flow with critical features and interactions of Umwelt Vision. The participants are first asked a series of general questions regarding their learning/working habits, especially those relating to technology and VR technology. The stakeholders are then asked to test our prototype and give feedback.
This survey is designed to test our early low-fi application prototype with potential stakeholders. In this survey, we include a Figma wireframe prototype that shows a typical user flow with critical features and interactions of Umwelt Vision. The participants are first asked a series of general questions regarding their learning/working habits, especially those relating to technology and VR technology. The stakeholders are then asked to test our prototype and give feedback.
examples of survey questions
︎ Method 2: Interview - A Day In The Life of a Med Student
This research method combines a typical interview with a self-reporting method. Instead of being questioned like a usual interview, the participant is provided with a guided outline to draw and write about the typical day of a med student. This activity is very open-ended and free in that participants can sketch/write about their day in any style they prefer, with one commonality: it needs to be organized in chronological order. The participants are also asked to focus on what type of tools/technology they use to aid their studies. From this activity, we can learn more about their learning habits, schedules, and relationships with technology in a fun and non-stressful way.
This research method combines a typical interview with a self-reporting method. Instead of being questioned like a usual interview, the participant is provided with a guided outline to draw and write about the typical day of a med student. This activity is very open-ended and free in that participants can sketch/write about their day in any style they prefer, with one commonality: it needs to be organized in chronological order. The participants are also asked to focus on what type of tools/technology they use to aid their studies. From this activity, we can learn more about their learning habits, schedules, and relationships with technology in a fun and non-stressful way.
example of self-reporting interview activity
Our Solution: Umwelt Vision
︎ What is “Umwelt”?
"Umwelt" is a German term that translates to "environment" or "surrounding world." In the context of biology and philosophy, it refers to the subjective world that an organism perceives and interacts with. Coined by the biologist Jakob von Uexküll, it emphasizes that different species experience the world in unique ways based on their sensory perceptions, cognitive processes, and ecological interactions. Essentially, an organism's umwelt encompasses its individual sensory and perceptual experiences, shaping its behavior and understanding of its environment.
The concept of “Umwelt Vision” is an interactive digital archive of gathered information through professional research, studies, recordings, and data, that utilizes current and advancing technologies to illustrate and educate its users about all known recorded species and:
︎Their behavior, characteristics, and anatomy;
︎The abiotic factors, biome dynamics, and the interplay between environment and life;
︎Impact and services in the biosphere;
Technologies that utilize the archive are personal smart devices such as computers, phones, and Virtual Reality.
User Interface Prototype
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