The research project ELISE, funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), aims to create a virtual reality, in which learners will pass through and play through business models from various perspectives and with different levels of difficulty according to the emotional state of the user to increase efficiency and effectiveness of learning. In the course of this, we developed three new model types to represent ARIS trainings in VR:
- VR-Learn Model (German: „VR-Lern Modell“)
- VR-Learn Room (German: „VR-Lern Raum“)
- VR-Learn EPC (German: „VR-Lern EPK“)
VR-Learn Model
The VR-Learn model represents all the learning modules included in the training, i.e. which learning modules or rooms are available in VR. The model is derived from the ARIS standard model type function tree. The tree-like structure of the new model type VR-Learn model shows and maps the different learning modules or rooms. The object “room” is labeled depending on the name of the room (see figure below “Tutorial”, “Post Office”). The root of the tree is always the introduction room (see figure below “Tutorial”), from where every other room can be accessed. In this way it is granted that individual rooms within the training can be skipped or repeated.
A VR-Learn EPC is assigned to every room object to detail the procedure of the particular learning module. Moreover, every room object has an assignment of the model type VR-Learn room, in which the basic room, the media contents and the assets of the room are specified.
Figure 1: Example for VR-Learn model
VR-Learn Room
In the model VR-Learn room, the basic room, the media contents and the assets of the room are specified. The model is derived from the ARIS standard model EPC.
The ARIS standard object type “Location Type” (see in figure “Basic Room 1”) is used to define the layout of the room. You can define the media contents available in the room with the new symbol “Media”, for example to represent audio files or videos. Furthermore, all assets, which should be available in the room, have to be modeled. We distinguish between the new symbols “Asset (movable)” for movable assets (see in figure “Letter”) and “Asset (immovable)” for immovable assets (see in figure “Counter”). The avatars (see in figure “Employee”), which should be located in the room, are modeled by the ARIS standard object Type “Role”.
Figure 2: Example VR-Learn Room
VR-Learn EPC
The VR-Learn EPC shows the procedure of activities within one learning module or room. In our example it shows a simple process of bringing a parcel to a post office. The model is derived from standard EPC, so the procedure is modeled by events and functions. All of the modeling conventions of standard EPCs are also effective for VR-Learn EPCs. The VR-Learn EPC is expanded by some of the new VR-specific elements of the model type VR-Learn room. These are the symbols „Media“, „Asset (immovable)“ and „Asset (movable)“. In the VR-Learn EPC, these objects are placed where they have to be used. For example, if there has to be played an audio file, it has to be modeled at the according function of the model or if a movable asset has to be moved from one position to another, the object “Asset (movable)” as well as the object “Asset (immovable)” as target position has to be modeled. The levels of difficulty of the single learning modules are represented by model variants in the according VR-Learn EPC.
Figure 3: Example for VR-Learn EPC (Excerpt) – Post Reception