UVROL Network: Underwater Virtual Reality for Ocean Literacy

Given the role that the ocean plays in planetary and human health, ocean literacy (OL)— understanding the reciprocal influence between the ocean and humans—is a key determinant of sustainable human-ocean interactions.

Encompassing education and technology—key drivers of OL enhancement— underwater virtual reality (UVR) enables participants to experience an underwater virtual dive while immersed in water.

This under-studied technology has the potential to trigger positive emotions, enhance OL, maximize experiential learning and reduce psychological distance.

This application aims to develop a multidisciplinary international network, contribute baseline knowledge, and generate innovative ideas in the area of UVR for OL.To advance research on UVR for OL, the multidisciplinary UVROL network will investigate how experiencing the ocean in UVR contributes to enhancing OL.

The network will focus on the research questions of (1) how  individual traits (e.g., gender) influence the effectiveness of UVR on enhancing OL?, (2) how UVR compares to VR in terms of their effectiveness at enhancing OL, and (3) how the content of the UVR activity (e.g. emotional valence) impacts the enhancement of OL.A research team from 4 universities will carry out 3 studies using quantitative and qualitative methods to address these research questions.

The UVROL network will serve as a stepping stone into future large-scale and long-term funding applications.