This Web page is to request your agreement to participate as a subject in the research project, Watershed Explorations with Immersive Virtual Reality conducted by Dr. Alec Bodzin at Lehigh University. The purpose of the study is to investigate how learning about the Lehigh River watershed using immersive virtual reality with gaming features and local contexts may be related to user engagement and broader understandings of the watershed. Participants must be a within the USA at the time they take part in the study.
When you start the game we will ask you to tell us your gender, age, and ethnicity. We will then ask you to tell us what environmental issues you know about in the Lehigh River watershed and then give you an interactive map labeling task. You will then play the game. After the game we will ask you again to tell us what environmental issues you know about in the Lehigh River watershed and to complete the interactive map labeling task again. Next, we will ask you to complete a brief survey about your experience while playing the game. The survey items focus on engagement and learning with the game.
Your participation in the study will involve 50-60 minutes to complete the game and survey items.
The possible risks associated with this study are any typical discomfort you might feel when you play a video game on a computer screen.
The possible benefits to you from participation in this study are increasing your knowledge about the environmental and historical significance of specific areas in the Lehigh River watershed.