Department of Instructional Technology

Abstract

Immersive learning environments, such as digitally simulated flood scenarios, are increasingly used to support experiential learning and risk literacy in early education. These contexts are rich in sensory, social, and cognitive demands, which may elicit multifaceted uncertainties in young children (Greco & Roger, 2003). In psychological terms, uncertainty represents an appraisal of ambiguous or unpredictable information that requires regulation through cognitive and emotional strategies (Jordan & McDaniel, 2014). While uncertainty is implicated in productive learning and inquiry, it can also contribute to discomfort or withdrawal if not effectively supported (Kaur & Dasgupta, 2024).

This internship project investigates how young children express, negotiate, and regulate uncertainty during immersive flood simulation activities. It draws on developmental frameworks of emotion regulation (Baker et al., 2025), exploratory learning (Chin & Osborne, 2018), and multimodal thematic interaction analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006). Leveraging existing video recordings of children engaged in these simulations, the project will apply qualitative video analysis to capture both verbal and non-verbal markers of uncertainty—such as hesitation, questioning, gesture, and affective responsivity. Particular attention will be paid to moments of ambiguity—e.g., unclear outcomes, unexpected environmental changes, or task demands—and how children respond individually and socially.

The project aims to contribute to the psychological understanding of how immersive environments shape children’s meaning-making under conditions of uncertainty. Findings will inform the design of emotionally attuned, developmentally appropriate immersive learning experiences that promote adaptive uncertainty tolerance rather than distress or disengagement.

Note 1: You may continue working on this topic or a related direction for your master’s thesis after the internship is complete.
Note 2: The video recordings are in Dutch and thus familiarity with Dutch is preferred.

Potential Research Questions

1. How do young children behaviorally and verbally express uncertainty during immersive flood simulations?
2. What types of uncertainty (cognitive, emotional, social, environmental) emerge in these contexts?
3. How do peers and educators mediate or scaffold children’s responses to uncertainty?
4. What patterns distinguish adaptive exploration from withdrawal or distress?
5. How does uncertainty contribute to learning moments and conceptual development?

Methodology

Data Source: Pre-existing video recordings of young children participating in immersive flood simulation learning sessions.

Potential analytical approaches:

• Qualitative video analysis
• Thematic Analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006)
• Multimodal analysis of verbal and nonverbal behavior

Procedure:

1. Systematic viewing and segmentation of video episodes.
2. Identification of “uncertainty episodes” (e.g., hesitation, questioning, affective shifts).
3. Coding framework development (iterative, inductive-deductive).
4. Thematic categorization of uncertainty types and regulation strategies.
5. Cross-case comparison across participants and sessions.

Potential expected outputs

• Student can gain knowledge of qualitative methodology.
• Development of a model of uncertainty regulation in immersive learning
• Manuscript suitable for publication submission

Selected References

Baker, R. S., Cloude, E., Andres, J. M., & Wei, Z. (2025). The Confrustion Constellation: A New Way of Looking at Confusion and Frustration. Cognitive Science, 49(1), e70035.

Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology.

Chin, C., & Osborne, J. (2008). Students’ questions: A potential resource for teaching and learning science. Studies in Science Education, 44(1), 1–39. https://doi.org/10.1080/03057260701828101

Greco V. & Roger D. (2003). Uncertainty, Stress, and Health. Personality and Individual Differences, 34(6), pp. 1057–1068. DOI: 10.1016/S0191-8869(02)00091-0

Jordan, M. E., & McDaniel, R. R. (2014). Managing uncertainty during collaborative problem solving in elementary school teams: The role of peer influence in robotics engineering activity. Journal of the Learning Sciences, 23(4), 490–536. https://doi.org/10.1080/10508406.2014.896254

Kaur, N., & Dasgupta, C. (2024). Investigating the interplay of epistemological and positional framing during collaborative uncertainty management. Journal of the Learning Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1080/10508406.2024.2312163