Teachers Perceptions on Early Childhood’s Traffic and Life Safety Education Program Using VR
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
The topic is innovative but the content needs a major revision. Suggestions are:
1. It is suggested that the authors may include the status of VR development in early childhood education.
2. Because the participants the authors measured were teachers, it is suggested that the article title can be changed so that the readers may not be convinced that the education effect come from students. Possible title could be: teachers perceptions of VR on children's safety perception and attitude.
3. The survey contains four sub-major elements. How did the element come from? Were they based on theoretical foundations?
3. Since the major point of the article is that VR use on children, is it possible to report teachers' qualitative observation on children? Current quantitative data only reveal teachers' perspectives.
Author Response
Reviewer 1: The topic is innovative but the content needs a major revision. Suggestions are:
- It is suggested that the authors may include the status of VR development in early childhood education.
Authors : The author accepted the reviewer's comments and added the following phrase to the introduction.
“Looking at the development status of VR technology for early childhood, it is classified into two technologies: VR HMD(Head Mounted Device) and VR contents. VR HMD for early childhood was not developed because marketability was not guaranteed, and most of them were developed for adults. Separate devices for children are not manufactured. Most VR HMD manufacturers' products include warnings about age restrictions. In Korea, the government's position on using VR devices for children is ambiguous, so it is not recommended and not activated. Recently, Meta Quest Pro was released in October 22, but the age of use is 14 years old or older. And contents for children's VR are being developed in all areas of education, and these 3D contents are being introduced and utilized in AR/MR.
Reviewer 1: Because the participants the authors measured were teachers, it is suggested that the article title can be changed so that the readers may not be convinced that the education effect come from students. Possible title could be: teachers perceptions of VR on children's safety perception and attitude.
Authors : The author accepted the reviewer's comments and exchange the title
“Effect of traffic and life safety education program using VR on children's safety perception and attitude”
into
“Teachers perceptions on early childhood's traffic and life safety education program using VR”
Reviewer 1: The survey contains four sub-major elements. How did the element come from? Were they based on theoretical foundations?
Authors : Agreeing with the reviewer's comment, we found this lack of explanation and added the following sentence to 2.3 Research Tool.
“In this study, the questionnaire includes questions related to traffic safety education, life safety education, and VR as three main factors. Traffic safety education and life safety education questionnaires were modified from the questionnaires used in the research on study on the present status and needs of traffic safety education in early childhood education centers [20]. In addition, the questionnaire related to VR was modified from the questionnaire used in a study on the introduction of VR education methods for increasing the effectiveness of safety training on-site for adults [21]. Additionally, the modified questionnaire was refined according to the advice of 10 experts, and the questionnaire was verified through a preliminary questionnaire by 5 other experts.”
Reviewer 1: Since the major point of the article is that VR use on children, is it possible to report teachers' qualitative observation on children? Current quantitative data only reveal teachers' perspectives.
Authors : It is common to analyze the effect of education on early childhood through teachers. When targeting early childhood, IRB must be obtained, and even if IRB is received, it is difficult to conduct a survey with many questions and many participants in order to generalize the hypothesis on illiterate children. So, in qualitative research, we could ask a question and get an answer, but depending on the questioner, the answer may be distorted and reliability may be lost, also because it takes a long time, therefore research on children is often conducted through teachers. In this study, an experienced teacher who cares for many children conducted a questionnaire survey, which is believed to be a reliable research result.
Author Response File: 
Author Response.doc
Reviewer 2 Report
In the first sentence of the introduction, the authors state: “In 2018, 54 children died in transport accidents, accounting for 33.1% of 163 children 31 who died in accidents”. However, they do not specify which country the data concerns and where the data comes from.
The methodological part is missing in the article. It is an indispensable element of a scientific article which, by definition, must provide new knowledge. Without a methodological part, other scientists are unable to verify the research described in the article, which disqualifies the article. Research must be repeatable.
A typical research article begins with an introduction that reviews the current knowledge of the research area. The introduction should end with an indication of the research problem - that is, the lack of knowledge in the research area. The identified research problem is the essence of the aim of the article.
The next element of the article is the methodological part, where research hypotheses and research questions are formulated. The methodological part also presents the research methods and techniques used to verify the hypotheses. The next element is the research part and the discussion of the obtained results. The article ends with a summary, which includes answers to research questions and verification of research hypotheses. Recommendations in the research area are also a valuable element.
Author Response
Reviewer 2: 1. In the first sentence of the introduction, the authors state: “In 2018, 54 children died in transport accidents, accounting for 33.1% of 163 children 31 who died in accidents”. However, they do not specify which country the data concerns and where the data comes from.
Authors : As reviewer’s comment, we specify the country and add a reference. The sentence in Introduction
“In 2018, 54 children died in transport accidents, accounting for 33.1% of 163 children who died in accidents.”
exchange to the sentence
“In 2018, 54 child pedestrians killed in road accidents in South Korea, accounting for 33.1% of 163 children who died in traffic accidents [22].”
Reviewer 2: The methodological part is missing in the article. It is an indispensable element of a scientific article which, by definition, must provide new knowledge. Without a methodological part, other scientists are unable to verify the research described in the article, which disqualifies the article. Research must be repeatable.
Authors : Agreeing with the reviewer's comment, we found this lack of methodological explanation. We referred to methods of previous studies and modified the research method conducted in that study to make it our own. Our method was verified through sufficient consultation. The following sentence is added in 2.3 Research Tool.
“In this study, the questionnaire includes questions related to traffic safety education, life safety education, and VR as three main factors. Traffic safety education and life safety education questionnaires were modified from the questionnaires used in the research on study on the present status and needs of traffic safety education in early childhood education centers [20]. In addition, the questionnaire related to VR was modified from the questionnaire used in a study on the introduction of VR education methods for increasing the effectiveness of safety training on-site for adults [21]. Additionally, the modified questionnaire was refined according to the advice of 10 experts, and the questionnaire was verified through a preliminary questionnaire by 5 other experts.”
Reviewer 2: A typical research article begins with an introduction that reviews the current knowledge of the research area. The introduction should end with an indication of the research problem - that is, the lack of knowledge in the research area. The identified research problem is the essence of the aim of the article.
Authors : Agreeing with the reviewer's comment, we found that the research problem has not been declared the end of Introduction clearly. So we add the following sentence the end of Introduction.
“In South Korea, a VR safety education program for early childhood has recently been developed and applied. However, no research has been conducted on the actual status of teachers' perceptions of safety education for early childhood and the analysis of the effects of VR safety education. Therefore, through this study, we intend to conduct research on VR safety education programs for early childhood.”
Reviewer 2: The next element of the article is the methodological part, where research hypotheses and research questions are formulated. The methodological part also presents the research methods and techniques used to verify the hypotheses. The next element is the research part and the discussion of the obtained results. The article ends with a summary, which includes answers to research questions and verification of research hypotheses. Recommendations in the research area are also a valuable element.
Authors : Agreeing with the reviewer's comment, I added the following sentence to add a recommendation after summarizing the study.
“Recently, MR, which applies the virtual world to AR, is popular. Therefore, programs are increased using XR rather than VR as an educational tool. According to the results of this study, it is found that the education in the virtual world was more effective than any other technology tool for safety education. Therefore, safety education in the virtual world must be continuously developed and applied.”
Author Response File: Author Response.doc
Round 2
Reviewer 2 Report
1. Please complete 3 research hypotheses for the following conclusions:
“First, it was confirmed that the preference for audiovisual classes and VR as effective teaching methods and media in early childhood education institutions is high. […]
Second, VR safety education was positively correlated with children's traffic and life safety perceptions and attitudes. […]
Third, among the factors of the safety education effect using VR, immersion was found to be a significant factor influencing safety education perception and attitude.”
2. Please formulate research questions.
Author Response
Reviewer 1: Please complete 3 research hypotheses for the following conclusions:
“First, it was confirmed that the preference for audiovisual classes and VR as effective teaching methods and media in early childhood education institutions is high. […]
Second, VR safety education was positively correlated with children's traffic and life safety perceptions and attitudes. […]
Third, among the factors of the safety education effect using VR, immersion was found to be a significant factor influencing safety education perception and attitude.”
Authors : The author accepted the reviewer's comments. The part about the hypothesis doesn't seem clear. The sentence describing the hypothesis in Introduction
“Using VR, safety education will show a high preventive effect, by increasing children's understanding, based on high immersion in a shorter time and affecting their awareness and attitude towards safety.”
exchanged to
“The purpose of this study was to investigate that the safety education Using VR show a high preference as a teaching method and a high preventive effect, by increasing chil-dren's understanding, based on high immersion in a shorter time and affecting their awareness and attitude towards safety.”
Reviewer 1: Please formulate research questions.
Authors : The author accepted the reviewer's comments and add the followings.
“The research questions were:
1. What is the status of safety education in early childhood education institutions?
2. Is traffic and life safety education using VR more immersive and more preferable than other tools?
3. How does traffic and life safety education using VR affect children's preventive at-titude toward safety?”
Sincerely yours,
Kwang-Seong Shin
28 Dec, 2022
Author Response File: Author Response.doc
