The Use of Virtual Reality in the Teaching of Challenging Concepts in Virology, Cell Culture and Molecular Biology

Abstract

The rapidly expanding biotechnology sector horizon is expected to create a surge in demand for expertise underpinning cell and gene therapies, which are recognized as the next generation of medicines. New and innovative approaches to implement active and performative learning in the Molecular Life Sciences are required to support this and to address limitations associated with traditional “front of class” lectern delivery of challenging, three dimensional molecular concepts. Therefore, an immediate need exists for the development and implementation of immersive learning approaches in Virology, Cellular Sciences and Molecular Biology to underpin sustainable development of graduate students for academic and industrial research careers. The Covid-19 pandemic has led to significant changes in the delivery of education globally, with online engagement and accelerated uptake of novel teaching and assessment modalities into majority practice within institutions. This development has been driven by externally imposed necessity and it remains to be seen what form teaching and learning will take post-Covid. Irrespective of the pandemic, technologies are available which can serve intrinsically motivated, discipline specific shifts toward enhanced learner experiences and learning outcomes. Immersive virtual reality offers one such approach to open new entry points for student learning of abstract molecular concepts, which will be just as relevant upon our return to face-to-face teaching. Key to delivering this will be engagement and collaboration by disciplinary and technical experts. Here, we discuss global advances in the area of VR and Molecular Science education and assess potential paths forward for teaching and learning impact and innovative education.

Incorporating immersive learning into biomedical engineering laboratories using virtual reality

“…A pilot survey (n = 22) completed by students taking a microbiology module at UCC prior to the codesign of the bespoke VR simulations showed that (a) 88% of respondents could see potential in the use of digital technologies, (b) 79% of respondents indicated that they learn well through visual modules and, (c) 15% of respondents declared competency in the use of VR technologies. Together, these data highlight the huge potential for VR integration into molecular biology curricula [ 27 ].…”

Developing student codesigned immersive virtual reality simulations for teaching of challenging concepts in molecular and cellular biology

“…The adoption of I-VR brings many challenges with respect to Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and requires careful attention to detail in the early design phase (Reen et al . 2021 ). Users can experience difficulty with the technology handling (hardware and software), interpretation of color schemes, audio aspects and the spatial nature of the structures represented.…”

“…While the use of immersive virtual reality (I-VR) in Higher Education remains an area of active investigation, particularly with respect to accessing challenging molecular or cellular concepts (Reen et al . 2021 ), there is growing evidence of the importance of active learning in pedagogical design (Espinosa et al . 2020 ).…”

First Responder Virtual Reality Simulator to train and assess emergency personnel for mass casualty response

“…Because it provides learners with the ability to practice in environments that more closely mimic real-life situations, virtual reality (VR) provides a superior approach for simulating complex scenarios such as MCIs. [17][18][19] VR systems are reusable and portable, and once developed they can be cost-effective in comparison to conventional training methods. 10,20 They can be designed to include automated, unbiased assessment of the trainee's performance, provide real-time feedback, and be customized to provide variable levels of difficulty or interchangeable scenarios.…”

“…Because it provides learners with the ability to practice in environments that more closely mimic real‐life situations, virtual reality (VR) provides a superior approach for simulating complex scenarios such as MCIs 17–19 . VR systems are reusable and portable, and once developed they can be cost‐effective in comparison to conventional training methods 10,20 .…”