Using Immersive Virtual Reality in an Online Biology Course

Abstract

Interest in virtual reality (VR) for teaching and learning in higher education is growing, given its many potential applications. VR offers a socially interactive environment with novel ways to engage students with materials, objects, and activities and provide students with experiences such as “field trips” that would be otherwise very difficult. Preliminary work indicates overall positive gains in student learning across disciplines compared to other technology and traditional techniques, although more studies are needed to better our understanding of this tool. We employed an “immersive” VR (with a head-mounted display) in an online course which provided students with the opportunity to interact with peers and engage in activities. We asked about perceptions of the learning experience with the technology and how using VR impacts students’ performance. We also noted the benefits and challenges of VR in an online course. Students perceived VR as a helpful component of the course, although performance on the cardiovascular unit assessment did not differ compared to the previous semester without VR.

How Can Emerging Technologies Impact STEM Education?

“…Emerging technologies are double-edged swords and have the potential to both lessen and exacerbate the digital divide. As previously noted, emerging technologies designed for educational purposes are accessible to a wide range of students and user-friendly (Izadinia, 2023;Majewska & Vereen, 2023;Ouyang et al, 2023;Zhang et al, 2023), hence reducing the digital gap in STEM education. To build more sophisticated solutions, students need to have a firm grasp of mathematics and hard sciences, in addition to strong technical skills in developing technologies (Majewska & Vereen, 2023).…”

“…The last article, written by Majewska and Vereen (2023), investigated how undergraduate students and their instructors in the USA regard the use of VR for biology learning. Examining the impact of VR on the biology learning of undergraduates, they used a questionnaire and a test and instructors' lecture notes to gain a deeper understanding of the advantages and difficulties that immersive technology brings to science learning.…”

“…They are designed for everyone. Students found VR beneficial and simple to use, establishing a more positive attitude toward technology and STEM learning (Izadinia, 2023;Majewska & Vereen, 2023;Zhang et al, 2023). This is explained by Davis' (1989) technology acceptance model, which is a major paradigm for understanding the adoption of new technologies in a variety of contexts.…”

“…This implies that students (boys and girls, computer enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts) are more motivated to use VR and coding in STEM learning (Yu et al, 2021). This intrinsic motivation is also strongly associated with STEM interest and identity development that can predict career choice (Chiu, 2023;Izadinia, 2023;Majewska & Vereen, 2023). Emerging technologies empower and engage girls and computer non-enthusiasts in STEM education, increasing their likelihood of developing a stronger interest and identity toward STEM (Izadinia, 2023;Majewska & Vereen, 2023;Zhang et al, 2023).…”

“…This intrinsic motivation is also strongly associated with STEM interest and identity development that can predict career choice (Chiu, 2023;Izadinia, 2023;Majewska & Vereen, 2023). Emerging technologies empower and engage girls and computer non-enthusiasts in STEM education, increasing their likelihood of developing a stronger interest and identity toward STEM (Izadinia, 2023;Majewska & Vereen, 2023;Zhang et al, 2023). Furthermore, Ouyang et al's (2023) study revealed that AI analytics can predict student STEM career involvement and that AI-based virtual mentors may help students grow their STEM careers.…”