Tandon Ishita, Maldonado Vitali, Wilkerson Megan, Walls Amanda, Rao Raj R, Elsaadany Mostafa
Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, United States.
Front Med Technol. 2024 Mar 19;6:1301004. doi: 10.3389/fmedt.2024.1301004. eCollection 2024.
Immersive virtual reality (VR) based laboratory demonstrations have been gaining traction in STEM education as they can provide virtual hands-on experience. VR can also facilitate experiential and visual learning and enhanced retention. However, several optimizations of the implementation, in-depth analyses of advantages and trade-offs of the technology, and assessment of receptivity of modern techniques in STEM education are required to ensure better utilization of VR-based labs.
In this study, we developed VR-based demonstrations for a biomolecular engineering laboratory and assessed their effectiveness using surveys containing free responses and 5-point Likert scale-based questions. Insta360 Pro2 camera and Meta Quest 2 headsets were used in combination with an in-person lab. A cohort of 53 students watched the experimental demonstration on VR headsets in the lab after a brief lab overview in person and then performed the experiments in the lab.
Only 28.29% of students reported experiencing some form of discomfort after using the advanced VR equipment as opposed to 63.63% of students from the previous cohort. About 40% of the students reported that VR eliminated or reduced auditory and visual distractions from the environment, the length of the videos was appropriate, and they received enough information to understand the tasks.
The traditional lab method was found to be more suitable for explaining background information and lab concepts while the VR was found to be suitable for demonstrating lab procedures and tasks. Analyzing open-ended questions revealed several factors and recommendations to overcome the potential challenges and pitfalls of integrating VR with traditional modes of learning. This study provides key insights to help optimize the implementation of immersive VR to effectively supplement in-person learning experiences.
基于沉浸式虚拟现实（VR）的实验室演示在STEM教育中越来越受到关注，因为它们可以提供虚拟实践经验。VR还可以促进体验式和视觉学习，并提高知识保留率。然而，为了确保更好地利用基于VR的实验室，需要对实施过程进行一些优化，深入分析该技术的优缺点以及评估现代技术在STEM教育中的接受度。
在本研究中，我们为生物分子工程实验室开发了基于VR的演示，并通过包含自由回答和基于5点李克特量表的问题的调查来评估其有效性。Insta360 Pro2相机和Meta Quest 2头戴式设备与现场实验室相结合使用。一组53名学生在现场简要介绍实验室后，在实验室中通过VR头戴式设备观看了实验演示，然后在实验室中进行实验。
只有28.29%的学生在使用先进的VR设备后报告有某种形式的不适，而前一组学生的这一比例为63.63%。约40%的学生报告说，VR消除或减少了环境中的听觉和视觉干扰，视频长度合适，并且他们获得了足够的信息来理解任务。
发现传统实验室方法更适合解释背景信息和实验室概念，而VR适合演示实验室程序和任务。对开放式问题的分析揭示了几个因素和建议，以克服将VR与传统学习模式整合时的潜在挑战和陷阱。本研究提供了关键见解，以帮助优化沉浸式VR的实施，有效地补充现场学习体验。
