A Virtual Tour of the Cell: Impact of Virtual Reality on Student Learning and Engagement in the STEM Classroom
This study assesses the educational impact of virtual reality (VR) on student learning and engagement in a sophomore-level cell biology course taught at Otterbein University. Using VR, students toured the cell and its environment within the human body. Next, students completed a team challenge where...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
American Society for Microbiology
2019-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education |
| Online Access: | https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/jmbe.v20i2.1658 |
| _version_ | 1818988229184978944 |
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| author | Jennifer A. Bennett Colin P. Saunders |
| author_facet | Jennifer A. Bennett Colin P. Saunders |
| author_sort | Jennifer A. Bennett |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study assesses the educational impact of virtual reality (VR) on student learning and engagement in a sophomore-level cell biology course taught at Otterbein University. Using VR, students toured the cell and its environment within the human body. Next, students completed a team challenge where they worked as pairs to match images of cell components taken from the virtual reality application with the appropriate name. Finally, students were given a voluntary survey that presented questions about their perceptions of the VR experience and the associated cell sorting activity. Survey results revealed that a majority of students enjoyed the VR experience and felt that it had a positive impact on their education. These results indicate the potential supportive role that VR may have in a variety of undergraduate courses. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T19:19:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3f819c1c63c94016b3460f52888289cd |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1935-7877 1935-7885 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T19:19:16Z |
| publishDate | 2019-01-01 |
| publisher | American Society for Microbiology |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-3f819c1c63c94016b3460f52888289cd2022-12-21T19:29:03ZengAmerican Society for MicrobiologyJournal of Microbiology & Biology Education1935-78771935-78852019-01-0120210.1128/jmbe.v20i2.1658A Virtual Tour of the Cell: Impact of Virtual Reality on Student Learning and Engagement in the STEM ClassroomJennifer A. Bennett0Colin P. Saunders1Department of Biology and Earth Science, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Program, Otterbein University, Westerville, OH 43081Center for Teaching and Learning, Otterbein University, Westerville, OH 43081This study assesses the educational impact of virtual reality (VR) on student learning and engagement in a sophomore-level cell biology course taught at Otterbein University. Using VR, students toured the cell and its environment within the human body. Next, students completed a team challenge where they worked as pairs to match images of cell components taken from the virtual reality application with the appropriate name. Finally, students were given a voluntary survey that presented questions about their perceptions of the VR experience and the associated cell sorting activity. Survey results revealed that a majority of students enjoyed the VR experience and felt that it had a positive impact on their education. These results indicate the potential supportive role that VR may have in a variety of undergraduate courses.https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/jmbe.v20i2.1658 |
| spellingShingle | Jennifer A. Bennett Colin P. Saunders A Virtual Tour of the Cell: Impact of Virtual Reality on Student Learning and Engagement in the STEM Classroom Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education |
| title | A Virtual Tour of the Cell: Impact of Virtual Reality on Student Learning and Engagement in the STEM Classroom |
| title_full | A Virtual Tour of the Cell: Impact of Virtual Reality on Student Learning and Engagement in the STEM Classroom |
| title_fullStr | A Virtual Tour of the Cell: Impact of Virtual Reality on Student Learning and Engagement in the STEM Classroom |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Virtual Tour of the Cell: Impact of Virtual Reality on Student Learning and Engagement in the STEM Classroom |
| title_short | A Virtual Tour of the Cell: Impact of Virtual Reality on Student Learning and Engagement in the STEM Classroom |
| title_sort | virtual tour of the cell impact of virtual reality on student learning and engagement in the stem classroom |
| url | https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/jmbe.v20i2.1658 |
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