Equivalence of using a desktop virtual reality science simulation at home and in class

Abstract

The use of virtual laboratories is growing as companies and educational institutions try to expand their reach, cut costs, increase student understanding, and provide more accessible hands on training for future scientists. Many new higher education initiatives outsource lab activities so students now perform them online in a virtual environment rather than in a classroom setting, thereby saving time and money while increasing accessibility. In this paper we explored whether the learning and motivational outcomes of interacting with a desktop virtual reality (VR) science lab simulation on the internet at home are equivalent to interacting with the same simulation in class with teacher supervision. A sample of 112 (76 female) university biology students participated in a between-subjects experimental design, in which participants learned at home or in class from the same virtual laboratory simulation on the topic of microbiology. The home and classroom groups did not differ significantly on post-test learning outcome scores, or on self-report measures of intrinsic motivation or self-efficacy. Furthermore, these conclusions remained after accounting for prior knowledge or goal orientation. In conclusion, the results indicate that virtual simulations are learning activities that students can engage in just as effectively outside of the classroom environment.

Virtual Reality Aids Game Navigation: Evidence from the Hypertext Lostness Measure

“…When it comes to learning, cognitive overload is often mentioned as being a problem with VR. 5,[27][28][29] Although we did not examine this directly, our data do not suggest this when a VR game is compared with a non-VR/desktop game. Nevertheless, as knowledge test scores were relatively low in both conditions, it could be argued that cognitive overload occurred in both conditions as participants were not familiar with the game and the node-based movement system.…”

“…This partially supported findings that only visually presented information is better retained in VR, 51 while differing from other research that found that VR hindered learning. 27 Followup research should examine the best way to present learning content in VR for better learning. Finally, this study showed the value of hypertext lostness measures in node-based games and VR and showed that even within a gaming context, VR's merit is significant.…”

“…Similar effects are known from VR. 5,[27][28][29] Cognitive overload leads to inhibited learning 30 as a user simultaneously devotes limited cognitive resources to both navigation and comprehension. 31,32 We pose that lostness, 33 a measure that is used to identify disorientation and has been shown to be successful in predicting success in information-seeking tasks in hypertext, [34][35][36] can also be used in VR games that use a node-link approach due to the similarity in process and structure.…”

“…[50][51][52] However, there is disagreement on VR's contribution to learning. 27,51,[53][54][55] This can at least partly be explained by two factors: (a) most research compared VR with traditional educational methods rather than comparing the same game presented in VR with a non-VR/desktop environment 56 and (b) the vast majority of studies did not make use of fully immersive VR by using either low-end headsets or primitive controls or both. 27,51,53 This study deviates from existing studies as it (a) gives a direct comparison between VR and a non-VR/desktop game and (b) uses fully immersive VR and hence aids natural observation 38,57 and natural control.…”

BME Labs in the Era of COVID-19: Transitioning a Hands-on Integrative Lab Experience to Remote Instruction Using Gamified Lab Simulations

“… 5 The sort of virtual simulations we are proposing for the fall semester have been shown to support student learning as effectively as in-person labs in the natural sciences, 7 and these simulation-based labs have more recently been shown to be equivalent to in-lab experiences for biology-focused labs of the sort we teach in the fall semester. 4 This summer (when we teach a compressed version of the first semester lab to a smaller cohort) and fall, we will perform pre- and post-assessment of student self-efficacy and learning of core concepts. Informal unsolicited feedback on the Labster simulations from the nine summer students (currently in progress) is highly positive, with some students stating that those simulations are one of their favorite aspects of the course thus far.…”