Although Virtual Reality (VR) has been around for decades, it has been mainly intended for video game entertainment. VR technology brings users to the computer-generated 3D hologram-like environment and allows interaction with virtual objects using VR controllers. Can we extend such VR immersive experience to chemistry lab teaching? This presentation will share an innovative portable virtual reality chemistry lab applied in two undergraduate chemistry courses - an organic chemistry class in 2020 Spring enrolled over 200 students at Harvard University and a smaller entry-level chemistry class in 2020 Summer with online teaching. The two classes utilize Protein Data Bank (PDB) to retrieve and download 3D structures, such as COVID-19 protease.<br/> <br/>The goal was to improve students’ spatial recognition of protein structures and engagement in 3D chemistry experiments. This VR lab has the advantages of being green (less hazardous, eco-friendly, low costing) and portable (wireless, no computer needed, convenient to transport) that is easily applied to future other chemistry classes. We conducted survey research accessing students’ perception of this portable VR chemistry lab and their learning outcomes. The presentation will also cover the quantitative and qualitative analysis of the survey assessment results.

Creating 3D immersive learning experience utilizing a portable virtual reality chemistry lab

ACS Fall 2021

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