doi: 10.18178/ijiet.2024.14.5.2092
Exploring the Virtual Frontier: The Impact of Virtual Reality on Undergraduate Biology Education at the American University in Dubai
Muriel T. Zaatar1,*
,
Niveen Masri1 ,
Mounir Alfahel1 ,
Gaelle Antar1 ,
Aryaman Dayal1 ,
Hiba Khamis1 ,
Muhammed Kuruvani2 ,
Georges Kachaamy2,3
- 1Department of Biological and Physical Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, American University in Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- 2Center for Research, Innovation, and Design (CRID), American University in Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- 3Dpartment of Architecture, School of Architecture, Art and Design, American University in Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- Manuscript receivedOctober 30, 2023
- revisedDecember 17, 2023
- acceptedJanuary 22, 2024
- publishedMay 14, 2024
Abstract
Virtual Reality (VR) technology is revolutionizing education, providing unique opportunities for immersive and interactive learning. This study explores the potential of VR to enhance undergraduate biology education—a pioneering endeavor within the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This research follows a structured three-stage approach which includes: pre-assessments, immersive VR experiences, and postassessments that evaluate the impact of VR on students’ knowledge and skills. This is complemented by a Likert-scale comprehensive learning survey designed to assess the students’ level of engagement and satisfaction. Using VR, students navigate a detailed 3D model of the human body and its organs and findings suggest that immersive VR holds substantial promise as an educational tool in UAE undergraduate biology education. Pre-assessments and post-assessments demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in biology assessment scores, indicating enhanced comprehension of complex concepts after a single VR session. Furthermore, the learning survey results suggest high levels of student engagement and satisfaction in the VR environment. The introduction of VR technology into undergraduate biology education is innovative, shedding light on its untapped potential. This study provides insights into the broader applicability of immersive VR in science education and its potential to transform learning experiences, benefiting both students and educators.
Keywords
- virtual reality
- immersive learning
- education
- undergraduate biology
- student engagement
- educational technology
How to Cite
Muriel T. Zaatar, Niveen Masri, Mounir Alfahel, Gaelle Antar, Aryaman Dayal, Hiba Khamis, Muhammed Kuruvani, and Georges Kachaamy, "Exploring the Virtual Frontier: The Impact of Virtual Reality on Undergraduate Biology Education at the American University in Dubai," International Journal of Information and Education Technology, vol. 14, no. 5, pp. 675-680, 2024. https://doi.org/10.18178/ijiet.2024.14.5.2092
Copyright & License
Copyright © 2024 by the authors. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited (CC BY 4.0).