Impacts of Virtual Reality Experiences: Enhanced Undergraduate Student Performance and Engagement with use of 360-degree video.
Virtual reality has been used for a variety of training and gaming purposes. Recent studies have demonstrated their use in higher education enhances student engagement and positively impacts student performance. In this study, we implemented 360-degree video in an introductory biology lab and assessed student attitudes, engagement, and performance on various assessments as well as the overall course performance. Students were extremely positive about virtual reality, had minimal issues handling the technology, and indicated that engagement with the topic was better with virtual reality. Student performance increased on 2 of the 3 formative assessments analyzed, 1 of 1 summative assessment analyzed, and overall course grades in semesters with virtual reality were higher than in semesters without virtual reality. These results suggest virtual reality in higher education may enhance not only student engagement and performance, but also enhance student attitude about the topic.