Breaking the Access to Education Barrier: Enhancing HPLC Learning with Virtual Reality

• Published in: Journal of chemical education 2024-10, Vol.101 (10), p.4093-4101
• Main Authors: Taylor, Mae, Abdullah, Nazrul Bin, Al-Dargazelli, Ayah, Montaner, Mireia Benito, Kareem, Fatma, Locks, Amy, Cao, Zijing, Bowles, Benjamin, Sarraf, Jean Charles, Fajinmi, Tamara, Muwaffak, Zaid, Beckwith, Cory, Parkinson, Gary N., Waller, Zoë A. E., Szulc, Blanka R., Hilton, Stephen T.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Access to education; College students; Digital twins; Education; Educational Environment; High performance liquid chromatography; Instrumentation; Laboratories; Laboratory Equipment; Learner Engagement; Learning; Learning environment; Learning outcomes; Liquid chromatography; Science education; Software; Student Participation; Students; Teaching; Teaching methods; Training; Twins; Undergraduate education; Undergraduate Students; Undergraduate study; Virtual reality
• ISSN: 0021-9584; 1938-1328
• DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.4c00540

This research focuses on an innovative approach to the practical teaching of High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), specifically exploring the application of Virtual Reality (VR) in undergraduate education. Traditionally, the exposure to HPLC instrumentation for undergraduates has been limited due to a substantial student population and the prohibitively high costs of these systems. To overcome these challenges, we developed our own in-house multi-user VR software, as well as a VR digital twin model of HPLC instruments in our laboratory and placed multiple copies of these in a training environment, aiming to simulate a realistic, interactive, and immersive learning HPLC environment. The investigation of its effectiveness included a group of first year undergraduate students with no previous HPLC experience, aiming to assess the reception of the VR learning environment among a student cohort. The use of the VR software positively influenced student engagement with HPLC training. Survey results indicate that the majority of students greatly enjoyed the VR sessions, with many students reporting a heightened interest in practicals and self-reporting that they learned better than they would have using text or PowerPoints, though formal assessment is needed to quantify its impact on learning outcomes. Notably, students reported a heightened confidence in their operational understanding of the instrument and exhibited a more profound grasp of the underlying theoretical concepts. In light of these findings, we propose that VR learning environments equipped with digital twins of laboratory equipment can greatly enhance practical teaching, particularly in areas constrained by equipment accessibility. This work, therefore, offers compelling insights into the potential of VR learning environments in reshaping HPLC practical teaching in undergraduate education.