Virtual Reality in Teaching and Learning – Experiences and Opinions of Educators

Abstract

The research problem consisted in the question: “What opportunities and limitations in the use of virtual reality (VR) in education do educators/health sciences specialists notice?”. The opinion on the use of VR in education was formed thanks to a combination of two perspectives of the educators: a learner’s perspective (the experience of immersion in VR), and a teacher’s perspective (professional experience). Methodological triangulation was employed, with both the quantitative and qualitative perspectives used. The following tools were employed in the research: The positive and negative emotions scale (SUPIN), version S.20 and the SDVR Questionnaire. The research was conducted at the Department of Health Sciences of the Wroclaw Medical University in Wroclaw, Poland, between October, 2019 and April, 2020. The research group consisted of 30 people specialising in various areas of health sciences. Specialists in health sciences believe that VR is a method which can make the process of education more attractive and facilitate achievement in the areas of knowledge, competences, and skills. The trainings in which educators can experience immersion in VR not only make it possible to generate ideas on how to use the equipment, but they also reduce their concerns as to using it. The realism of the experiences, the positive emotions, the multidimensionality of the images during immersion make it possible to employ VR in various areas of education in which VR may be treated as a means to practice clinical situations in a safe environment, as well as a tool illustrating various realms of knowledge (such as, e.g., human anatomy). What is considered by educators as the greatest obstacle in the popularisation of VR in education is the limited access to equipment. Other difficulties include: adapting software to the subject curriculum, working in large groups, and competences of the educators.