Applying a Virtual Reality Platform in Environmental Chemistry Education To Conduct a Field Trip to an Overseas Site

• Published in: Journal of Chemical Education Vol. 96; no. 2; pp. 382 - 386
• Main Authors: Fung, Fun Man, Choo, Wen Yi, Ardisara, Alvita, Zimmermann, Christoph Dominik, Watts, Simon, Koscielniak, Thierry, Blanc, Etienne, Coumoul, Xavier, Dumke, Rainer
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Easton American Chemical Society and Division of Chemical Education, Inc 12.02.2019; American Chemical Society (ACS); Division of Chemical Education, Inc; American Chemical Society; American Chemical Society, Division of Chemical Education
• Subjects: [CHIM]Chemical Sciences; [SHS.EDU]Humanities and Social Sciences/Education; Analytical Chemistry; CAI; Chemical Sciences; Chemistry; College Science; College students; Computer Assisted Instruction; Computer Simulation; Computer-Based Learning; Demonstrations; Education; Educational Technology; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental conditions; Feedback; Field Trips; General Public; Humanities and Social Sciences; Instructional Effectiveness; Internet/Web-Based Learning; Learning; Multimedia; Multimedia-Based Learning; Organic chemistry; Physics [Science]; Science Education; Science Instruction; Science::Physics; Second-Year Undergraduate; Student Attitudes; Students; Teachers; Teaching Methods; Undergraduate Students; Upper-Division Undergraduate; Upper-Division Undergraduate General Public Demonstrations Analytical Chemistry Environmental Chemistry Computer-Based Learning Internet/Web-Based Learning Multimedia-Based Learning Second-Year Undergraduate; Virtual environments; Virtual reality; Web Based Instruction; Upper-Division Undergraduate; Analytical Chemistry; Second-Year Undergraduate; Demonstrations; Internet/Web-Based Learning; Multimedia-Based Learning; Computer-Based Learning; General Public; Environmental Chemistry; Upper-Division Undergraduate General Public Demonstrations Analytical Chemistry Environmental Chemistry Computer-Based Learning Internet/Web-Based Learning Multimedia-Based Learning Second-Year Undergraduate
• ISSN: 0021-9584; 1938-1328
• DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.8b00728

Field trips are a common activity for instructors to engage students and give them a first-hand understanding of a subject, especially in environmental chemistry. However, the planning and execution for a field trip is logistically challenging and demanding of human and material resources. Here, we demonstrate the conduct of a virtual overseas field trip for 74 students with the use of a web-based virtual reality (VR) application. From the feedback after the virtual field trip, students reported general receptiveness toward such use of VR technology.