Enacting Biomolecular Interactions in VR: Impact on Student Conceptual Understanding in Biochemistry

Through the theoretical lenses of embodied and enactive learning, this paper reports the instructional effectiveness of immersive virtual reality (VR) in helping undergraduates learn core biochemistry concepts. The reported pretest-posttest quasi-experimental study investigated how student enactment and learning of biochemical interactions in a VR simulation designed for embodied and enactive learning compared with traditional slideshow lecture-based instruction in terms of student learning outcomes across a number of cognitive (conceptual learning) and affective (intrinsic motivation, self-efficacy, perceived learning) measures. Thirty-eight undergraduates (17 females) who volunteered to participate in the study randomly received either the VR simulation (19), or slideshow-based traditional (18) instruction. Preliminary statistical analyses revealed that embodied and enactive interactions in VR: (i) had a significant positive impact on conceptual understanding in contrast to traditional instruction, and (ii) significantly helped in improving self-efficacy and confidence among the students, but was indifferent from the traditional instruction on student scores in intrinsic motivation and perceived learning tests.