Abstract
BACKGROUND
- Mimic the real plant learning trail by VR technology;
- Provide an equal, immersive, safe alternative to plant learning experience in the field study;
- Generate unlimited teaching and learning possibilities for plant learning;
- Promote flipped classroom, self-learning and popular science;
- Provide training of plant identification skill which is essential for students’ career development in environment, conservation, sciences, medicines and teaching disciplines
METHOD
- Implement the courseware in five phrases: i. Preparation; ii. VR courseware production; iii. Beta-test; iv. Launching; and v. Ongoing production;
- Record the plant learning trail with VR camera and produce a VR interactive courseware;
- Utilize CUHK campus and off-campus natural habitats as modules content;
- Run Beta-test in three CUHK courses;
- Allow students to use their mobile phones with the VR goggles provided to experience a simulated plant learning trail;
- Enrich and assess knowledge gained by users through built-in VR interactive quiz;
- Provide free access for the courseware users;
- Enhance and create synergy with our existing popular e-learning application- Plantwalk@CUHK
OUTCOME
- Produce two campus plant learning trails and one off-campus habitat as module 1-3*;
- Organize an introductory student workshop for each targeted course;
- Achieve the goal of 60% of users acquiring the knowledge of at least 3 plant species and 5 plant character descriptions;
- Accumulate 5000 courseware website visits in three years;
- Share experience to other departments and faculties through Teaching and Learning Innovation Expo 2020
SUSTAINABILITY
- Continue using and adding new interactive elements into module 1-3*;
- Continue creating new modules, e.g. Tai Po Kau Nature Reserve, Alumni Trail of CUHK, etc
* Module 1: CUHK United College habitat; Module 2: CUHK Herbal Garden; Module 3: Off-campus rocky shore or mangrove.
Brief write-up
Project objectives
• To provide an interactive and safe plant learning experience during field study;
• To promote flipped classroom and popular science;
• To provide training of plant identification skills for students; and
• To promote self-learning and flipped classroom.
Activities, process and outcomes
Three nature trails of VR learning database (
VR Trail of Plant Learning in CUHK) were created, and their interfaces could be easily operated in desktop computers and cell phone systems. These trails demonstrated different habitats of urban vegetation, Fung Shui Forest and horticultural landscape.
A total of 1,544 completions of VR Trail of Plant Learning were recorded. The students’ ability in identifying plant species of education need and their features had been enhanced. Students could identify 7.95 out of 10 plant species included in the VR trails, and were 81.5% accurate about the plant morphology and relevant knowledge. An average increase in identifying 2-3 plant species and 5 important plant morphological features was resulted when compared with the previous teaching without the VR learning platform. In general, the participating students agreed that VR Trail of Plant Learning provided a more realistic environment to the experience of plant identification.
Deliverables and evaluation
VR Trail of Plant Learning:
http://syhuherbarium.sls.cuhk.edu.hk/vr/
3 VR Plant Learning Trails:
• United College trail (urban vegetation):
https://cuhk-static-content.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/vr/uc/index.html
• Tai Wan trail (Fung Shui Forest):
https://cuhk-static-content.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/vr/tw/index.html
• Lake Ad Excellentiam trail (horticultural landscape):
https://cuhk-static-content.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/vr/lake/index.html
All the students of the three courses “Biodiversity Laboratory II” (BIOL3022), “Biology of Vascular Plants” (BIOL3570) and “Hong Kong Flora and Vegetation” (BIOL4510) have tried the VR Trail of Plant Learning
• Students could identify on average 7.95 plant species upon completion of the VR Trail of Plant Learning, which exceeds 3 plant species in the proposal.
• A 81.5% accuracy about the plant morphology and relevant knowledge question was resulted, exceeding the 50% accuracy in the proposal.
• 10,393 page views were recorded since the launch of the VR trails to the public, exceeding the 5,000 page views in the proposal
• The application of VR in teaching was promoted in Teaching and Learning Innovation Expo 2021.
Dissemination, diffusion, impact and sharing of good practices
Promotion of the application of VR in teaching in Teaching and Learning Innovation Expo 2021:
https://www.cuhk.edu.hk/eLearning/expo2021/submissions/img-fullsize/P12.jpg
Sharing to 150 teachers from primary and secondary schools about the preliminary test of VR Trail of Plant Learning in a STEM seminar by Education Bureau:
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=4207884405943416&id=1692006740864541
Impact on teaching and learning
The eLearning platform created in this project provided CUHK students, especially students in courses of plant and biodiversity, a helpful self-learning tool in plant identification. The three VR trails provided students with immersive experience in observing the actual growing forms and morphologies of the 30 targeted plant species. This would enable them to better identify the plant species when encountered in real life.
The VR platform would appeal to students, from primary school to university students, with its video game-like VR interface. Thus, the students’ motivation in learning about plant species would be significantly enhanced. During lesson preparation or revision, students were encouraged to use the platform repeatedly to reinforce the lesson materials.
