Abstract
• This project aims to overcome the limitations of online teaching with ZOOM for laboratory courses and University General Education (UGE) courses with lab demonstration elements.
• Due to the suspension of face-to-face teaching, hands-on experimental work cannot be conducted in laboratory. As a result, teaching methods such as traditional video clips or web-cameras based demonstration are commonly adopted to illustrate the protocols of experiments.
• The limitations of conducting lab demonstration with ZOOM include: (i) narrow and stationary shooting angle of common web-camera; (ii) teaching assistant is needed to operate the stand-alone camera when the teacher moves around the laboratory to use different equipment or to complete different tasks; (iii) inability to provide fine-tuning of focus for small experimental objects; (iv) only 2-dimensional view of the experimental setting and laboratory environment can be provided.
• In view of the above limitations, this project is conceived to develop a lab demonstration module with 3-D Virtual Reality (VR) technology and deliver the eLearning module using ZOOM as an exemplary pedagogy.
• This online lab demonstration module is expected to enhance the teaching quality and motivate students’ learning by offering an interactive and immersive laboratory learning experience for large class.
Brief write-up
Project objectives
The objective of this project is to overcome the limitations of online teaching with ZOOM for laboratory courses and University General Education (UGE) courses with lab demonstration elements.
Activities, process and outcomes
Five online micro-modules enhanced with 3D virtual-reality technologies were developed. Each micro-module comprises online and face-to-face learning activities. In the online mode, students are engaged in learning the theoretical framework of DNA fingerprinting technologies using the 3D 360 VR videos. In the face-to-face demonstration, students have the chance to gain hands-on experience in the use of common equipment and apparatus for molecular biology research. The major outcomes of this project include: (a) a VR-facilitated pedagogy for facilitating the integration of online teaching and face-to-face teaching; (b) enhancement of students’ understanding in biotechnologies and their applications in modern society.
Deliverables and evaluation
The deliverables include (i) a set of pedagogy to facilitate students’ learning via a series of online activities and face-to-face activities in laboratory; (ii) five sets of VR-enhanced video clips and learning materials. The five sets multimedia materials including the extraction of human DAN, Polymerase Chain Reaction, preparation of agarose gel and casting of gel, analysis of DNA fragment using agarose gel electrophoresis, and imaging techniques and analysis of DNA profile. Students’ learning was evaluated via course assessment tasks, questionnaires and focus-group meetings. The feedbacks from student users and their performance were generally positive.
Dissemination, diffusion, impact and sharing of good practices
The project results and experience in implementing VR-enhanced projects were presented in the CUHK Teaching and Learning Innovation Expo 2021. The poster entitled “
From Virtual Reality to Mixed-Reality: Application of Extended Reality Technologies for Biochemistry and Cell Biology Education” was also received the Commendation award.
Impact on teaching and learning
The motivation of students’ learning and attitude towards the use of combined learning mode were improved in UGEB courses (i.e. UGE courses on Nature, Science and Technology). This project also found that a combination of online and face-to-face learning experience can bring about synergistic effect on different aspects of students’ learning. It includes but not limited to their motivation, high-order thinking and academic attainment, etc. The deliverables and experience derived from this project also shed lights to the project team’s work to develop other VR/MR technologies-enhanced learning packages for other GE courses (e.g. GESC2390 “Genetic Engineering and Its Impacts on Our Society”) and junior year laboratory courses (e.g. LSCI2002 “Basic Laboratory Techniques in Life Sciences”).
