"VR is more than game, it’s way too brilliant for that" – An illuminative mixed methods case study exploring virtual reality in FE health and social care curriculum

Sheerman, Laura

Abstract

With an increasing interest in digital technologies in education, new opportunities exist to bring real world contexts into the classroom setting using virtual reality.  Virtual reality (VR) is a new technology that can serve to enhance simulation-based learning experiences (SBLE) across student programs of learning. The educational benefits of VR in Higher Education and professional workforce contexts include making information more memorable, improved student motivation and confidence to engage with subject matter. But educational level can produce variegated learning outcomes. Explorations of VR as an educational resource, with young adults (18-year-olds) enrolled in healthcare programs of study are few. The classroom educator, fourteen young adults and an additional seven health and social care educators participated in this study. A mixed methods illuminative case study, with an embedded repeated measures design was adopted to shed light on the perceptions, experience, impact, and the future position of VR in college healthcare curriculum. The research uncovered implications for research in education with immersive technologies, in particular the measures used to assess learning and participant safeguarding practice. Weaknesses in the Technology adoption model (UTAUT2) was exposed in the context of VR adoption in FE. Students felt VR was authentic, engaging and could support preparation for entry into real world healthcare contexts. VR was shown to change student perspective. Some students found VR a challenge to use, in particular adverse side effects, hardware design and orientation to VR control were noted. Educators felt VR could expose student’s scenarios that are difficult to replicate and broaden student experience of professional healthcare workplace. However, constraints centred on the limited availability of VR content, low digital confidence to use VR independently of specialist support, the management of students located in virtual and physical learning environments. Moreover, educators lacked confidence to use VR independently in lessons.

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: May 14, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 21, 2024
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/11986587
• Award Date: Nov 21, 2024