Interest in virtual reality (VR) for teaching and learning in higher education is growing, given its many potential applications. VR offers a socially interactive environment with novel ways to engage students with materials, objects, and activities and provide students with experiences such as "field trips" that would be otherwise very…

Digital teachers represent an innovative fusion of media and artificial intelligence (AI) within online educational environments. However, the specific ways in which the appearance anthropomorphism of digital teachers influences the delivery of different knowledge types remain insufficiently understood. Drawing on Embodied Learning Theory and…

Online courses include the design for student interaction to support effective learning. Studies have shown that online discussion boards are a useful option to engage students. However, with new emerging digital technologies such as Virtual Reality (VR), the question remains to what extent or in what ways these immersive technologies can be used…

In this study, we explore the perceived affordances of simulation-based learning (SBL) among online student teachers in Norway. We investigated how simulations mediate professional learning when coupled with educator-led debriefings and peer-led focus groups. Using an exploratory qualitative design, we examined 21 pre-service teachers'…

Asynchronous capstone courses often lack clear opportunities for students to gain confidence in applying skills they've learned throughout their program of study. To counteract this, I developed an HR capstone simulation course. Through the experience, I learned the power of low-tech role play to reinvigorate the online capstone experience. To…

This paper explores how a fully online program at a primarily residential university developed an experiential learning field trip to align with university and department strategic plan goals. The development, organization, and assessment of the field trip experience is discussed in detail. In addition, data were collected from student and faculty…

The metaverse offers unique opportunities for K-12 students to learn STEM subjects in online and blended settings, providing interactive and authentic experiences. Although previous studies have produced mixed findings on the influence of the metaverse on perceptions and academic achievement of online and blended STEM learning, it is necessary to…

This study aimed to investigate the perception of STEM students (n = 147) on using mobile Augmented Reality (AR) across gender and learning styles in physics online classes. It utilized embedded mixed-method research and purposive sampling. An instrument named Students Perception in Integrating Mobile AR in Physics Class was developed and has…

The COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia requires teachers and students to perform learning activities online. Meanwhile, teachers use a variety of technology products in the classroom without paying attention to the didactic, pedagogical, and content aspects. This is due to time constraints and short learning adjustments that should be flexible to this…

For many instructional designers (ID), subject matter experts (SMEs) are viewed as a necessary evil. Depending upon their day job, SMEs can be challenging to work with due to their schedules and responsibilities outside the ID's project. They can be unaware of the eLearning process, learning models and theories, and expensive -- a SME can easily…

Students are commonly in a high cognitive load state when they encounter sophisticated knowledge. Whether the novel augmented reality (AR) technology can be utilized in an online learning course to explain complicated scientific concepts in a more understandable manner to students during the COVID-19 period is an unaddressed issue. This study aims…

The capstone course for many Earth Science programs is a field course. To increase accessibility and to create a substitute in light of the cancellation of in-person courses due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we developed an online introductory field geology course. The course consisted of six different modules. The first was a virtual reality room,…

Virtual reality (VR) lab experiences for organic chemistry were developed at NC State University as an accessibility tool for students who are unable to attend in-person laboratories due to disabilities, attendance challenges such as pregnancy or military deployment, or safety concerns. The resulting first-person VR experiences are immersive and…

Chemical education laboratory practices have not been exempted from the present healthcare crisis. Learning environments have shifted from face-to-face exercises to virtual and video conferencing platforms. Here, we discuss a chemistry for health sciences course which (i) adapted the previous face-to-face laboratory exercises to 100% online using…

Interprofessional learning improves students' clinical and interprofessional competencies. COVID-19 prevented delivering in-person education and motivated the development of a virtual interprofessional cadaveric dissection (ICD) course. This study reports on the effects of a virtual ICD course compared to a previously delivered in-person course,…