Using extended reality to close equity gaps in laboratory training

Ended Project Grant Awarded Last action

Award ID
2303007
Recipient
Awarding agency
Obligated
$793,200

Award facts

Completion date
Place of performance
Boise, ID 83725, USA

Award details come from USAspending.gov.

Description

As the agency reported it.

Abstract
Many undergraduates enter college level chemistry classes without prior experience in a chemistry lab, often due to unequal access to laboratory facilities in high school. Since lab experience is an integral component of most traditional chemistry courses, students arriving without this background can be at a disadvantage, creating feelings of anxiety that could lead to a lack of persistence in stem pathways. This research on emerging technologies for teaching and learning (RETTL) project will develop IMMERSIVE XR (extended reality) and web-based (non-IMMERSIVE) learning experiences for first-year college students taking chemistry lab courses. The technology proposed in this project will provide an effective introduction to the undergraduate chemistry lab that will reinforce their knowledge of chemistry terminology while minimizing anxiety associated with performing experiments for the first time in an unfamiliar and timed setting. Newly designed modules will orient incoming students to the chemistry laboratory and introduce them to experiments that augment the lecture portion of their courses. The purpose of these modules is to supplement and reinforce lab training through an active learning, multi-sensory learning interface. While many studies have focused on virtual reality (VR) experiences in education, this project specifically examines the emotional and cognitive impacts of extended reality interventions on students and aims to improve upon the technology, based on student feedback throughout the project. In addition, as the covid-19 pandemic highlighted, there is a need to develop virtual educational tools that provide comparable experiences for all students. This project examines an innovative introduction to the chemistry lab experience by applying the use of virtual reality technology to chemistry education. The study will examine the extent to which VR and XR training modules can prepare students for entry to a chemistry lab course, reinforce conventional lab training, boost knowledge of chemistry literacy, and minimize anxiety associated with performing experiments. The project goal is to deliver transformative experiences through XR technology that will positively impact the ability of undergraduates in first-year chemistry courses to engage with and persist in scientific settings. The project will employ an inclusive design-centered approach to the development of the XR modules, where extensive suggestions from students and other stakeholders will refine and improve the technology. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

Transactions

Action Obligated Date
Amendment $0
Original award $793,200

Subawards

Subrecipient Amount Awarded
Loyola Marymount University This proposal is an interdisciplinary collaboration between Boise State University, Cal State University, Los Angeles, University of Southern California,… $36,914
University Of Southern California From Fall 2023 to Spring 2026, we will implement online and virtual reality chemistry lab experiences to close equity gaps for undergraduate students. We have… $92,956
Chapman University Cecilia Zurita Lopez, PhD, Assistant Professor of Biochemistry will work closely with Shalini Ramachandran, PhD, MLIS, Associate Librarian for STEM at Loyola… $43,297
CAL State La University Auxiliary Services Inc. Year 1 California State University, Los Angeles, Chapman University, and Loyola Marymount University PI Sheree Fu will guide the user experience (UX)… $156,958

Quick answers

Who received award 2303007?

2303007 was awarded to Boise State University by Division of Information and Intelligent Systems (National Science Foundation) on August 1, 2023.

How much is award 2303007 worth?

$793,200 has been obligated on 2303007.

Which agency awarded 2303007?

Division of Information and Intelligent Systems (National Science Foundation) awarded 2303007, with funding from National Science Foundation.

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