Engagement of Online Biobehavioral Health Students in Ethics Education Through Virtual Immersive Experiences

Abstract

In public health, ethics is a core competency. Accordingly, ethical decision-making should be part of the curriculum for all students seeking to enter the profession. Evidence suggests simulation may positively impact student learning of ethics. Yet, engaging in a traditional simulative or immersive experience is inaccessible to many students. Instead, could participation in virtual immersive experiences serve as a proxy for promoting student outcomes for ethical decision-making in public health? This quasi-experimental mixed methods study examined whether the integration of 360° videos in an undergraduate online health ethics course enhanced intended ethical decision-making. Undergraduate students ( n = 26) provided access to two assignments or artifacts. These artifacts were analyzed in accordance with a tailored rubric to explore differences in five constructs of ethical reasoning when writing assignments were completed with ( n = 13), or without ( n = 13), an integrated 360° video component. The results show the 360° videos enhanced the students’ ability to engage in ethical reasoning, with significant differences in rater scores being noted across multiple constructs. The data were also analyzed qualitatively. Students in the intervention group engaged in a process of “compassionate calculus,” integrating various elements of empathy, compassion, and self-awareness toward a clinical outcome. Together these findings demonstrate the capacity of virtual immersive experience to support students in the enhancement of intended ethical decision-making through the development of greater compassion or empathic concern. This study provides evidence to guide the continued integration of virtual immersive experiences into undergraduate public health education.