Complementary Teaching Research Articles

제주교육학 연구의 방향성 탐색 - ｢아름다운 제주특별자치도｣에 나타난 ‘제주’ 관련 키워드를 중심으로

This study sought to explore the direction of research on ‘Jeju Educational Science’. For this purpose, we derived and analyzed keywords related to ‘Jeju’ that appeared in ‘Beautiful Jeju Special Self-Governing Province’, which is used in schools in Jeju. First, ‘Beautiful Jeju Special Self-Governing Province’ was divided into five periods, six textbooks available for research were selected, and keywords related to ‘Jeju’ were collected. By referring to the collected keyword data and the ‘Jeju’-related keywords in the 1997 textbook(Ko Shintaek, 1998), 1) ‘Jeju’-related major keywords, 2) ‘Jeju’-related keyword changes, 3) ‘Jeju’-related keywords by area Relevant results were derived and analysis was conducted. Based on the analysis results, implications for the direction of research on Jeju Educational Science were suggested. First, basic research that explores the phenomenon of Jeju education must be continuously conducted. Second, Jeju educational science must play the role of selecting the region's unique content as the region's educational content. Third, Jeju educational science must enable localized education to be revitalized by converting Jeju's resources into educational programs and content. This study is meaningful in exploring the direction of research on Jeju Educational Science to explore the uniqueness and identity of Jeju education. In addition, it can be used as basic data for localization of Jeju's localized complementary teaching materials and localized curriculum.

Enhancing surgical expertise: 3D anatomy’s role in residency programs

Current virtual reality (VR) technology allows for the creation of instructional video formats that incorporate three-dimensional (3D) stereoscopic footage. Combined with 3D anatomic dissection, any surgical procedure or pathology can be represented virtually to supplement anatomical learning and surgical preoperative planning. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of virtual reality anatomical teaching. A prospective case-control study was performed. After a prerequisite anatomical knowledge assessment, participants were randomized in two groups: stereoscopic anatomical teaching program versus classic teaching with anatomical and surgical books of thoracic brachial outlet syndrome, and its related anatomy. Then, students completed a written anatomical test to assess their basic knowledge in vascular anatomy. Pre- and post-test performances were analyzed with independent t-tests for total score assessing basic anatomical knowledge, anatomical relationships and clinical inference. Before performing the teaching, the 20 students included were homogenous in term of total exam mark in abdominal aorta (mean 78,78% vs 76,34%) and carotid artery evaluations (mean 78,57% vs 74,76%). After the course, there statistical differences (p<0,05) between the stereoscopic-3D.video group (n= 10, 90%) and classical-teaching group concerning the total exam mark, descriptive anatomy, anatomical relationships and clinical inference skills. All the students thought this method seemed indispensable to their anatomical training course (100%). The teaching video with 3D stereoscopy seems to be a useful and complementary teaching tool that is approved by the residents themselves. In a future study, it will be necessary to evaluate the contribution of this teaching in the long term.

Experiences of nursing students in A peer mentoring program during their clinical practices. A qualitative study

BackgroundClinical placements allow nursing students to develop the skills and attitudes necessary to provide care. Peer mentoring programmes seem to facilitate these achievements, but there are very few studies on the effects of peer mentoring on clinical placements and what it can bring to both mentors and mentees. AimTo describe the perspectives of nursing students on a peer mentoring programme during their clinical placements. DesignA qualitative descriptive and exploratory study. Settings and participantsFirst year and third year nursing students were included. MethodsFocus groups were conducted with students after they participated in a peer mentoring programme during their clinical practice rotation. ResultsThe support received from the student mentors was very important both academically and personally. Mentors also acknowledged having improved their teaching and leadership skills. ConclusionsOur results can be applied to future studies to inform peer mentoring programmes as a complementary teaching tool in clinical placements to improve leadership and empowerment in nursing students.

Effect and usability of the use of twitter as a complementary teaching tool in different subjects of nursing studies: Educational intervention study

BackgroundSome social networks, such as Twitter (now known as X), have proven to be very useful for sharing and discussing multiple aspects related to the healthcare field. However, the use of Twitter as a method of communication and knowledge transfer to nursing students has been limited. ObjectivesTo evaluate the usability and effect of an educational intervention for monitoring additional content, through the social network Twitter, of various subjects of nursing studies (clinical nursing, community nursing, and nursing fundamentals). DesignAn exploratory experimental study was carried out through an educational intervention during the 2020–2021 and 2021–2022 academic years. SettingsFaculty of Nursing at the University of Salamanca, Spain.Participants were 308 students. MethodsStudents used Twitter to receive tweets about news or links to subject-related content. They also completed a pre-post questionnaire. ResultsA high degree of visualization and interaction of the study's Twitter account stands out, mainly in the subject clinical nursing. In relation to usability, the participants stated that they strongly agreed with aspects such as “thinking that it was easy to use the account” (59.4 %) as well as “imagining that the majority of colleagues would learn very quickly to use said account” (46.5 %).Students who used the account at least once a day obtained higher scores on the post-study knowledge questionnaire than those who used it less than once a day (p < 0.05), or those who used it 2 or 3 times during the study (p = 0.010). ConclusionsThe group of participants who used the Twitter account at least once a day stated that using the account was easy and that they would like to use it more frequently. Likewise, greater use of this tool was associated with a better score on a post-study knowledge questionnaire.

E-governance as a lever for public administration performance: A qualitative survey.

The digital transformation of the international economy has made it easier for both public and private companies to reinforce the process of migrating value to the Internet. Internet integration has thus become a sine condition for maximizing the chances of success. The new public management (Er Rays et al., 2022) makes e-administration a strategic axis in our country. In Morocco, digital technology is a fundamental part of the system used to modernize the administration. E-administration generates transparency and efficiency, paving the way for e-governance that harmonizes organizational performance (Scupola &amp; Zanfei, 2016). The COVID-19 pandemic required the administration to use digitalization to ensure continuity and modernization of public services. The qualitative exploratory study was carried out to assess perceptions and expectations, and to identify levers for improving the quality of distance learning in order to achieve the desired performance. The results clearly illustrate that this type of teaching has been a success with teachers, despite certain constraints noted by this type of alternative or complementary teaching.

Dental Case, a Brazilian Serious Game for Supporting Decision-making in the Dental Clinic: A Case Study

Background: Games are intrinsic to society and are used to represent a wide variety of human activities. Contemporary society has been digitalized, and the habit of playing games has naturally migrated to the digital environment. The use of digital games in education, where they are known as serious games, has given rise to the introduction of new educational approaches for dental students and dentists, which complement traditional approaches. A brief conceptual outline of games can help broaden our understanding thereof in social and educational contexts. Objective: To report the designing and development of a serious game for decision-making in clinical case management in the field of dentistry, for use as a complementary teaching tool. Method: The method used was a case study to describe the development of the content and narrative of a Brazilian serious game for decision-making in the dental clinic, called Dental Case. A player in Dental Case takes on the role of a dentist during a consultation, with the mission of completing the steps of anamnesis, clinical examination, complementary examination, diagnosis, and treatment. The clinical cases presented in the game were designed to resemble real-life decision-making situations in the dental clinic of a primary healthcare setting. The content developed was reviewed and validated by specialists, from both a technical and pedagogical point of view, and then included in the game software by an information technology (IT) team. Results: Dental Case was developed from a set of clinical cases. The game targets dental professionals and students, and its goal is to lend support to the teaching of decision-making in the different stages of clinical care. The game is freely available on the web, and on the Play Store and Apple Store mobile application platforms. Conclusions: The resources made available by Dental Case constitute a new complementary pedagogical approach, and a tool for the application of educational technologies in dentistry, which can contribute to expanding the scale and reach of educational activities. Future research is warranted to investigate the effectiveness of Dental Case in promoting learning and should include an evaluation of its performance by its users.

Whither the LMS: Is the LMS Still Fit for Purpose?

Learning management systems (LMSs) have long been adopted by tertiary education providers to be the conduit through which courses are delivered. However, debates about the capacity of the LMS to meet all the required current and future needs of both students and educators have become more pronounced over the past few years, particularly given the rapid shift to online learning during Covid-19. This qualitative study aimed to examine practitioners’ current experiences in using the LMS for formal teaching and learning in tertiary environments. To discern the possibilities and issues, a focus group was held with fourteen practitioners from Australasia (Australia and Singapore), Canada, and the UK (England and Scotland) attending virtually. Adopting a novel and recognised approach to thematic analysis, a Delphi process was adopted on the de-identified webinar and chat transcripts. Analysis revealed several key themes ranging across pedagogical, technological, and managerial issues with the LMS. The findings in this paper have become even more pertinent as a result of Covid-19 with institutions urgently reviewing standards for teaching in the LMS whilst also reviewing their overall technology ecosystems to ensure a suite of complementary teaching and learning tools to enable best teaching and learning practices. It appears the LMS still has a key role to play in contemporary learning ecosystems.

Comparison of Two Teaching Methods, Lecture, and Virtual Teaching, on the Motivation and Academic Progress of Dental Students

Background: Effective education for learning in professional fields, especially dentistry, is one of the necessities of society, and considering the importance of oral and maxillofacial diseases in dentistry as well as the lack of information in the field of comparing modern teaching methods and traditional methods. Objectives: This study was conducted to compare the effect of two methods of face-to-face education, lecture, and virtual education, on the motivation and academic progress of 6th-semester dental students. Methods: In this randomized intervention study, 36 students in the 6th semester of dentistry in Birjand were randomly divided into two intervention and control groups. In the control group, the face-to-face teaching method was used in lecture style, and in the second group, the online virtual teaching method was used. Before and after the intervention, the same written test of educational content was taken from both groups, and academic motivation was measured with the Academic Motivation Scale (AMS) of Vallerand et al. The data were analyzed with SPSS software and using descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, and paired t-tests. The P-value was considered significant at the level of 0.05. Results: The average age of the participants in the face-to-face training group was 23.89 ± 2.826, and in the virtual group was 23.50 ± 1.855, which was not statistically significant (P = 0.629). There was no significant difference between the average scores of students’ motivation and academic progress between the two groups before (P &gt; 0.05) and after the intervention (P &gt; 0.05). Although there was an increase in students’ average scores of academic motivation and academic progress after the intervention between the two groups of face-to-face education and virtual education, there was no statistically significant (P &gt; 0.05). Conclusions: It seems that virtual teaching, like lecture teaching, can be effective in students’ academic progress and motivation and can be considered a complementary teaching method.

Creating eco-consciousness from the perspective of students: an assessment of the level of environmental literacy among students in Kumasi

Environmental problems such as climate change, biodiversity loss, water pollution, and land degradation resulting from human activities, continue to intensify in Ghanaian cities. Some schools of thought have attributed this to the low level of environmental literacy among people; thus, calling for environmentally literate citizens, particularly students, who would understand their interactions with the environment, have positive environmental behaviour and can make informed decisions to resolve current and future environmental problems. This paper sought to assess the level of environmental literacy, based on four components - environmental behaviour, environmental affect (attitudes and sensitivity), and cognitive skills - among 354 Junior and Senior High School students in Kumasi. The results of the paper showed that students generally have a moderate level of environmental literacy on environmental issues, with males displaying significantly higher knowledge, environmental affect and cognitive skills than the female students. Younger students had higher pro-environmental environmental behaviour than older students. Several challenges were further outlined to impede efforts in promoting environmental literacy among students. Notable among them were inability of students to appreciate nature by visiting natural areas, and inadequate resources and logistics, among others. The study concludes that schools’ curricula alone cannot promote environmental literacy, but requires other extra-curricular activities such as television programmes as a complementary teaching method. Again, in order to develop environmentally literate students, authorities should implement a comprehensive, well supervised environmental literacy programmes in schools and challenge students to embark on environmental projects to make them agents of sustainable environment.

Evaluating a Constructivist Model for Learning Clinical Skills in Pre-Clinical Years of a Dental Curriculum

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether or not using a constructivist model for teaching clinical skills had an impact on students' performance in a pre-clinical operative dentistry course. Study Design: Randomized Control Trial Place and Duration: College of Dentistry, Jouf University, Saudi Arabia, two months (March and April 2022). Methods: A total of 50 second year BDS students participated in this trial. The students were divided randomly into two groups. Group I received traditional method and group II received constructivist method. The students' capability of performing rubber dam application skill on the typodont tooth was evaluated through the use of laboratory activities. After the conclusion of the research, the participants were given a questionnaire to complete out and provide feedback on. Examinations that were objective and systematic were performed on both groups clinically (OSCEs). Results: There was a statistically significant difference in learning modes (p 0.001). The students learning method has nothing to do with their age or gender. Group II (constructivist) demonstrated considerably higher development in scores across lab tasks (p&lt;0.05). While students of all backgrounds valued supplemental learning resources, those who got aligned materials reported feeling more grateful for them. Conclusion: The constructivist approach can be used as a complementary teaching strategy in pre-clinical operative dentistry courses to improve students' learning outcomes and prepare them for success in the dental profession. Keywords: preclinical education, predoctoral education, learning styles, operative dentistry, and education.

메타버스 활용 교육의 국내 경험적 연구 동향 분석

In a situation where the metaverse is being actively studied in the field of education due to the development of technology, it is necessary to analyze the current trend of metaverse-related education research and propose guidelines for application in Korea. This study collected 67 empirical studies in Korea using the metaverse for teaching and learning. Each paper was analyzed for the year of publication, participants, learning contents, teaching-learning methods, metaverse scenarios, learning effects, and learning hindrance factors. As a result of the analysis, it was found that there is a lack of empirical studies using mirror worlds and life logging for education compared to AR and virtual worlds. Also, AR was used at earlier school levels, such as kindergartens and elementary schools, unlike the other metaverse scenarios mainly used in universities. The learning contents applied to each metaverse scenario were different, showing each metaverse scenario's unique characteristics. In all metaverse scenarios, complementary teaching methods appeared the most, while learner-centered teaching methods appeared the least. When used in teaching and learning, AR showed high levels of immersion and achievement improvement and strength in ease of use, with overall low learning hindrance factors. It has been confirmed that virtual worlds had strengths in interaction and presence but also had high cognitive load and technical problems, so they required sufficient control by teachers. Mirror worlds provided content that could interact with learners, but they had to be appropriately linked to real-world activities. Life logging showed high interaction and presence, but related studies were limited. Based on the results of this study, future applications and research directions were discussed.

Os podcasts como parte integrante da educação médica de acesso aberto e gratuito

Abstract: Introduction: Podcasts are audio broadcasts distributed over the internet that can be consumed through various platforms. From students to independent clinicians, the profile of medical podcast users is varied and a richer understanding of this user is essential for effective podcast development. Objective: To review the current literature on the use of podcasts as a health education tool and to understand the stages involved in preparing a medical podcast. Methods: The study is a narrative review developed through research in databases carried out at Unichristus University, in the city of Fortaleza-CE. An analysis of articles on podcasts or data on the prevalence of use, production or results of the use of podcasts for health education purposes was performed. A screening was performed by reading the abstracts and titles of 165 articles found in the Medline database, using the keywords ‘Podcasts’ and ‘medical education’, which resulted in 23 articles that met the inclusion criteria. Results: Based on the content found in the literature, the review was divided into seven categories: formats, episode duration, activities carried out while listening to a podcast, learning assessment, suggestions, developing a medical podcast and the podcast as a complementary teaching tool. Conclusion: the podcast is considered a promising medium of communication as a complementary tool to the traditional teaching methods, and educators should focus on developing evaluation processes for this technology, refining evidence-based guidelines for creating new podcasts.

DEVELOPING LEARNING MODULE AS SUPPLEMENTARY TEACHING MATERIAL FOR LEARNING ENGLISH

Rahmia, Rafiqa Yusrin. 2022. Developing Learning Module As Supplementary Teaching Material for Learning English for the fifth Graders of SD Negeri 4 Ternyang. English Education Department. Graduate Program. IKIP Budi Utomo of Malang, Advisor; Jasuli. S.Pd., M.Pd.&#x0D; &#x0D; The background of developing teaching materials for the 5th grade English module at SD Negeri 4 Ternyang is by looking at the existing problems through interviewing English teachers and distributing questionnaires to 24 students. Interviews were used to analyze problems in the learning process, while questionnaires were used to analyze students' needs in learning English. Then the second questionnaire was used to collect data from material experts and media experts about the feasibility of the product being developed. The research was conducted due to the lack of learning media to distribute learning materials based on English teacher interviews&#x0D; The objective of this study was to find out the which teaching materials are suitable for learning English grade 5 of SD Negeri 4 Ternyang. This study uses a research and development approach (Research and Development). The development procedure follows the Borg and Gall procedure which can be done more simply by involving 6 main steps, namely: 1) Research and data collection 2) Planning 3) Product development 4) Expert validation 5) Revision 6) Revised product.&#x0D; The results of the assessment of the material expert test obtained a score of 77% in the good category, the assessment results from the media expert test obtained a score of 86% in the very good category. Therefore the teaching materials for the English learning module in grade 5 are suitable for use in learning activities.&#x0D; Regarding the further development of learning module as supplementary teaching materials for learning English for elementary school grade 5 about the further development of learning modules as complementary teaching materials for learning English for grade 5 elementary school can be suggested to further researchers such as students who want to do similar research are expected to master technology, especially computers and expand the material, develop products at different grade levels, the product resulting from this research will be better and more feasible as a learning resource if it is tested on students in the learning process so that data is obtained in the form of values in order to determine the level of student learning abilities.&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; Keywords: learning module, English

Research on the Path of Curriculum Ideological and Political for Design Education based on Craftsmanship

The construction of curriculum ideological and political and politics is an important part of the university thinking and politics education system. Based on the concept of outcome based teaching, this paper systematically analyses the professional knowledge modules in the curriculum, formulates complementary teaching and thinking objectives, and conducts research on the integration of the excavation, carrying and expression of thinking elements, so as to establish a long-term mechanism for systematic and three-dimensional all-round education from class to class, from theory to practice, from students to teachers, and promote a series of teaching reform innovations in teaching methods, teaching modes and course assessment. The course will also promote a series of teaching reforms and innovations in teaching methods, teaching modes and course assessment.

The Impact of Using Short Films on Learning Idioms in EFL Classes

Having a good command of idioms of a foreign language is regarded as an important element in mastering that language. However, due to their opaque nature, extracting idioms’ figurative meaning appears to be a challenging endeavor for most foreign language learners. Grounded in the cognitive theory of multimedia learning, this study aimed to investigate the extent to which using short films has an impact on Saudi EFL learners’ receptive knowledge of idioms. Data were collected from 84 female undergraduate students at a university in Saudi Arabia using a pre- and post-test, a questionnaire, and a semi-structured interview. The findings revealed that the participants in the short films group significantly outperformed their counterparts in the blogger group. Moreover, the findings also showed that the participants had positive attitudes toward using short films to study idioms. In attempting to tackle the issue of how English idioms can be learned and taught effectively in the language classroom, the research findings provide helpful insights for both EFL teachers, learners, and curriculum designers. It is recommended for English teachers to become more acquainted with and adopt more flexible and engaging pedagogical methods such as short films in teaching idiomatic expressions to their learners. Employing short films as a complementary teaching material can further ease the burden of idiom learning and create a more motivating and engaging learning environment for the learner.

Pengembangan Buku Pengayaan Pada Materi Tembang Dolanan Bagi Siswa Kelas III SD

In learning at school, sometimes teachers find it difficult to explain and teach the tembang dolanan due to the lack of teaching materials that explain details about it. The purpose of this study was to determine the teacher's needs for the development of enrichment books, compile a prototype for the development of enrichment books, and describe the results of the expert validation test on the development of enrichment books. This research was conducted using an R&amp;D approach from Borg &amp; Gall. The target sources data are students, teachers, media experts, and material experts. Data collection techniques are interview techniques and filling out questionnaires. The results of this study include (1) the analysis of teacher needs for the development of enrichment books on the material (tembang dolanan), that teachers want interesting complementary teaching materials for learning tembang dolanan for third-grade elementary school students. (2) the development of the prototype includes a book cover designed with children's pictures, while the contents of the book consist of ten lists of dolanan songs and their meanings. (3) The results of the expert validation test got several improvements from the validator, namely, adding page numbers, changing the title font of the dolanan song, correcting wrong diction, correcting wrong lyrics, and replacing some dolanan songs that are not in accordance with learning.

Integration of Plan Review into Resident Clinical Didactics

<h3>Background</h3> While treatment planning complexity has increased significantly, residents report insufficient exposure to treatment planning. Review of treatment plans with an attending is highly variable, with 71% of residents reviewing ≤50% of plans with an attending (Wu et al, 2020). We sought to integrate treatment planning and plan review longitudinally into our clinical didactics. <h3>Methods</h3> Thirteen clinical attendings were invited to lead weekly plan review sessions (PRS) which were scheduled in one-hour slots following chart rounds. Attendings chose which case(s) they wished to review. Surveys with a 5-point Likert scale (1=strongly disagree, 2=disagree, 3=neutral, 4=agree, 5=strongly agree) were administered to attendings and residents after 21 sessions to gather feedback on the program, with results reported as median score [interquartile range]. <h3>Results</h3> Twelve attendings led a total of 21 sessions over 35 weeks from July 1, 2021 through March 3, 2022. Five sessions were canceled due to unplanned attending conflicts and were replaced with ASTRO-ARRO "Meet Me in Treatment Planning" webinars. The remaining nine weeks were not scheduled due to Mortality, Morbidity and Improvement conferences, holidays, or outside lecturers. Ten attendings and ten residents participated in the surveys. Both attendings and residents enjoy PRS (attendings: 5 [4-5], residents: 5 [5-5]). Attendings spent a median of 38 minutes [range 10-90] preparing to lead a session. Resident-attending interaction is increased during PRS compared to conventional clinical didactics (attendings and residents: 5 [4-5]), and PRS permits complementary teaching to clinical rotations and didactics (attendings: 5 [5-5], residents: 5 [4-5]). Both attendings and residents strongly agreed plan review sessions should continue (attendings and residents: 5 [5-5]). Residents preferred reviewing 1-3 cases in greater detail to reviewing more cases with less time per case (4 [4-5]). PRS exposed attending insights that were otherwise unshared (residents: 5 [5-5]). Residents across PGY level strongly agreed that PRS were useful for their learning level (5 [5-5]). Live PRS engaged residents more than pre-recorded virtual sessions (5 [4-5]), but residents were still glad that these sessions were incorporated into the series (4 [4-4]). <h3>Discussion</h3> We successfully implemented longitudinal treatment planning and plan review into clinical didactics. With low burden on attendings and high overall satisfaction among both residents and attendings, this program will continue in the future with incorporated feedback to maximize learning for residents. The program represents an easy method to quickly add in-depth treatment planning and plan review to clinical didactics.

Augmented reality in interventional radiology education: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

ABSTRACTBACKGROUND:Augmented reality (AR) involves digitally overlapping virtual objects onto physical objects in real space so that individuals can interact with both at the same time. AR in medical education seeks to reduce surgical complications through high-quality education. There is uncertainty in the use of AR as a learning tool for interventional radiology procedures.OBJECTIVE:To compare AR with other learning methods in interventional radiology.DESIGN AND SETTING:Systematic review of comparative studies on teaching techniques.METHODS:We searched the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, Embase, Tripdatabase, ERIC, CINAHL, SciELO and LILACS electronic databases for studies comparing AR simulation with other teaching methods in interventional radiology. This systematic review was performed in accordance with PRISMA and the BEME Collaboration. Eligible studies were evaluated using the quality indicators provided in the BEME Collaboration Guide no. 11, and the Kirkpatrick model.RESULTS:Four randomized clinical trials were included in this review. The level of educational evidence found among all the papers was 2B, according to the Kirkpatrick model. The Cochrane Collaboration tool was applied to assess the risk of bias for individual studies and across studies. Three studies showed an improvement in teaching of the proposed procedure through AR; one study showed that the participants took longer to perform the procedure through AR.CONCLUSION:AR, as a complementary teaching tool, can provide learners with additional skills, but there is still a lack of studies with a higher evidence level according to the Kirkpatrick model.SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION NUMBER:DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/ACZBM in the Open Science Framework database.

Galileo’s speedometer: an approach to the concept of instantaneous velocity

Difficulties presented by students on the concept of instantaneous velocity are well known. This is in part due to instantaneous speed being often defined in terms of the notion of mathematical limit, which may not be clear to many students in introductory physics courses. In this work we present a complementary teaching proposal that can help students to get a better grasp of instantaneous velocity. The approach is based on Galileo’s ideas on instantaneous speed, which he borrowed from the Mertonian scholars much before infinitesimal calculus was developed.

Developing student codesigned immersive virtual reality simulations for teaching of challenging concepts in molecular and cellular biology.

Molecular biology theory represents a critical scaffold, which underpins multiple disciplines within life sciences education. However, it is well-documented that undergraduate students can struggle to achieve deeper understanding of key concepts and/or their application. One challenging, contributory aspect is the “invisible” nature of molecular biology processes compounded by critical 3D spatial orientations of the principal components and their interactions. Molecular theory specifically requires students to construct accurate, mental spatial models to develop their understanding. However, much of the traditional teaching and examination of such theory is limited to 2D representations. Technology-enhanced, complementary teaching and examination approaches, which engage students with spatial aspects of theoretical concepts, offer an exciting opportunity to support student learning in this area. In this study, we have explored the integration of an immersive virtual reality simulation based on a challenging molecular biology concept within an existing module taught at University College Cork. A mixed methods approach, grounded in learning theory, was undertaken to assess the student user and learning experience. The consensus response from students was one of enhanced learning, understanding, engagement, and motivation. Student partnership in the process of simulation design and integration was key to delivering the fully integrated experience.