Biology: Digital 360° – VR lab tour
The Merck – TU Darmstadt learning laboratory of the Department of Biology can be visited virtually as a 360° application not only via the PC desktop, but also via a VR headset.
This project was implemented as part of “fuels – Future Learning Spaces” in 2023 .
The digital 360° VR lab trip is the follow-up project to the Serious Games in Escape Room of the Merck – TU Darmstadt Learning Lab of the Department of Biology.
In this new 360° learning scenario, the idea of making a laboratory virtually accessible in 360° was further developed technologically and the transformation of the 360° environment into a VR headset was completed. This means that the learning lab can now be experienced immersively via the headset and offers the opportunity to virtually immerse yourself in the lab and the 360° environment.
Onboarding video on the use of a VR headset for the lab trip
To introduce the VR headset before use and prepare the players for the new technology, an onboarding video was produced especially for the game scenario. In this video, the VR headset is shown and general instructions on handling and using VR glasses are explained. After the onboarding video, the VR headsets are handed over to the players.
You can switch on English subtitles by clicking on the “CC” button in the video player in the bottom right corner. (The language of the captions can be set using the cogwheel.)
How does the lab trip work?
The start of the laboratory journey begins in the virtual seminar room. Here, the students go through an initial tutorial to get to know the controls within the application. Building on this, the first task of finding the laboratory can then be tackled. If this is successful, the safety rules must be learned in a playful way before entering the laboratory. Only after passing the quiz and putting on the appropriate protective clothing can the exploration of the laboratory and the start of the equipment journey begin.
The aim of the lab trip is to gain orientation in the school laboratory, learn about the safety rules of a modern level 1 laboratory and find out a lot about the individual laboratory devices and their uses. At the end of the virtual journey, there is the opportunity to test your knowledge in the final quiz and earn the Lab Expert award.
The laboratory trip is aimed at pupils from Year 7 onwards.
The duration of the game is approx. 45 minutes.
Since a VR headset is essential for the immersive experience and schools usually do not have this hardware available, it is planned to visit selected schools with this new offer from November 2023 to make the 360° VR laboratory journey tangible on site. The aim of this is to increase the anticipation and prior knowledge of a visit to the Merck – TU Darmstadt learning laboratory and the didactic application scenario will be evaluated in this pilot phase.
The 360° VR lab tour was jointly designed, developed and technically implemented by the Merck – TU Darmstadt Biology Learning Lab at the Department of Biology at TU Darmstadt and the E-learning group at the Center for Educational Development and Technology at TU Darmstadt.
fuels Taxonomy
#Size --> Spaces
#Tag --> at school / at home
#Technology --> 360° in combination withVR Headset
#Didactic --> orientation, serious game, explorative
Learn more about the fuels Taxonomy
Contact:
Dr. Guido Klees / Director Learning Lab
Dr. Kirsten Santelmann / Learning Lab
Markus Weber / Project director fuels – E-Learning group – TU Darmstadt
