Virtual Reality Enhanced Education for Chemical Engineering Undergraduates

Abstract

Technological enhancements have transformed the way people interact with the digital world. Virtual reality (VR) is one of the key experiential technology innovations that has gathered significant attention. This is due to the possibility of immersing users in highly realistic simulations of various interactive scenarios. This study aims to bridge this gap by bringing realistic industrial training and scenarios via VR while enhancing student knowledge retention and experience. Chemical engineering undergraduate students taking the fluid mechanics course participated in starting up a pump in VR—the pump is one of the most commonly used equipment in the chemical industry. They first underwent safety training and pump start-up procedure in guided mode, wherein visual instructions are given within the VR environment. Students subsequently observed their peers (in groups of four or five) complete the same training through a projected screen, while actively giving verbal guidance to the VR user. Following this, students then individually completed the VR assessment for pump start-up to test their recollection rates. While most students missed out a few minor steps such as the checking of the lubrication oil, all the students scored full marks in the personal protective equipment (PPE) selection, and over 80% of the students completed all the critical steps required to start a pump safely. In the survey conducted, students reported that the VR experience had been enjoyable and enriching. An assessment conducted four weeks later indicated that 70% of the students were able to accurately recall the pump operation procedure in the right sequence without any revision or reference to any materials. These results are early indications of the positive impact of VR on engineering education.