BCSER: Using Virtual Reality to Train Geo-Spatial Reasoning

Spatial reasoning skills include the abilities to visualize, interpret, and manipulate information in two dimensions (2D) and three dimensions (3D). These skills predict students’ persistence and success in STEM fields and are recognized as crucial aspects of geoscience education. Thus, teaching undergraduate students spatial reasoning skills is expected to enhance their retention in STEM fields and ultimately increase the number and diversity of STEM professionals nationally.

This project will study the effects of Virtual Reality (VR) training on students’ spatial reasoning in geoscience contexts and, in the process, develop the principal investigator’s (PI’s) STEM education research expertise. The project is supported by NSF's EHR Core Research Building Capacity in STEM Education Research (ECR BCSER) program, which is designed to build individuals’ capacity to carry out high quality fundamental STEM education research in the core areas of STEM learning and learning environments, broadening participation in STEM fields, and STEM workforce development.

STEM professionals tend to have strong spatial reasoning abilities, and spatial abilities in adolescence correlate with persistence in STEM fields. Decades of research indicate that these skills can be significantly improved with training, which presents an opportunity to improve student retention in STEM fields. The specific objectives of the project are (1) to develop the PI’s STEM education research skills and expertise; and (2) to design, implement, and disseminate the findings from a pilot study of the efficacy of VR training modules at Juniata College and the University of South Carolina at Columbia.

The pilot study will measure geoscience students’ spatial reasoning skills before and after participating in either a VR training module or a more traditional training activity. The PI will work with an advisory board to evaluate the success of the professional development activities and pilot research project. The research, associated presentations, and interaction with the advisory board will contribute to the growth of the geoscience education research community through numerous new collaborations and related projects, as well as stimulate interest in education research among students and faculty members at the PI’s home campus.

Improved training in spatial reasoning also has the potential to promote broader participation, retention and inclusion in STEM fields.

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.