Collaborative Research: Research on Broadening Participation in STEM Project: Algeverse: Learning College Algebra with Virtual Reality

The Historically Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP) through Research on Broadening Participation in STEM projects supports the development, implementation, and study of new theory-driven models and innovations related to the participation and success of underrepresented groups in STEM undergraduate education. It is expected that the award will further the faculty member's research capability, as well as improve the recruitment, retention, and success of underrepresented groups in STEM education and the workforce.

This project at Prairie View A & M University, in collaboration with Texas A & M Engineering Experiment Station and University of Texas at El Paso, seeks to investigate the impact of a virtual reality (VR) environment on learning College Algebra among students enrolled at Prairie View A & M University, an Historically Black College and University.

Researchers will develop 50 hours of constructivist-based, integrated STEM training content for college algebra, embedded as modules in Algeverse, the VR environment, which students will access using Oculus VR headsets. Three rounds of usability studies will gather feedback from HBCU instructors and students to iteratively improve the software. To assess Algeverse's effectiveness on learning performance, immersion, motivation, engagement, and user preferences, the team will conduct three studies comparing these outcomes between students using VR modules versus those using non-VR modules.

Study 1 involves a single module, while Studies 2 and 3 are six-week longitudinal studies where students complete all modules either in a specified order or by personal preference, respectively. This project not only contributes to research on educational technology and math education at HBCUs, but has the potential to enhance STEM education, increase STEM degrees awarded to HBCU students, and boost the number of Black and Hispanic individuals in the STEM workforce.

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.