Evaluating video virtual reality teaching for nursing students

The trend towards new educational methodologies includes virtual reality. However, very few studies translate this virtual reality into teaching environments, especially in theoretical subjects, an important topic for higher education. One of the challenges of online education in health professions is the lack of face to face student–teacher contact. Moreover, students' engagement and motivation are considered effective learning components for improving the quality of education. Therefore, creating a supportive and motivating learning environment is an important factor in promoting student involvement and achievement.¹

We tested the usefulness of a new teaching material developed using the virtual reality Brainstorm Edison Pro 4.1.13 software. This material is focused, first, on the importance of visual student–teacher contact to facilitate learning as well as the importance of students seeing the teacher to understand the contents explained completely and, second, on the importance of motivating material with a visual impact on the students. This helped students maintain their attention and enhance knowledge acquisition in theoretical subjects.

New materials were created with the virtual reality software for two subjects in the second year of the nursing degree, and they were implemented from the academic years 2020–2021 until 2022–2023, using an inverted classroom as well as in a traditional classroom. The result is a learning video material lasting approximately 15–20 minutes. In the videos, the teacher is immersed at full length in a realistic or unrealistic environment related to the lesson with the incorporation of 3D objects. The teacher explains previously selected contents of the lesson that the students have in presentation format, with the teacher in full body simulating a face to face session. Its effectiveness was evaluated through an assessment of the students' evaluation results and a survey answered by the students (n = 214). The chi-squared test was used to analyse whether differences existed (p < 0.05), and the open comments by the students were analysed through qualitative content analysis. We observed a significant increase from the year 2020–2021 with the incorporation of the new video learning material onwards in the percentage of students passing the exam. Regarding the student evaluation survey, for all questions, the percentage of students with a positive answer was almost 100%, and the students only expressed favourable opinions of the methodology in the open question.

This study highlighted the teacher's role as crucial in the acquisition of knowledge. It demonstrates how materials edited with a virtual reality program involving the teacher in the presentation increase motivation and content understanding, the percentage of students taking the exams and the percentage of students passing the subject. These benefits are further enhanced when combined with the traditional classroom. The material increased students' autonomy and made them feel as if they were in face to face lessons, giving all students the same learning opportunities compatible with their personal obligations. The learning material edited with the Edison program can be used with the inverted classroom methodology and as excellent support material in a traditional classroom.