Research on Improving Undergraduate Education Wins Award

University of Arkansas

Kate Walker, an instructor in the Department of Biological Sciences, has been awarded the John C. Park National Technology Leadership Initiative Fellowship, established to recognize an exemplary presentation on technology at the ASTE annual conference.

Kate's presentation, "Undergraduate Utilization of Virtual Reality in Conducting Student Designed Scientific Research," was presented online (due to COVID) at the national ASTE conference this January 2021. As part of her award, she will be presenting her research at the SITE conference and was invited to demonstrate the use of technology at next years' 2022 SITE conference.

The research utilizes the inquiry teaching model to teach research design and practices in physiology using virtual reality. The focus is on how to teach research and conduct scientific studies in an undergraduate Human Physiology lab. Prior to Covid, the project gave students the oppportunity to work in groups to design a semester long research project where they collect meaningful data to represent their understanding of functions and systems of the body. The assessment is a presentation of their research at the end of the semester.

"This research idea came out of a desire to improve how my students can learn science better. I believe engaging in the discussion of teaching science and how students learn is a vital part of improving education at the post-secondary level." Walker said.

Her research using virtual reality machines was purchased from funds via a Teaching Improvement Grant from the Teaching and Faculty Support Center and Global Campus she had won previously.