A Tour of the Cell: The Future of Biology Education in XR

“A Tour of the Cell” is part of a Biology 150 course in Virtual Reality (VR) originally created for Fayetteville State University (FSU) to teach basic biology concepts. It immerses students directly into the bodies of animals and plants to gain detailed experience and learn about cells and organelles first-hand.
“A Tour of the Cell,” uses traditional instructional design principles and cutting-edge technology work together to create an immersive form of experiential learning that actively promotes participation, interaction, and practical application. This educational approach encompasses cognitive, effective, and behavioral dimensions, enabling students to engage with course material in innovative and captivating ways, by going inside the bodies of animals and plants to learn.
“A Tour of the Cell” is still offered at FSU and students have shared the following after experiencing this VR-based program:
• “We should do this more often, it was extremely fun and immersive. It made me feel like I was in an episode of the magic school bus”
• “It was a very great experience. I recommend more classes use the VR system at least once in their class”
• “I'm definitely a hands/interactive learner so this activity helped me understand the cells structure and process better. We should do this more often.”
• “It was an amazing experience”
• “Overall, the VR tour was simple, easy to navigate, and easy to understand. Ten out of ten would recommend”
• “I think this experience was very interactive and helpful.”
Most early participating students of “A Tour of the Cell” said they would “definitely” recommend this VR experience to other students studying biology in a survey given after they had gone through the program.
"A Tour of the Cell" is aligned with FSU’s Biology 150 curriculum. It provides a systematic and scaffolded learning experience, facilitating seamless integration of VR technology into the curriculum delivery process to promote student-centered, inquiry-based learning.