VR Sociology Course Finds Consistent Success
September 6, 2024 (Marion, IN) –The School of Integrated Health at Indiana Wesleyan University (IWU) is excited to announce the recent success of Dr. Robert Jesiolowski’s Game-based Learning Introduction to Sociology in Virtual Reality course. Since creating this course in July 2023, Dr. Jesiolowski has taught the course a number of times and seen it have a strong positive effect on the performance of an overwhelming majority of students.
This course is built around an immersive virtual reality environment called Curios City specifically built to allow students to free roam and engage in educational exercises. Mastering concepts has a direct impact on the city, causing it to grow in new and exciting ways which emphasize the students’ actions and learning.
Students have reported that the Game-based Learning leads to higher levels of motivation and deeper degrees of retention. “Overall, these interactive elements have enriched my learning experience and provided valuable insights that would not have been possible through lecture-based instruction alone,” one student states. “They have contributed to a more holistic understanding of the course content and fostered a deeper appreciation for its relevance in real-world contexts.” Another student reports that, “The game-based theme adds an element of fun and engagement to the course experience. It allows for a more interactive and hands-on approach to learning, which helps me retain information better. Additionally, the competitive aspect of gaming motivated me to strive for higher performance and pushed me to do my best in the course.”
Many other students have shared similar sentiments, with the student response to the course being highly positive. Student grades have also been noticeably higher through this new version of SOC-150 than the traditional version. While students still note that the course is challenging and at times difficult, this new version and its VR components have led to better retention of material, motivation to perform well, and engagement with the class as a whole.
With these levels of success thus far, both Dr. Jesiolowski and IWU are excited for SOC-150-VR to run again this coming academic year, as more students benefit from this new version of the class and advances in technological integration within the classroom continue to develop.
