Virtual Organic Chemistry Lab: Your Personal TA Is Waiting for You!

NC State University is investigating the feasibility of replacing an organic chemistry lab with a virtual reality (VR) experience. Our team, including faculty, teaching assistants, instructional designer and new media specialists, collaborated to create a VR laboratory experience designed to teach students how to use an infrared spectrometer and elucidate an unknown structure from the resulting infrared spectrum. This first-person VR experience is immersive and realistic, with a teaching assistant guiding the user along the steps required to complete the experiment and providing feedback as needed. VR provides a possible solution for students with disabilities and can accommodate pregnancy, safety concerns, or military deployments.

Outcomes: Experience a first-person point-of-view VR experience * Understand the steps behind planning and producing a 360 first-person point-of-view video * Identify some of the populations that could benefit from a distance-education organic lab offered via VR experiences