Enhancing Physics Education: Designing Customized Virtual Reality for Teaching Crystalline Structures

Virtual reality (VR) simulations have shown promise in helping students learn abstract concepts and visualize 3D objects at scale. While VR is useful for teaching subjects in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) topics, early research has focused more on efficacy than instructional design. Understanding the factors that contribute to VR educational outcomes is increasingly important, particularly how to integrate instructional design into creating custom implementations. This paper presents the design and development of a VR application for teaching crystalline structures in undergraduate physics courses. Utilizing the SAMR model of technology integration, this study explores how collaboration with instructors can integrate VR into various class components, each requiring different VR features. Key features include visualizing, constructing, and manipulating crystal structures for instruction, assignments, and assessment. The application includes tools for generating atoms, creating lattice frames, and building composite structures to enhance comprehension of geometric arrangements and theoretical rules. Applying instruction design theories to VR in STEM education has implications for future applications, as successful VR educational tools depend on practical considerations, instructor goals, and implementation factors.