Teaching through technology: comparing student experiences of VR and computer simulations in orthoptics education

BACKGROUND: Virtual Reality (VR) has previously been found to provide both an effective and enjoyable learning environment for users to develop a wide range of skills. However, despite uptake in fields such as medicine and veterinary medicine, there is little research into the use of VR for diagnostics training with Orthoptists. METHODS: This study compared students' experiences of a collaborative VR learning environment with the Strabismus desktop computer simulation for practicing the diagnosis of ocular deviations and limitations. The VR system provided stereoscopic depth and natural controller-based interaction, enabling students to practice diagnostic procedures with greater spatial realism than 2D simulators. Thirty one first year and twenty one second year Orthoptics students from the University of Liverpool were tasked with diagnosing simulated patients in both learning environments. After completing their diagnoses, students' user experience, sense of presence, comfort with patient proximity, and their thoughts on the use of VR in higher education (SHEQ) were measured. RESULTS: Students reported higher hedonic user experience scores for VR, whereas pragmatic user experience scores were higher for the desktop simulation. SHEQ responses indicated a general preference for VR as a learning tool. However, there were no significant differences in sense of presence, or comfort with proximity to patient scores. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows how commodity VR hardware can be adapted for specialist healthcare training. Although VR did not demonstrate advantages across all measured outcomes, students generally perceived it positively and preferred it over using 2D displays as a learning tool within higher education. These findings suggest that VR may have potential as a supplementary educational resource for Orthoptics training. However, further research is required to determine whether these positive perceptions translate into real world improvements in learning, diagnostic performance, and clinical practice.