Istinye University Virtual Reality Laboratories Opened to Students

VR (virtual reality) Laboratories, designed in collaboration with Istinye University and VRLab Academy, were opened to students on March 16.

In the virtual laboratories consisting of 7 different experiments, students will be able to repeat the experiments they learned by doing face-to-face training in the virtual environment. The aim of the project is to enable students to consolidate their knowledge and skills related to the subject both with fun and repetitions.

Due to the pandemic, universities that provide many courses with distance education methods continue to try different applications. Istinye University is also implementing VR (virtual reality) Laboratories that will allow students to repeat the knowledge they have learned in the laboratories through face-to-face training in a virtual environment. Virtual laboratories designed in collaboration with VRLab Academy were opened to students on March 16. In VR Laboratories, which consists of 7 different experiments, students will be able to repeat the information they have acquired in face-to-face education through their computers from home without having to go to the laboratory. Thus, they will be able to reinforce their knowledge and skills in a fun way by doing the experiments they have learned by doing in the laboratories of the university in a virtual environment.

`` We also aim to create different virtual experiment modules ''

Providing information about VR Laboratories that allow students to attend laboratory lessons with their computers from home, Istinye University Faculty of Medicine Dean Prof. Dr. Mustafa Ayberk Kurt said the following:

“We believe that applied education is very important in medical education and we attach great importance to students' learning by doing. However, the fact that our students stayed away from the university during the epidemic process made us think more about the use of technology in education and in supporting our students' individual studies. In this context, we are working with our stakeholders on developing software that will enable our students to develop their practical knowledge and skills in a fun way in the digital environment, never ignoring the importance of face-to-face practical lessons. One of these studies is the project of transferring medical biochemistry laboratory experiments to the virtual environment. Our goal in this project is to enable students to repeat the experiments they have learned in the laboratory, in a virtual environment, and to reinforce their knowledge and skills in a fun environment. In the later stages of this project, in which the transfer of some applications to the virtual environment is completed, we aim to create different virtual experiment modules and enable our students to repeat the experiments in virtual environment using VR glasses. "

`` We plan to use digital education tools effectively ''

Stating that they follow the developments related to the use of digital tools in education with interest and continue their studies in this direction, Istinye University Faculty of Medicine Department of Medical Biochemistry Faculty Member Dr. Drawing attention to the importance of the effective use of digital education tools, Caner Geyik said: “There are scientific studies showing that virtual laboratories contribute to the preparation of the experiment that students will do in the real laboratory and to consolidate their knowledge after they have done the experiment. We plan to use the digital education tools that gained momentum with the pandemic effectively and to be combined with wet lab experience on the days when we return to face-to-face training. "

`` It will provide a fun learning environment for students ''

Emphasizing that virtual laboratories are alternative and cost-effective approaches in order to provide students with sufficient preparation knowledge, Istinye University Faculty of Medicine Faculty of Medicine Department of Medical Biochemistry faculty member Dr. Huri Bulut said, “Demonstrating proficiency in applied laboratories requires effective preparation, knowledge and experience. All of these can be difficult to achieve using traditional teaching methods. "The VR Biochemistry laboratory applications we have developed will enable students to apply their experimentation skills in a fun and risk-free learning environment, and provide them with a realistic laboratory experience."