ThermoVR: Using Virtual Reality and Playful Simulation to Teach and Assess Introductory Thermodynamics Concepts

In this Work in Progress paper we describe ThermoVR, a virtual laboratory activity for teaching and assessing introductory hemodynamics concepts. The project adopts the practices of embedded assessment and evidence centered design to create a new fine-grained and computationally graded instrument that uses student interaction data within a simulated piston-cylinder system. The result is a highly scalable digital teaching and assessing tool with a forthcoming evaluation to be conducted in Fall of 2024.