Middle school students’ perceptions towards a virtual reality chemistry application in the United States

This study employed a convergent mixed methods design to explore the perceptions of 62 middle school students (31 females and 31 males) towards the use of virtual reality technology in chemistry education. Quantitative data were collected through a survey with Likert-scale items that measured six factors: ease of use, interaction, imagination, immersion, motivation, and intention to use. Simultaneously, qualitative data were gathered from open-ended survey questions that allowed participants to elaborate on their experiences with the VR chemistry application. Participants went through a chemistry exercise delivered through a virtual reality (VR) application called Molecule Builder. The quantitative results of the student perception survey indicated that student participants, overall, had very positive perceptions of VR as a learning tool, with high scores for intention to use and motivation, but lower scores for interaction and ease of use. In addition, the qualitative findings showed the emergence of three key themes. The results also revealed that female and male students have similar perceptions of using VR as a tool to learn chemistry. In conclusion, results and findings indicated that the use of VR as a tool to learn chemistry was perceived positively by middle school students without gender differences.