Virtual Reality: Enhancing Chemical Engineering Students' Learning in Process Safety

The complexity of processes encountered in the field of chemical engineering poses a challenge for educators trying to deliver the field’s depth through traditional teaching methods. Virtual Reality (VR) offers dynamic, interactive experiences that transcend these limitations and enable engagement beyond real-world limitations. This research adopted a constructivist approach to design process safety learning activities which could be experienced using a head-mounted display. Process control through supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) allowed students to observe real-time consequences of their actions, and safely reverse adverse or unstable events. The effectiveness of VR-based learning in process safety was evaluated among 80 undergraduate chemical engineering students across three universities. Students were assessed by comparing their pre- and post-VR results using properly designed Hazard and Operability Study (HAZOP) questions embedded within the VR environment. Positive outcomes were reported, with students expressing greater confidence in utilizing VR as a platform for experiential learning of complex concepts and for developing transferable skills. Over 93% agreed that the tool was beneficial for learning process safety, while 96% indicated it enhanced decision-making (µ = 4.66, z = 0.53). This study serves as a reference for future studies to design virtual environments and contents for process safety education using a systematic pedagogical approach.