Real Experiments to Be Conducted in Virtual Laboratories

Designed in collaboration with İstinye Üniversitesi and VRLab Academy, VR (virtual reality) Laboratories are opening to students on 16 March. In the virtual laboratories consisting of 7 different experiments, students will be able to repeat the experiments they learned by doing in the laboratory with face-to-face training in a virtual environment. The project aims to allow students to reinforce their knowledge and skills on the subject both enjoyably and through repetition. Many universities, due to the pandemic, continue to test different applications for delivering courses through distance education methods. İstinye Üniversitesi is also implementing VR (virtual reality) Laboratories that will allow students to reinforce the information they learned through face-to-face training in laboratories by repeating it in a virtual environment. The virtual laboratories, designed in collaboration with VRLab Academy, are opening to students on 16 March. In the VR Laboratories consisting of 7 different experiments, students will be able to repeat the information acquired in face-to-face training from home using their computers without having to visit the laboratory. Thus, they will be able to reinforce their knowledge and skills in an enjoyable manner by conducting the experiments they learned in the university laboratories also in a virtual environment.

"We also aim to create different virtual experiment modules"

Prof. Dr. Mustafa Ayberk Kurt, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at İstinye Üniversitesi, who provided information about the VR Laboratories that enable students to participate in laboratory courses from their homes using computers, stated the following: "We believe that practical education is very important in medical education and we place great importance on students learning by doing. However, during the pandemic period, the fact that our students were away from the university led us to think even more about the use of technology in education and in supporting our students' individual studies. In this context, without ever overlooking the importance of practical lessons conducted face-to-face, we are working together with our stakeholders on developing software that will allow our students to further develop their practical knowledge and skills in a fun way in a digital environment. One of these studies is the project of transferring medical biochemistry laboratory experiments to a virtual environment. Our goal in this project is to enable students to repeat in a virtual environment the experiments they learned by doing in the laboratory, and to allow them to reinforce their knowledge and skills on the subject in an enjoyable environment. With some applications already transferred to the virtual environment, in the next stages of this project, we aim to create different virtual experiment modules and enable our students to repeat experiments in a virtual environment using VR glasses."

"We plan to use digital education tools effectively"

Dr. Caner Geyik, Faculty Member of the Department of Medical Biochemistry at the Faculty of Medicine at İstinye Üniversitesi, noting that they are following with interest the developments related to the use of digital tools in education and continuing their work in this direction, spoke on the importance of effective use of digital education tools as follows: "There are scientific studies showing that virtual laboratories contribute to students' preparation phase for the experiment they will conduct in a real laboratory and in reinforcing their knowledge after conducting the experiment. We plan to use digital education tools, which have gained momentum with the pandemic, effectively even when we return to face-to-face education and to combine them with wet lab experience."  

"It will provide students with an enjoyable learning environment"

Dr. Huri Bulut, Faculty Member of the Department of Medical Biochemistry at the Faculty of Medicine at İstinye Üniversitesi, emphasizing that virtual laboratories are alternative and cost-effective approaches in providing students with sufficient preparatory knowledge, stated: "Demonstrating proficiency in applied laboratories requires effective preparation, knowledge and experience. Obtaining all of these using traditional teaching methods can be difficult. The VR Biochemistry laboratory applications we have developed will enable students to apply their experiment-conducting skills in a fun and risk-free learning environment, allowing them to access a realistic laboratory experience."