SUU Faculty Lead the Way with Virtual Reality in the Classroom

Faculty members at Southern Utah University are embracing virtual reality (VR) to revolutionize learning across a range of academic disciplines. From chemistry and biology to geology and beyond, instructors are using VR to create immersive educational experiences that boost student engagement and understanding.

“I’ve become acutely aware of how students are changing,” said Matt Prater, assistant professor of chemistry, in a press release. “Generation Z is the first generation to have grown up with a saturation of electronic devices and the internet at their fingertips. To say that they will learn exactly the same as previous generations seems naive.”

Prater incorporates VR into several courses, allowing students to build and manipulate molecules in three dimensions. “The students have overwhelmingly given positive reviews about using VR and said that it helped their understanding of the material,” he said. “I still get students reminiscing about using it months later.”

In the biology department, assistant professor Sarah Brock has introduced VR to her human anatomy classes using platforms like 3D Organon and Human Anatomy VR. “Anatomical software for virtual reality has fundamentally transformed our ability to accommodate diverse learning styles and improve content accessibility,” Brock said.

Brock also highlighted the broader impact of this technology. “This educational innovation comes at a critical moment for healthcare education in America,” she said. “VR offers an innovative, cost-effective alternative that enhances visualization capabilities while reducing reliance on expensive physical resources.”

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These efforts are part of a larger VR/AR initiative at SUU, especially within the Walter Maxwell Gibson College of Natural Sciences. Faculty across campus are collaborating to explore immersive technologies, reflecting SUU’s commitment to innovation and experiential learning for students, faculty, and staff alike.