Using Virtual Reality to Teach Water Cycling in California's Mediterranean Climate

The hydrologic cycle, an important topic in earth and environmental science, is often taught as a process that occurs at a global scale with little relevance to local conditions. With anticipated changes in climate, it is essential to address this misconception so that informed decisions can be made by communities to maintain a robust water supply. We developed a virtual reality application that specifically addresses misconceptions about the water cycle that are specific to California's Mediterranean climate. Virtual learning environments are a useful modality for engaging students by affording them a sense of presence and immersion. This, in turn, enables students to visualize concepts and processes that are considered abstract in a typical learning environment. We present an interactive and engaging mobile solution in which a user is fully immersed in a virtual nature preserve, modeled after the Fairfield Osborn Preserve in Sonoma County, CA. A user begins the cycling in the atmosphere with the ability to select specific landing locations above ground and further options to travel into the subsurface to learn about the hydrological cycle. We will study the effectiveness of using this tool in an undergraduate introductory science class when learning about water cycling, with specific emphasis on groundwater flow. The results from this study will contribute to the growing body of knowledge of the efficacy of virtual reality as a pedagogical tool to address complex, climate-related topics.