Teaching Moon Phases and Eclipses in Virtual Reality — Pros and Cons

We present results of our ongoing investigation into the possible advantages of using Virtual Reality (VR) technology for teaching introductory astronomy concepts. We administered pre- and post-tests and attitudinal surveys to one section of Astro 101 (N = 49 students) that received instruction on Moon phases and eclipses in VR, using an activity we developed in the Universe Sandbox 2 software environment. As a control, we administered the same test instruments to another Astro 101 section (N = 67) that received equivalent instruction but using exercises based on the University of Nebraska Lincoln "Lunar Phases Simulator" (NAAP) interactive app. Consistent with the results from a smaller trial we had carried out during the spring 2018 semester, we found that VR instruction in this topic was at least as effective as more traditional techniques. In this poster we provide a comparison of the two cohorts' performance. We have also developed and deployed a VR-based stellar parallax astronomy laboratory activity, created in collaboration with San Diego State University's student-run VR club. Other college-level VR labs are in the pipeline. These can potentially form a suite of VR labs for testing and deployment by any college or university that teaches an introductory astronomy laboratory.