Using augmented reality in molecular case studies to enhance biomolecular structure-function explorations in undergraduate classrooms
ABSTRACT
Molecular case studies (MCSs) are open educational resources that use a storytelling approach to engage students in biomolecular structure-function explorations, at the interface of biology and chemistry. Although MCSs are developed for a particular target audience with specific learning goals, they are suitable for implementation in multiple disciplinary course contexts. Detailed teaching notes included in the case study help instructors plan and prepare for their implementation in diverse contexts. A newly developed MCS was simultaneously implemented in a biochemistry and a molecular parasitology course at two different institutions. Instructors participating in this cross-institutional and multidisciplinary implementation collaboratively identified the need for quick and effective ways to bridge the gap between the MCS authors’ vision and the implementing instructor’s interpretation of the case-related molecular structure-function discussions. Augmented reality (AR) is an interactive and engaging experience that has been used effectively in teaching molecular sciences. Its accessibility and ease-of-use with smart devices (e.g., phones and tablets) make it an attractive option for expediting and improving both instructor preparation and classroom implementation of MCSs. In this work, we report the incorporation of ready-to-use AR objects as checkpoints in the MCS. Interacting with these AR objects facilitated instructor preparation, reduced students’ cognitive load, and provided clear expectations for their learning. Based on our classroom observations, we propose that the incorporation of AR in MCSs can facilitate its successful implementation, improve the classroom experience for educators and students, and make MCSs more broadly accessible in diverse curricular settings.
INTRODUCTION
Molecular case studies (MCSs) use a storytelling approach to offer active learning opportunities for exploring biomolecular structure-function relationships (1). These ready-to-use, modular, open educational resources (OERs) are available from the Molecular CaseNet website (https://molecular-casenet.rcsb.org/) and adaptable to various curricular settings. Through MCSs, students can apply biology and chemistry concepts to authentic contexts, visualize case-relevant biomolecular three-dimensional (3D) structures, integrate information from various bioinformatics data resources, and synthesize new knowledge. Answer keys and teaching notes accompanying the MCS, help educators with limited prior knowledge about the case theme, plan and prepare successful classroom implementations.
Implementing a new MCS in two different curricular settings revealed the need to improve educator preparation and support for students while integrating structure-function discussions into the course objectives. This case study, titled “Maria vs Malaria”' (2), examines the structure of a metabolic enzyme lactate dehydrogenase, as an antiparasitic drug target (3, 4) for treating the tropical disease, malaria. It was written as a partial course-based undergraduate research experience in a biochemistry course at Boston University (BU) (5). In Spring 2022, as part of a faculty mentoring network activity (6), this MCS was implemented in a large biochemistry course at BU (~150 students) and a smaller molecular parasitology class at the University of Mary Washington (UMW) (~15 students) (Fig. 1, blue boxes). Discussions following these implementations highlighted the importance of finding effective ways to bridge the gap between the MCS authors’ vision and implementing the instructor’s interpretation of the case-related molecular structure-function discussions.
Fig 1
Augmented reality (AR) technology has emerged as a powerful and accessible educational tool for enhancing visuospatial learning experiences in diverse fields (7–9). Classroom interventions have reported that the use of AR technology is effective in visualizing macromolecular structures (10–12), exploring metabolic pathways (13), and increasing student engagement, and motivation for learning (14–16). Herein, we describe the integration of AR technology to create an MCS adaptation and its implementation in a large classroom (Fig. 1, yellow boxes). Using AR technology in this context may apply to other molecular case studies with similar effects.
PROCEDURE
Implementation of the MCS “Maria vs Malaria” in diverse course settings in Spring 2022 identified two areas for improvement. First, instructors teaching different disciplinary contents needed additional teaching notes to prepare them for the MCS implementation. Second, students with limited prior experience in biomolecular visualization needed easily accessible, interactive tools to engage with and complete the MCS-related molecular structural explorations. In Summer 2022, the two instructors from BU and UMW collaborated on incorporating AR into the MCS (Fig. 1, yellow box). Saif Ragab, an undergraduate chemical education research student at BU, tested a variety of molecular representations for pre-determined molecular scenes (checkpoints) in the MCS, using 3D structural data from the Protein Data Bank (17, 18) and the visualization tool, Mol* (19). He converted these scenes into AR objects [see Supplementary Material (20)] for visualization with a free “Merge Object Viewer” app on smart devices (Merge Labs Inc.). The AR objects were included in an adaptation of the MCS and published as an OER (21). While integrating AR in the MCS, both technical aspects (e.g., choice of 3D representations, colors, structural features) and the pedagogical issues (e.g., curriculum alignment, usability in diverse settings) were carefully considered.
Traditional molecular visualization (Fig. 2A) requires students to learn to use the tool, which takes time, and can often overwhelm novice users. The AR objects allow students to directly interact with the molecular scenes on a touch screen, as free-standing objects placed on flat surfaces, or captured in a hand-held physical cube (Fig. 2B). AR objects for checkpoints in the MCS help implementers see the molecular details the author intended to highlight. They also provide students with clear expectations and direct access to case-relevant molecular scenes, without the need to learn a visualization tool to create the scenes (Fig. 3).
Fig 2
Fig 3
In Spring 2023, the MCS adaptation with AR objects was implemented in a biochemistry course at BU with ~160 students and two teaching assistants (TAs) leading 10 discussion sections (~16 students each). The TAs were introduced to the use of AR technology for the MCS adaptation in ~15 minutes and received the teaching notes as part of their preparation. Students used handmade paper Merge cubes for a tactile experience of the AR objects through the “Merge Object Viewer” app on smart devices (Fig. 3).
Despite the similarity between the biochemistry knowledge and interest of both the students and the TAs in the 2022 and 2023 implementations, notable improvements were observed when using the MCS adaptation with AR: (i) the TAs self-reported feeling more prepared and were more effective in leading the class through the MCS, (ii) students completed more questions from the MCS during the class period and spent more time discussing their molecular explorations, (iii) students used more discipline-specific vocabulary in their explanations and created more detailed figures, and (iv) several students voluntarily engaged with the MCS AR object codes after class time, some even several weeks after the assignment (based on Bitly Analytics, bitly.com).
CONCLUSION
The cross-institutional collaboration between BU and MWU created an MCS adaptation that includes AR objects. This adaptation provides educators and students a robust visual roadmap of the author’s vision of the case-related 3D structure-function discussions. This innovative approach was piloted in 10 small discussion sections of a large class (~160 students). Instructor and TA observations from preparation to post-implementation suggest that the AR objects helped less experienced educators become more confident in leading the MCS discussions. AR objects also enhanced user experience by encouraging students with limited experience in using visualization tools to engage more deeply in structure-function discussions. By providing rapid visual confirmation and/or allowing a quick “catch up” with their classmates, AR objects allowed students to have more time to focus on the disciplinary-specific learning goals. For students still developing molecular visualization skills, the AR objects also served as guides both in and out of class. These findings suggest that this MCS adaptation can be beneficial in a variety of classroom settings (small/large, in-person/remote) when limited time is available and direct guidance or support opportunity is limited.
Our study indicates that AR objects can be used by any educator as a highly needed alternative visualization tool, especially with students who have limited experience using traditional biomolecular visualization programs. By providing free and rapid access to checkpoint scenes, AR objects promote independent molecular exploration through increased student engagement, confidence, and motivation for learning. A broader integration of AR objects into additional molecular case studies in the future will facilitate a robust assessment of students’ learning gains in the biomolecular structure and function discussions.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Most importantly, we would like to thank the students at BU and UMW for their hard work and perseverance during the piloting of the different versions of this MCS (22) We would also like to thank the teaching assistants Matthew Vince, Favian Lui, Arisdelsy Cervantes, and Mike Susoeff at Boston University for their contributions to the associated teaching materials of the MCS, as well as their dedication during the pilot implementations. Molecular CaseNet is funded by the National Science Foundation (DBI-1827011 and DBI-2018884).
All authors have approved the manuscript for submission. On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest. The enclosed manuscript is an original work and is not under review at any other publication.
SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL
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Information & Contributors
Information
Published In
Journal of Microbiology and Biology Education
Volume 25 • Number 2 • 29 August 2024
eLocator: e00019-24
Editor: Dave J. Westenberg, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Missouri, USA
PubMed: 38624224
Copyright
© 2024 Vardar-Ulu et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International license.
History
Received: 1 February 2024
Accepted: 15 March 2024
Published online: 16 April 2024
Keywords
Contributors
Editor
Dave J. Westenberg
Editor
Missouri University of Science and Technology, Missouri, USA
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Citation
2024.
Using augmented reality in molecular case studies to enhance biomolecular structure-function explorations in undergraduate classrooms. J Microbiol Biol Educ.
25:e00019-24.
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