Virtual Reality Labs for Chemistry

<< Background >>Education of chemistry always had strong importance regarding, not only the development of future young intelligence, but also the innovations and development of technology. Science and chemistry play a huge role regarding the future of society. Chemistry and science courses have very strong importance in primary school education. Chemistry, in particular, is considered by elementary school teachers as a difficult subject for students to study comprehend, and use effectively in real life. Chemistry consist of concepts and information that traditional teaching methods have difficulties teaching properly. Students have enormous difficulties grasping and understanding chemistry topics, as chemistry is often cited as one of the hardest courses of primary education. The 3D virtual reality educational environment and the visualization of the procedures can help students connect these abstract concepts and difficult procedures to concrete examples and even give them a lifelike experience of the topics. The virtual laboratory is designed to provide teachers with the option to plan distance lessons using various multimedia materials, a 3D virtual world and gamification. << Objectives >>VR4Chemistry project aimed to reflect the need of partners and target groups in two directions:- Innovative technology implementation to school education- The COVID pandemic findings for methodology of distance/blended learning in school education.The training content and learning scenarios focused on:1, Assisting pupils to better understand the chemistry phenomena with the utilization of new educational technologies.2, Develop methodology, which are helping teachers prepare educational materials and lessons.3. Design of the curriculum and innovative learning material for chemistry 4. Development of game-based 3D virtual world 5. Training of the teachers and roll-out eventsSo by realisation of the project we elaborated innovative and usefull tool whcih is universal and is used not only by partner schools but are available for wide audience of schools . Theachers of the chemistry has got excellent tool for easy and interesting at the same time teaching very difficult subjest. What is also important this tool let make differernt experiments in totaly safe way. << Implementation >>During project implementation we were following accepted in the project proposal timeline. So We have started from implementaton of the good work plan. As the partnership was very experienced in the topic of projects focused on the school education there was clearly set up work plan for entire project. As the first activity we have been elaborating tasks in the frame of the WP2 . We have developed complex currculum for VR4Chemistry. Then as a second activities we elaborated adjusted for childern level training materials with added value not forseen in the proejct - educational posters. Alter on we have elaboarted related to the training content scenarios of the games-lessons and our technological partner from Greece elaborated dedicated for VR4Chemisty project 3D game.This game contains prepared earlier content and posters. At the end we implemented training of trainers activity and organised piloting sessions tegether with the inal conerences organised in each of the country. All the activities were supervised by leader in the frame of the WP 1 management. Consortium met 4 times during the project lietime directly in each of the partner country. Every partner conducted also different dissemination activities in own countries.<< Results >>Project VR4Chemistry achieved all assumed results and additonal ones. First of of all we have elaborated complex curriculum o the lessons of chemistry basing on the results of the project. As a natural consequences we have prepared dedicated and based on the curriculum educational materials on the relevant topics desctibed in the curriculum. Additional to the topics there were eaborated posters possible to print-out. There were elaborated 26 posters representing differet aspects of elaborated topics. Next resuts were elaborated scenaros of the games and it was the base for the 3D world game elaboration. This game was the next big result of the project. Game is devoted for teachers to use it as a supporting for chemistry tool. It is available for free for every interested teacher. Anotehr result of our project is 4 languages website with OER plaftorm with possible to download educationnal resources and materials and with instruction on how to instal and play game. There are also avaliable cheistry teaching guide and scenarios of the lessons of chemistry.