In the rapidly evolving field of health education, immersive technologies like augmented and virtual reality (XR) hold immense potential for transforming how learners engage with complex concepts and scenarios. Dr. Ebony D. Johnson, our founder and a public health sociologist, with assistance from Dr. Michole Washington, our learning design lead, leveraged multidisciplinary expertise in user experience (UX) research to conduct a comprehensive analysis of an innovative XR simulation designed for outbreak science education.

The Story of the Project

The simulation operated through a mobile app, unleashing a virtual pathogen via Bluetooth across participant devices to prompt a contagious outbreak scenario. Participants then strived to contain the outbreak, aligning with the growing recognition that XR can revolutionize health learning by providing immersive, interactive training environments to explore real-world situations safely.

The Challenge or Opportunity

Effective XR integration into health curricula requires a deep understanding of learning theory, psychology, human-computer interaction, and instructional design principles to maximize user engagement and knowledge retention. A thoughtful, UX-driven approach is crucial to unlock XR's transformative potential and avoid undermining the technology's benefits.

Why Our Approach

Our sociologist's background, coupled with the team's expertise in innovative educational methodologies and UX research strategies, enabled a comprehensive evaluation of the platform's user experience. This multidisciplinary perspective ensured a holistic assessment considering technical capabilities, pedagogical effectiveness, and alignment with learner needs and behaviors.

How We Responded

The approach centered on rigorous UX research and learner-focused analysis. An in-depth usability study evaluated the simulation's strengths, limitations, and potential for diverse learning goals through its Bluetooth contagion mechanic, providing insights into the user experience. Complementing the hands-on UX evaluation, an extensive literature review explored intersections between learning theory, psychology, human-computer interaction, and XR technology. This research informed an understanding of designing effective, user-centric XR experiences aligned with evidence-based instructional strategies. Synthesizing findings identified key UX design principles for creating immersive, engaging XR experiences tailored to specific learning objectives and user needs across healthcare domains – from training medical professionals to public health education.

The Results

The UX-driven analysis highlighted XR's immense potential for experiential learning environments that foster learner engagement, knowledge retention, and real-world preparedness, like the simulation's disease outbreak scenario. Moreover, the research underscored a multidisciplinary, user-focused approach integrating learning science with human-centered design methodologies to ensure effective, engaging implementation of XR in health education. By prioritizing the end-user experience, this work paves the way for immersive technologies to revolutionize health learning, empowering future healthcare professionals and communities through accessible, intuitive educational resources.

Call-to-Action

Transform health education through user-focused XR experiences. Leverage our expertise in human-centered design, educational UX strategies, and cutting-edge XR evaluation to thoughtfully integrate augmented and virtual reality, fostering unparalleled learner engagement, retention, and real-world preparedness.