Applying Prior Meta-Modeling Knowledge to a VR Model of a Biological Process

Abstract

The goal of this study was to find out whether students can extend prior meta-modeling knowledge, gained using 2D models, to 3D models. Therefore, we compared a group of students who received prior instruction on models and modeling with a group of students without such preparation and looked for differences in expressed meta-modeling knowledge considering a combination of 2D models and a 3D model. For the 3D model we developed a VR application on the biological process of blood-glucose regulation. Both groups of students worked with the VR application after which they worked on an assignment where they used a combination of 2D models and the VR model to answer questions related to important aspects of meta-modeling knowledge. A pre- and post-test was used to find out whether working with the VR model influenced students’ expressed meta-modeling knowledge in general. Results from the assignment showed a higher level of expressed meta-modeling knowledge considering 2D and 3D models for the group of students with prior knowledge than for the group without prior knowledge. The pre- and post-test also showed that working with the VR model lead to a higher level of expressed meta-modeling knowledge for the group of students with prior meta-modeling knowledge. For the group of students without this prior knowledge, working with the VR model lead to a lower level of expressed meta-modeling knowledge. These results suggest that teaching students about aspects of meta-modeling knowledge and letting them work with these models is an important step in stimulating students’ meta-modeling knowledge for both 2D and VR models.