Jeanelle Uy: VR for Active Learning
Dr. Jeanelle Uy is a professor in the Anthropology department and focuses on biological anthropology. She studies how the abdomen and the bones that surround it evolved to support pregnancy and childbirth. She teaches classes in human evolution, human variation, and the anthropology of sex and reproduction.
Egg and Sperm VR Experience
Egg and Sperm is a virtual reality (VR) experience where students play an active role in the fertilization process from the perspective of a sperm cell. Students go on a simulated journey through the female reproductive tract and explore how the cervix, uterus, oviduct, and egg ensure the successful formation of a zygote.
In this video, Jeanelle Uy introduces herself and the project:
VR Activity Samples
Small, but meaningful interactions allowed students to practice the learning goals kinesthetically. The activities help simulate how the reproductive system is working to filter the best quality sperm to get to the egg.
In this activity, students must push a button to initiate contractions in the uterus, helping sperm move more easily toward the oviducts.
In this activity, students must close the zona pellucida in time to avoid polyspermy:
In this activity, students are asked to select an oviduct to go to according to the release of progesterone and prolactin and subtle temperature changes that signal the right direction.
