Adding immersive virtual reality to a science lab simulation causes more presence but less learning

By Guido Makransky, Thomas Terkildsen, Richard E. Mayer. Learning and Instruction, 2017

1,282 citations recorded by the source corpus.

Abstract Virtual reality (VR) is predicted to create a paradigm shift in education and training, but there is little empirical evidence of its educational value. The main objectives of this study were to determine the consequences of adding immersive VR to virtual learning simulations, and to investigate whether the principles of multimedia learning generalize to immersive VR. Furthermore, electroencephalogram (EEG) was used to obtain a direct measure of cognitive processing during learning. A sample of 52 university students participated in a 2 × 2 experimental cross-panel design wherein students learned from a science simulation via a desktop display (PC) or a head-mounted display (VR); and the simulations contained on-screen text or on-screen text with narration. Across both text versions, students reported being more present in the VR condition (d = 1.30); but they learned less (d = 0.80), and had significantly higher cognitive load based on the EEG measure (d = 0.59). In spite of its motivating properties (as reflected in presence ratings), learning science in VR may overload and distract the learner (as reflected in EEG measures of cognitive load), resulting in less opportunity to build learning outcomes (as reflected in poorer learning outcome test performance).

Subfields: Developmental and Educational Psychology, Experimental and Cognitive Psychology, Human-Computer Interaction

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/7259833afa0063b2c5710e80e807ca539e411b8a

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In Developmental and Educational Psychology

In Experimental and Cognitive Psychology

In Human-Computer Interaction

Citations in the corpus

A structural equation modeling investigation of the emotional value of immersive virtual reality in education (2018, background): “These results are consistent with previous research which has proposed that presence is influenced by control factors, realism factors, distraction factors, and sensory factors which result from the VR platform (Lee et al. 2010; Witmer and Singer 1998; Makransky et al. 2017).”
The impact of augmented reality on cognitive load and performance: A systematic review (2021, background): “With regard to multimedia learning, it was found that an immersive virtual reality (IVR) lab for science learning can distract learners resulting in poorer learning outcomes compared to traditional digital slides (Makransky et al., 2019).”
Investigating the effect of pre-training when learning through immersive virtual reality and video: A media and methods experiment (2019, methodology): “Several studies have found VR simulations (desktop and immersive VR) to be associated with a signi ﬁ cant increase in self-e ﬃ cacy compared with other methods of learning (Buttussi & Chittaro, 2018; Makransky, Thisgaard, & Gadegaard, 2016; Thisgaard & Makransky, 2017), ascribing this to the value V”
Immersive virtual reality increases liking but not learning with a science simulation and generative learning strategies promote learning in immersive virtual reality. (2020, methodology): “This is supported by previous IVR research (Makransky et al., 2019b; Meyer et al., 2019; Parong & Mayer, 2018) as well as multimedia research (Adams et al., 2012; Schrader & Bastiaens, 2012) that has suggested that more engaging or immersive learning environments do not always lead to better…”