Desktop VR showed no significant declarative-knowledge advantage over traditional instruction after unguided exploration (d = 0.24), and a marginal, non-significant one after scaffolded guidance (d = 0.63, p = .06)¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study (2 entries) · causal r2 · q3 · i1–i2
Currency · newest study 2026 · checked against its sources 2026-10-28 (automated, 2 of 2 entries) · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i1 No statistically significant difference in declarative knowledge between VR and control groups during the initial exploration phase (d = 0.24, p > .05); a non-significant result, not evidence that the groups were equal. → Adurangba Victor Oje 2026 q3 i2 After scaffolded guidance was introduced, the VR group scored higher on declarative knowledge than the control group (d = 0.63), but the difference did not reach significance (p = .06; the authors call it marginal and say scaffolding "may have enhanced" declarative knowledge). → Adurangba Victor Oje 2026 (2)

Evidence¶

Adurangba Victor Oje 2026¶

Adurangba Victor Oje, Nathaniel J. Hunsu. (2026). Desktop virtual reality with scaffolded interaction and reflective explanation: effects on cognitive, motivational, and learning outcomes in engineering education. Education Tech Research Dev. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-026-10722-y

q3 · i1 · causal · r2

A one-way between-subjects ANOVA compared declarative knowledge during the initial exploration phase. No statistically significant difference was found between VR ("M = 6.58, SD = 3.22") and control (M = 5.89) groups; the effect size was small (d = 0.24) and the test non-significant, which does not show the groups were equal.

"The analysis revealed no statistically significant difference between the VR group (M = 6.58, SD = 3.22) and the control group (M = 5.89, SD = 2.47), F (1, 37) = 0.54, p >.05, partial η 2 =.01. The corresponding effect size was small (d = 0.24)"

Adurangba Victor Oje 2026 (2)¶

Adurangba Victor Oje, Nathaniel J. Hunsu. (2026). Desktop virtual reality with scaffolded interaction and reflective explanation: effects on cognitive, motivational, and learning outcomes in engineering education. Education Tech Research Dev. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-026-10722-y

q3 · i2 · causal · r2

A second ANOVA compared declarative knowledge after scaffolded guidance was introduced in the VR condition. The VR group scored higher ("M = 8.68, SD = 2.67") with a medium effect size (d = 0.63), but the difference was not statistically significant (p = .06), which the authors describe as marginal.

"The results revealed a marginally significant difference between the two groups, F (1, 37) = 3.78, p =.06, partial η 2 =.09. Students in the VR condition achieved higher mean scores (M = 8.68, SD = 2.67) than students in the control group (M = 7.05, SD = 2.51), with a medium effect size of d = 0.63"

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Minimal guidance is less effective for novices than explicit instruction — a broader claim this one bears on
• Enhanced discovery learning produces greater learning than other forms of instruction — a broader claim this one bears on
• Accommodator learners gained significantly more in the VR (guided exploration) mode than in VR (non-guided exploration) or Non VR modes — related
• Desktop VR with scaffolded interaction and reflective self-explanation reduces extraneous and intrinsic cognitive load compared to traditional instruction — related
• Desktop VR with scaffolded interaction and reflective self-explanation improves problem-solving performance on a novel statics scenario compared to traditional instruction — related
• Desktop VR with scaffolded interaction and reflective self-explanation improves procedural knowledge in engineering statics compared to traditional instruction — related
• Desktop VR with scaffolded interaction and reflective self-explanation increases self-efficacy compared to traditional instruction — related
• VR improves motivation and performance of civil engineering students in a concrete structures course compared with traditional 2D drawings — reports the opposite