Immersion in virtual reality adds extraneous load yet can boost transfer, enjoyment, and motivation while leaving retention unaffected¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study (2 entries) · review r2 · q2
Currency · newest study 2022 · checked against its sources 2026-10-21 (automated, 2 of 2 entries) · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? Immersive VR did not significantly affect retention compared to written instruction but increased transfer scores, enjoyment, and motivation. → Alexander Skulmowski & Kate Man Xu 2022 q2 i? Highly immersive VR training decreased learning process variables compared with less immersive settings in surgical training. → Alexander Skulmowski & Kate Man Xu 2022 (2)

Evidence¶

Alexander Skulmowski & Kate Man Xu 2022¶

Alexander Skulmowski & Kate Man Xu. (2022). Understanding Cognitive Load in Digital and Online Learning: a New Perspective on Extraneous Cognitive Load. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-021-09624-7

q2 · i? · review · r2

The review reports, citing Makransky et al. (2019), that "immersive virtual reality did not significantly affect retention performance compared to written instruction, but increased transfer scores, enjoyment, and motivation". Further studies reportedly support stronger immersion effects on transfer than other measures.

"Makransky et al. (2019) found that immersive virtual reality did not significantly affect retention performance compared to written instruction, but increased transfer scores, enjoyment, and motivation."

Alexander Skulmowski & Kate Man Xu 2022 (2)¶

Alexander Skulmowski & Kate Man Xu. (2022). Understanding Cognitive Load in Digital and Online Learning: a New Perspective on Extraneous Cognitive Load. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-021-09624-7

q2 · i? · review · r2

The review reports, citing Frederiksen et al. (2020) in surgical training, that "Highly immersive virtual reality training in a simulator led to a decrease in various learning process variables compared with less immersive learning settings", identifying immersion as a contributor to excessive extraneous load.

"Highly immersive virtual reality training in a simulator led to a decrease in various learning process variables compared with less immersive learning settings"

Discussion¶

Learner Variables¶

• Achievement Emotions — outcome: instruction changes it

Related Claims¶

• Redundant and decorative elements, including emotional design embellishments, can enhance learning despite constituting potential extraneous load — related
• Immersive VR simulation increased self-efficacy and intrinsic motivation more than a conventional safety manual in laboratory safety training — related
• No difference in extraneous cognitive load between modality conditions in VR, contrary to the modality principle — related
• In a piloted virtual reality WIL, most students reported improved crisis-problem-solving understanding and high enjoyment — related
• Visual-only text yields higher transfer than audio-visual text in immersive VR — related
• Immersive technologies such as virtual reality should reinforce, not substitute, the original educational action — related
• Immersion principle: people do not necessarily learn better in 3D immersive virtual reality than with a corresponding 2D desktop presentation (d = -0.10 across 9 tests) — related
• Mental simulation training increased children's reading motivation in both grades, while control-group motivation showed no significant change — related
• Immersive lessons show a small effect size advantage over less immersive technology, but increased presence does not necessarily lead to more learning — related
• Middle-school students taking a virtual field trip via a 3D HMD report higher enjoyment than students taking the same trip as a 2D video — related