Place an immersive virtual field trip as the introductory experience of an instructional module¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · 7 claims (5 for, 1 mixed, 1 against) · 3 studies (1 causal, 1 review, 1 theoretical), q2–q3 · 2 of 3 report an effect size · 7 claims rest on one study

Description¶

The article's practical implication is that instructors should "incorporate lessons involving HMD experiences into their instructional programs, particularly as an introduction", because such experiences "can help create interest in the material that leads to better learning engagement and learning outcomes over the course of an instructional module". A virtual field trip as an initial step may create enjoyment that maintains short-term engagement and instill interest supporting long-term engagement.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Subsequent lessons must provide application and reflection opportunities so the interest generated can be maintained across the module.

Constraints¶

• HMD use brings practical challenges in realistic classroom settings; the field trip content must be experienced as things "too expensive, dangerous, or impossible in the real world" to justify immersive delivery.

Target Learners¶

• middle school students

Target Learning Goals¶

• sustained engagement and long-term retention of science content across a multi-lesson module

Affordances¶

• Cognitive Affective Model Of Immersive Learning

Claims¶

• Enjoyment mediates the pathway from immersive media to immediate posttest score while interest mediates the pathway to delayed posttest score [+W]
• Students who experienced the virtual field trip via a 3D HMD scored higher on a delayed posttest roughly three weeks later than 2D-video students [+W]
• 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 [+W]
• Middle-school students taking a virtual field trip via a 3D HMD report higher interest than students taking the same trip as a 2D video [+W]
• Middle-school students taking a virtual field trip via a 3D HMD report higher presence than students taking the same trip as a 2D video [+W]
• 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) [-W]
• Immersion in virtual reality adds extraneous load yet can boost transfer, enjoyment, and motivation while leaving retention unaffected [~W]

Related Strategies¶

• Field Trips

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Guido Makransky · Richard E. Mayer. (2022). Benefits of Taking a Virtual Field Trip in Immersive Virtual Reality: Evidence for the Immersion Principle in Multimedia Learning. Educational Psychology Review (2022) 34:1771–1798. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-022-09675-4