Impact of Environmental Education with VR Equipment on Learning Performance and Environmental Identity

Abstract

AbstractFor the goals of environmental education, people should be encouraged to contact with the natural and increase the awareness and knowledge. Nowadays, immersive virtual reality (VR) devices provide people with a way to visualize the natural environment. Users can use it to create a real experience in the environment, not just the images they see. This empirical study suggests that an environmental education programs by VR and normal environmental films can be effective in helping to improving learning performance and environmental identity. The method of analysis is quantitative analysis, combined with qualitative. The experimental group used VR equipment to view VR video clips while the control group used a desktop computer to observe the same video clips. The subjects were given the same questionnaire after video viewing. The questionnaire included environmental knowledge related to video clips and a CNS scale. The results answered the research questions well and supported these hypotheses: (1) The use of VR equipment will affect the learning performance of the subjects. (2) The use of VR equipment could improve the environmental identity of the subjects. Compared with the control group, CNS scale in the experimental group showed a higher level of environmental identity.KeywordsImmersive environmentsLearning effectivenessConnectedness to nature scaleEnvironmental education