Abstract
One challenge while learning scientific concepts is to select relevant information and to integrate different representations of the learning content into one coherent mental model. Virtual reality learning environments (VRLEs) offer new possibilities to support learners and foster learning processes. Whether learning in VR is successful, however, depends to a large extent on the design of the VRLE and the learners themselves. Hence, adding supportive elements in VRLEs, such as annotations, might facilitate the learning process by guiding attention and supporting the selection of relevant information. Additionally, the mapping of pictorial and verbal information is eased by these annotations. The beneficial effect of annotations is highly dependent on learners' intrinsic motivation as intrinsic motivation while learning also affects the information selection and visual search patterns. In our experimental study (N = 61), we compared two conditions: learning in a VRLE with or without annotations. We measured the learning outcome on three different levels (knowledge, comprehension, and application). Additionally, we investigated intrinsic motivation as a moderator for the effect of annotations on learning outcome. We found no significant main effect of annotations on learning outcome. The moderating effect of intrinsic motivation for annotations on the overall learning outcome was significant. Our results imply that learners are either intrinsically motivated or need additional support by annotations as these support the selection of relevant information in the VRLE and therefore enable them to learn successfully. Which type or quantity of annotations supports learning processes best needs to be explored in future research.
Highlights
Many different approaches to designing learning environments and supporting learners exist
As no previous study investigated signaling in Virtual reality learning environments (VRLEs), we refer to a study that described signaling in a dynamic, system-paced animation for learning biology [De Koning et al, 2010; f2(V) = 0.35]
Despite the fact that we found a positive and compensating effect of annotations in VRLEs, the effect might be highly dependent on the concrete design of the learning material, learning content as well as the chosen VRLE
Summary
Many different approaches to designing learning environments and supporting learners exist. As learning scientific concepts is per se challenging, the learners need to be supported by an appropriate presentation of the learning content. Demonstrations are such an appropriate form, which allows learners to explore scientific processes, such as chemical reactions. Some demonstrations are not applicable to a university setting because they need a complex technical setup, are too dangerous, or too Learning in Virtual Reality expensive (e.g., Wilkerson-Jerde et al, 2015) In this case, new technologies, such as virtual reality (VR), can open the way to advanced education in different scientific domains (Potkonjak et al, 2016; Wu et al, 2020)
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