Effectiveness of VR crane training with head-mounted display: Double mediation of presence and perceived usefulness

Abstract Virtual reality (VR) has been shown to provide an immersive experience that can promote effective learning. The use of VR with head-mounted displays can be especially ideal for training operators of heavy equipment such as cranes, resulting in cost savings and enhanced safety of apprentices. In this study, a set of VR training systems is introduced for three different types of cranes (i.e., overhead, container, and tower crane), and an experiment is conducted to test their effectiveness. A total of 108 students participated in the experiment. The findings revealed that the VR crane training system significantly enhanced the students' self-efficacy when operating a crane. The underlying mechanism of how the VR crane training improves trainees' level of self-efficacy is also investigated. Double mediation analysis revealed that the change in self-efficacy is driven by usability mediated by the feeling of presence and perceived usefulness.