An Empirical Study Investigating the Effectiveness of Integrating Virtual Reality-based Case Studies into an Online Asynchronous Learning Environment

Widespread use of the Web and other Internet technologies in higher education has exploded in the last decade. Technology such as Virtual Reality (VR) has the potential to improve learning outcomes and student engagement in an active learning environment. This study investigates the extent to which VR-based education enhances learning outcomes and perceived engagement with technical curriculum. Using a between-subjects experimental design, 165 technical college students were randomly assigned to three conditional groups. The conditions included a VR simulation that tasked the user with identifying potential safety hazards in a manufacturing environment, a photo-based case study where users identified and categorized hazards from an image of a manufacturing plant, and a control group. The control group for the experiment was tasked only with taking the online course, assessment, and surveys with no inclusion of either a VR or photo-based case study. Each experimental condition began with an online course designed to teach students about potential safety hazards that one may encounter in a manufacturing environment. Learning outcomes and perceived engagement, usability, and satisfaction were measured via tests and surveys. While no significant learning differences were found between the conditions, students’ perception of learning including ease of comprehension, ease of memorization, usability, and active learning revealed significant improvements of the VR group over the the photo-based case study group. Results indicate that VR has the potential to improve the learning experience by actively engaging users. Educational opportunities are enhanced with the use of VR for technician education.