Individual differences in executive function affect learning with immersive virtual reality
Abstract Background Immersive virtual reality (IVR) is a new technology that could motivate learners, but also could contain distracting elements that increase cognitive demands on learners. In contrast, learning with conventional media, such as a narrated slideshow could be less motivating, but als...
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jcal.12925 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/jcal.12925 |
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crwiley:10.1111/jcal.12925 2024-06-09T07:48:48+00:00 Individual differences in executive function affect learning with immersive virtual reality Lawson, Alyssa P. Mayer, Richard E. Office of Naval Research 2024 http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jcal.12925 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/jcal.12925 en eng Wiley http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ Journal of Computer Assisted Learning volume 40, issue 3, page 1068-1082 ISSN 0266-4909 1365-2729 journal-article 2024 crwiley https://doi.org/10.1111/jcal.12925 2024-05-16T14:26:20Z Abstract Background Immersive virtual reality (IVR) is a new technology that could motivate learners, but also could contain distracting elements that increase cognitive demands on learners. In contrast, learning with conventional media, such as a narrated slideshow could be less motivating, but also less distracting. Objectives This experiment investigates: (1) in what situations executive function and working memory capacity play a role in learning in IVR and a slideshow lesson and (2) whether people learn science content better with IVR or with a narrated slideshow lesson. Method Participants watched a lesson on ocean acidification either using a head‐mounted display IVR device or a pre‐recorded narrated slideshow lesson. A week later, they took a test on this material and completed tasks to assess executive function and working memory capacity. Results and Conclusion On a post‐test, there was no difference between IVR and slideshow lessons, but there were differences in the role of executive function in learning with these two media. For students learning in IVR, executive function correlated significantly with post‐test scores, such that learners with stronger executive function did better on the posttest than those with weaker executive function, while for students learning with a slideshow lesson, executive function and working memory capacity did not correlate significantly with posttest scores. This research indicates that it is important to understand how a learner's attentional controls impact their understanding when using IVR for learning. Article in Journal/Newspaper Ocean acidification Wiley Online Library Journal of Computer Assisted Learning 40 3 1068 1082 |
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Abstract Background Immersive virtual reality (IVR) is a new technology that could motivate learners, but also could contain distracting elements that increase cognitive demands on learners. In contrast, learning with conventional media, such as a narrated slideshow could be less motivating, but also less distracting. Objectives This experiment investigates: (1) in what situations executive function and working memory capacity play a role in learning in IVR and a slideshow lesson and (2) whether people learn science content better with IVR or with a narrated slideshow lesson. Method Participants watched a lesson on ocean acidification either using a head‐mounted display IVR device or a pre‐recorded narrated slideshow lesson. A week later, they took a test on this material and completed tasks to assess executive function and working memory capacity. Results and Conclusion On a post‐test, there was no difference between IVR and slideshow lessons, but there were differences in the role of executive function in learning with these two media. For students learning in IVR, executive function correlated significantly with post‐test scores, such that learners with stronger executive function did better on the posttest than those with weaker executive function, while for students learning with a slideshow lesson, executive function and working memory capacity did not correlate significantly with posttest scores. This research indicates that it is important to understand how a learner's attentional controls impact their understanding when using IVR for learning. |
author2 |
Office of Naval Research |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Lawson, Alyssa P. Mayer, Richard E. |
spellingShingle |
Lawson, Alyssa P. Mayer, Richard E. Individual differences in executive function affect learning with immersive virtual reality |
author_facet |
Lawson, Alyssa P. Mayer, Richard E. |
author_sort |
Lawson, Alyssa P. |
title |
Individual differences in executive function affect learning with immersive virtual reality |
title_short |
Individual differences in executive function affect learning with immersive virtual reality |
title_full |
Individual differences in executive function affect learning with immersive virtual reality |
title_fullStr |
Individual differences in executive function affect learning with immersive virtual reality |
title_full_unstemmed |
Individual differences in executive function affect learning with immersive virtual reality |
title_sort |
individual differences in executive function affect learning with immersive virtual reality |
publisher |
Wiley |
publishDate |
2024 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jcal.12925 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/jcal.12925 |
genre |
Ocean acidification |
genre_facet |
Ocean acidification |
op_source |
Journal of Computer Assisted Learning volume 40, issue 3, page 1068-1082 ISSN 0266-4909 1365-2729 |
op_rights |
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1111/jcal.12925 |
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Journal of Computer Assisted Learning |
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40 |
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3 |
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1068 |
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1082 |
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