Publication

Teaching & Learning with Virtual Reality: VictoryXR Research Summary

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March 22, 2024

2:04 pm

In 2023, VictoryXR engaged Bâton Global, a consulting firm providing custom research services, to conduct research to develop a more robust understanding of virtual reality (VR) as it pertains to teaching and learning in higher education, with a specific focus on universities using VictoryXR’s products and platforms. In particular, the research sought to illuminate how these technologies empower instructors as they design and deliver effective learning experiences over the length of a course, and how well the technologies deliver immersive student experiences that learners desire and feel support their learning.

Twenty-four (24) professors representing 19 universities participated in the Fall 2023 research study, which combined qualitative and quantitative methods. Professors initially submitted Research Intake Forms in which they provided contextualizing information on their respective courses (area of study, estimated class size, planned uses of VR, etc.). Throughout the semester, professors were asked to submit Learning Event Surveys after each use of VR in their classrooms to report brief details of the teaching application and their perspectives regarding the VR-enabled teaching experience.

At the end of the semester, professors were invited to submit final reflections on their use of VR, and students were invited to participate in a Student Learning Survey in which they shared their perspectives on the immersiveness of the VR experience, as well as on the effectiveness and desirability of learning using VR. Over 150 students responded to the student survey. Key findings included:

Download the Full Research Study Below:

Instructors found VR use highly successful (96%) and effective (98%), and 100% plan to use VR to teach the same content again in the future.
All professors believed the use of VR had a positive impact on their students’ learning and that the use of VR enabled learning experiences or outcomes that would otherwise have been unattainable.
All professors’ expectations for teaching with VR were met, with 40% saying their expectations were exceeded.
Eighty-nine percent (89%) of students agreed that VR enriched their learning experience, and 78% agreed that VR had a positive impact on their learning outcomes.
Sixty-two percent (62%) of students wished the course had used more VR and 71% indicated they would consider registering for more courses using VR in the future.
Those students whose professors used VR five to ten times during the semester indicated higher agreement that VR enriched their learning experience (95%) and that the use of VR had a positive impact on their learning (89%), as compared to their peers whose professors used VR only two to four times during the semester (81% and 60%, respectively). Overall, both groups responded positively to VR.