Physics Education in a Virtual Environment

Abstract

A study is directed at a comparison of Virtual Reality as an educational tool in physics instruction with standard, teacher-organized, or computer-aided learning. Findings generally indicated that virtual reality-based learning is superior to lecture-based control conditions. The dependent variable was a residualized knowledge of physics measure obtained from subjects four weeks following termination of training. As a training method, virtual reality was superior to the control condition at the four-week retention period. Such a finding supports cognitive theorists who argue that the lack of opportunities for hands-on, manipulation of objects in the physical world is one of the reasons children are often poor at intuitive physics. Virtual reality provides them the opportunity to develop manipulational skills they did not previously possess.