Integrating virtual reality in STEM education: Enhancing student engagement and understanding through immersive learning environments

This study explores the integration of Virtual Reality (VR) in STEM education to enhance student engagement and understanding. VR and immersive environments offer interactive learning methods, transforming traditional educational experiences. This research addresses challenges in STEM education, such as the need for empirical evidence on effective scaffolding strategies and the technological challenges educators face. Participants, comprising engineering and computing students, engaged in VR and non-VR tasks across four categories: Food processing, Audio compression, Substation, and Search engines. Results showed that VR enhances student engagement, understanding, and practical application of theoretical concepts. However, physical discomfort and technical issues were noted as barriers. Gender differences indicated that female students rated the immersive VR experience higher, while engineering students favored VR more than computing students. Linear regression analysis demonstrated predictive value and effectiveness of VR learning methods, with an R² value of 0.826, indicating that 82.6% of the variance in students’ intent to use VR for learning was explained by key predictors like perceived performance and usefulness. The study highlights the importance of incorporating effective scaffolding, storytelling elements, and continuous support in VR design to maximize educational benefits. Future research should focus on addressing these challenges and enhancing the user experience to ensure VR’s successful integration into STEM education.