Impact of anxiety and confidence in virtual reality-mediated learning transferred to hands-on tasks

BackgroundBenefited from advances in technology, virtual reality (VR) has been widely applied to learning content in operational training as well as hands-on courses. However, most current studies tend to evaluate learning effectiveness in this application, and few were focused on how learners can be benefited from transferring the knowledge learned to real-world field performance. Moreover, in application-oriented hands-on courses such as embedded electronic circuits, to our best knowledge, none were presented in interactive learning materials with the combination of VR and neither were the understanding of the changes in cognition, learning anxiety, and learning confidence during the learning process. Method and ObjectiveWe combine VR technology with hands-on tasks to design a VR-based embedded electronic circuit learning system. We conduct a quasi-experiment to investigate differences in knowledge, comprehension, and application levels in different learning environments, and to assess learning performance, learning anxiety, and learning confidence levels when applying the knowledge learned to real-world hands-on tasks. ResultsGroups that receive VR-mediated training exhibit superior knowledge, comprehension, and application levels. In addition, learners with higher levels of knowledge and application exhibit lower learning anxiety and higher learning confidence during practical application tasks. ConclusionsWe investigate the learning outcomes of learners on practical hands-on tasks after VR-mediated learning. To improve the learning experience and performance for learners in an embedded electronic circuit course, we discuss the learning performance in terms of the knowledge and concepts learned in the VR environment and transferred to the real world. The results show that learners achieve better cognitive levels in the learning process through the VR system described here. Better performance on hands-on tasks was also obtained as well as low anxiety and high confidence levels.