As the complexity of aircraft cockpit operations increases, training effectiveness must be improved, and learning accelerated. Virtual reality (VR) training is increasingly offered as a method for improving training efficacy given its ability to provide a rich sensory experience during learning. This paper describes a study examining how training efficacy can be improved by improving learning diagnostics. We study how varying forms of knowledge assessment are related to different types of task knowledge and task performance in a VR flight simulator. The data suggest that participants who demonstrated higher training comprehension, measured via diagnostic test questions, on conceptual (and to a lesser effect) declarative knowledge, also demonstrated superior knowledge transfer in the VR flight simulator. Findings are discussed in the context of improving cognitively diagnostic assessments that are better able to predict task performance and inform individually tailored training remediation.

Technological advances have led to a rapid increase in the implementation of virtual reality (VR) across multiple sectors of society. Further, we are seeing more researchers explore how the technology can be used to promote learning and training in a variety of domains. But there is a problematic gap between development of VR for training and education and learning theory to ensure its efficacy. We address this need by providing a theoretical lens through which to evaluate existing research in VR. We consider technology developments that have made VR more sophisticated and draw from research in the learning and cognitive sciences to evaluate their utility as learning affordances. With this, we examine existing research as a way to illustrate the practical value of theoretical evaluation. We conclude with a discussion how this theoretical framing can point the way for both better designed studies to accelerate learning and training as well as for more innovative adaptations for accelerating learning in immersive virtual reality.

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Research and development in virtual reality (VR) continues to influence all sectors of society. This has been particularly the case in the application of VR for learning and training. Due to the affordability of VR, it increasingly is providing a safe and cost-effective technology for studying learning and training. In this paper, we summarize findings from recent compilations of research in virtual reality that examined VR and learning. From this, we identify a set of recommendations distilled from these reviews in order to help the training research community structure their research based upon the extent empirical base. Our goal is to help the training community more effectively explore VR as a technology for learning.