Countering the Novelty Effect: A Tutorial for Immersive Virtual Reality Learning Environments

Abstract

Immersive Virtual Reality (iVR) is a new technology, the novelty effect of which can reduce the enjoyment of iVR experiences and, especially, learning achievements when presented in the classroom; an effect that the interactive tutorial proposed in this research can help overcome. Its increasingly complex levels are designed on the basis of Mayer’s Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning, so that users can quickly gain familiarity with the iVR environment. The tutorial was included in an iVR learning experience for its validation with 65 users. It was a success, according to the user satisfaction and tutorial usability survey. First, it gained very high ratings for satisfaction, engagement, and immersion. Second, high skill rates suggested that it helped users to gain familiarity with controllers. Finally, a medium-high value for flow pointed to major concerns related to skill and challenges with this sort of iVR experience. A few cases of cybersickness also arose. The survey showed that only intense cybersickness levels significantly limited performance and enjoyment; low levels had no influence on flow and immersion and little influence on skill, presence, and engagement, greatly reducing the benefits of the tutorial, despite which it remained useful.

Assessing Learning in an Immersive Virtual Reality: A Curriculum-Based Experiment in Chemistry Education

“…In particular, it is important to investigate whether contradictory results could be due to the effect of activity or interaction types. Also, the effect of novelty or "wow" factor [29] should be considered in the increased engagement.…”

“…The review of the literature on the educational use of VR, especially in STEM, shows that researchers have found evidence that VR-based approaches can offer more engaging and attractive learning environments [2] although most studies have focused on short-term effects and are affected by the device's novelty [29]. The research suggests that VR has the potential to improve usability and accessibility [10], thus making STEM education more inclusive.…”

Considerations when trying to quantify immersion with secondary tasks

“…We also saw increased variability in the VR task compared to the non-VR condition. This increased variability may have arisen from participants' different levels of experience with VR headsets, varying degrees of comfort and required adjustment time to the VR task, and novelty effects of VR (Wu et al, 2013;Miguel-Alonso et al, 2023). Each of these factors may have led to wider ranges of reaction time data and scores for subjective immersion and engagement reports in the VR condition than in the non-VR condition.…”

“…Such outside cognitive load sources could confound the results and reduce the certainty which we can make our associated claims. In addition, it is possible that another source of extraneous cognitive load could have been introduced by differences in the novelty of the VR headset (Wu et al, 2013;Miguel-Alonso et al, 2023), which would have only impacted the VR condition. The novelty of the headset could have led participants to be concerned in the VR condition about possibly breaking the headset.…”

Design and development of a gamified tutorial for iVR serious games

“…However, compared to non-iVR video games, the novelty effect is more likely to occur in iVR due to its newness and unfamiliarity among players. Thus, the inclusion of a tutorial is of paramount importance, as previously examined in research (Miguel-Alonso et al, 2023). Tutorials not only teach users how to utilize the controllers, interact with objects, and comprehend the mechanics of the iVR video game, but also enable users to become acquainted with the iVR environment.…”