Impact of Immersive Virtual Reality Content Using 360-Degree Videos in Undergraduate Education

This article investigated the impact of immersive virtual reality (VR) content, using 360-degree videos, in undergraduate education. To improve the delivery and reality of 360-degree VR content, we filmed the video in the third person so that the viewers could feel like they were in the environment where the lecture was conducted. To verify the educational effects, 33 university students participated in our experiment. We conducted pretest learning, using 360-degree videos, and posttest learning via conventional 2-D videos for statistical analysis. A paired t-test was used to compare the means of the pretest and the posttest. In addition, learning via 360-degree videos was assessed for its effectiveness through questionnaires consisting of five measurement elements--engagement, immersion, motivation, cognitive benefits, and perceived learning effectiveness--and comparing them to the existing 2-D video method, based on e-learning. From the results, we confirmed that the teaching material delivered through 360-degree VR content allows students to be more focused, immersed, and interested than 2-D learning modes. Furthermore, the high scores of cognitive and perceived learning elements imply that VR-based 360-degree educational content can encourage more active participation than traditional lectures and can improve the ability to analyze and organize study lessons.