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Virtual Reality: Characteristics of Virtual Reality That Motivates Students in The Faculty of
Engineering Technology

Thomas Chona




Dr. E. Childs
Dr. R. Van Oostveen
AEDT4201 Thesis II
February 17, 2014


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____________________________________________________________________________
Abstract
Virtual reality has great potential to improve learning in engineering technology, especially
with the improvements in computer processors and graphic cards. While this technology is being
used in industry the educational sector is lagging behind.
This paper analyzes the characteristics of virtual reality (VR) with regards to the effects
that virtual reality learning environments (VRLEs) have in motivating students of engineering
technology. It will also compare literature and investigate instructional design principles in order
to understand the importance and the context in which the learning is taking place.
_____________________________________________________________________
Key Words: Virtual Reality, Engineering, Instructional Design

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Table of Contents
Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................ 3
Acknowledgment ............................................................................................................................ 4
Chapter 1: Introduction ................................................................................................................... 5
Research Question ....................................................................................................................... 8
Definition of Terms ..................................................................................................................... 8
Chapter 2: Literature Review ........................................................................................................ 10
Theoretical Framework ............................................................................................................. 14
Chapter 3 Methodology ................................................................................................................ 16
Data Collection .......................................................................................................................... 17
Chapter 4 Findings ........................................................................................................................ 18
Chapter 5 Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 22
References ..................................................................................................................................... 23

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Acknowledgment
I owe a special debt of gratitude to my wife Chileshe, who has been my personal support and
without whom this research would not have been possible and to my wonderful children for their
patience and understanding.

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Virtual Reality: Characteristics of Virtual Reality That Motivates Students in The Faculty of
Engineering Technology
Chapter 1: Introduction
Over the years, virtual reality (VR) has unquestionably achieved a level of innovation in
the field of education, training and research. A fusion of orthodox teaching and virtual learning
environment has arguably enhanced the scope of learning through pragmatic means applied by
students. Engineering scholars postulate the significance of instructional design to have
necessary tools in place that will heighten the acquisition of knowledge and skills for engineering
students. This phenomenon has posed critical questions as to what proof there is to indicate that
VR augments the understanding of theoretical knowledge. Vygotskys reasoning can be aligned
to the development of virtual learning environment case as a clear example of constructivist
theory since learners construct meaning from a simulated authentic context (Phan, 2011).
Constructivism allows for people to construct their own understanding and knowledge of facts
through experiencing things and reflecting on the experiences. In his paper, Phan (2011) argues
that multimedia learning is the impetus behind active participation and effective learning among
learners. Phan (2011) attributes E-learning to being a motivating factor for student success. He
rationalizes the fact learners tend to fair well when they interact with others. The objective of this
study is to establish what characteristics of VR are most effective at motivating engineering
technology students?
The process of this research will use a constructivist perspective to establish the
phenomena as to whether multimedia platforms motivate engineering students to succeed in their
studies. The paper will use a qualitative approach to explore and understand the dynamics
involved in VRLEs with regards to explaining how students ascribe their success to this method
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of learning. Some social constructivists argue that human beings construct meanings according
to what they engage themselves in (Creswell, 2009). Therefore, it can be asserted that VR is
grounded in the constructivist paradigm beneficial to engineering students due to the dynamic
pedagogical method that stimulates and engages students. Phan (2011) hypothesize that the use
of multimedia learning fosters an atmosphere of social belonging and interest in learning. The
inception of VRLEs can lead people to visualize or simulate the feeling of socializing with other
users as exemplified in the use of asynchronous text-based communications and online
discussions where a sense of social belonging is felt (p. 204). Having said this, one can
understand the reason why engaging a constructivist analysis provides an explication that people
learn through constructing their own understanding and knowledge of the world. For instance,
people learn through experiencing things and reflecting on those experiences. This illustration
supports the notion that virtual learning environment motivates users to participate due to the fact
that VR users have the ability to interact with others. Neely, Bowers and Ragas (2010) reason
that constructivist theory is entrenched on the notion that practical knowledge is the best method
of teaching because students use the acquired skills to construct and respond to situations and
problems. Neely (2010) maintain that teaching should be about encouraging students the
freedom to participate as opposed to telling students what to do (p.94). Effective constructivist
activities equip learners with opportunities to achieve deeper understanding through critical
analysis of problems solved and also how they would tackle a similar problem. Abulrub et al.
(2011) argue in their introduction that technology has become a significant tool in the
contemporary world of education than it ever was before. That is to say VR technology is being
considered as a means of creating a realistic environment. It has been successfully utilized in
educational applications and is at the core of what is known as Virtual Reality Learning
Environment (VRLEs) (Hsiu-Mei Huang, 2010). There is a new generation of engineering
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students entering higher education who possess astute computer knowledge that scholars believe
these students have a greater chance of getting into technology industries once they complete
their training (A. G. Abulrub, 2011). As a result, academic institutions are facing a challenge to
adapt to new technological requirements that will equip them with appropriate strategies to meet
the innovative educational demand leading to a successful transformation of the industry,
(Abulrub et al., 2011).
VR is now successfully used in military training, automotive and aerospace design,
medical training, and entertainment (Hfner et al, 2013). This is exemplified by what is
happening at Jaguar Land Rover that has adopted 3D digital technology, which they are using for
research purposes and commercial applications (Abulrub et al, 2011). Jaguar Land Rover
combines VR concepts in the New Product Introduction (NPI) process in the design stage
allowing 3D digital models to be used to make decisions in the early stages of design.
Furthermore, VR fosters conducive environments for design reviews that allow them to cut down
on the costs, development time and to improve the quality and usability of new products
(Abulrub et al, 2011). In the US military USAF General William Looney has advocated for the
use of virtual world in the military for the purpose of training and teaching. Gen. Looney would
like VR technology to be extended to the entire Department of Defense and to recruit astute
young men and women who have been exposed to a digital world their entire lives and are better
prepared than previous generations to learn in this environment as this would ensure that the
American military remains the best in the world (Cooper, 2009). This shows that VR is an
effective virtual learning environment.
According to the Canadian Virtual University, science, technology, engineering and
mathematics (STEM) programs are less likely to be offered in virtual learning environment as
opposed to other disciplines. Engineering degree offerings are rare and confined to a few
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universities (p. 27). Thus, with the rise of VR, engineering students can greatly benefit from the
learning affordances found in this environment. VR environments heighten the learning
experience through interactivity of the learner with other students and instructors (A. G. Abulrub,
2011). With the increasing demand for innovation in higher education for engineering, and with
the advancement of 3D technologies and a growing number of engineering teaching and training
material all these could be put to use in the development of VR environments. The purpose of
this qualitative meta synthesis research paper is to examine how engineering students can benefit
from VR and also to look at issues experienced by learning institution in applying these
technologies.
Research Question
What characteristics of VR are most effective at motivating bachelors of engineering
technology students?
Definition of Terms
Due to the technical nature of some of the terms related to virtual reality, the following key
definitions are provided and used in this paper:
Virtual Reality
Hfner et al. (2013) define VR is a medium composed of interactive computer simulations
that sense the participant's position and actions and replaces or augments the feedback to one or
more senses, giving the feeling of being mentally immersed or present in the simulation"(p. 252).
There are certain tasks that are done in VR environments that can potentially contribute to the
learning process. These contributions are known as affordances.
Affordances
Dalgarno (2010) defines affordances as follows:
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The term affordance was first coined by Gibson, who used it to refer to the
functional properties that determine the possible utility of an object or
environment. According to Greeno, an affordance relates attributes of something
in the environment to an interactive activity by an agent who has some ability. A
number of authors have also used affordance in educational contexts to describe
the relationships between the properties of an educational intervention and the
characteristics of the learner that enable certain kinds of learning to occur. (p. 17)
Fidelity
How close to reality of the objects in the VR environment is determined using fidelity.
Gross hypothesizes fidelity as the degree to which a model or simulation reproduces the state and
behavior of a real world object or the perception of a real world object, feature, condition, or
chosen standard in a measurable or perceivable manner; a measure of the realism of a model or
simulation; faithfulness (p. 3).
Motivation
Corey et al. posits that motivation can be defined as that urge or push to carry out a specific
action or behavior. A person should not be simply characterized as motivated or unmotivated on
a single dimension (Corey H. Brouse, 2010). Huang et al. (2011) define motivation as an internal
state or condition that activates, guides, and maintains or directs behavior (p. 1179).
Attitudes
Researchers believe our attitudes consist of three components: feelings, behaviors and
cognitive understanding. Feelings, in this case can be described as pleasures or displeasures that
are expressed through our tendency to approach or avoid a situation. This tendency is thought to
depend on our success or failure in prior similar situations or our observations of others in these
situations (Walter Dick, 2009, p. 185).

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Chapter 2: Literature Review
Some people opt to use virtual reality technologies for educational and training purposes
because it is safe, cost-effective and fully convenient, according to Abulrub et al. (2011). They
demonstrate the use of a 3D interactive virtual reality system in preparing engineering graduates
for practical experience of real industrial environments with case studies obtained from world-
leading businesses. Their work shows that VR technology can substantially improve the
productivity of teaching and training by allowing engineers to apply theoretical knowledge to
real industrial problems, as well as develop creativity and innovation, communication, problem-
solving, teamwork and business skills (Abulrub et al., 2011). Further, in their paper, Abulrub et
al. (2011) states that one of the reasons for implementing virtual reality at Warwick University
was that it enhanced student motivation and attitude to gain knowledge because it permitted
experiential learning through the understanding of real life products. It also gave students the
opportunity to explore the use of technology and encouraged active participation and amplified
student interaction (p. 1).
According to Hfner et al. (2013), VR has been defined as 3 Is for Immersion-
Interaction-Imagination. VR is understood as the use of 3D graphic systems in combination
with various interface devices to provide the effect of immersion in an interactive virtual
environment. In order to allow learners to interact with VR environments, it is necessary to use
special interfaces designed to input a learners commands into the computer and to offer
feedback from the simulation to the learner (p. 252).
Dalgarno & Lee suggests that 3D VLEs demonstrates a notable trait from a pedagogical
aspect due to the significant feature transparent interface that enable users to directly control
objects in the context of the virtual world. They opine that VEs contribute to transparency, an
environment that has the potential to offer a superior learning experience through increased
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immersion, fidelity and a higher level of active learner participation (p.3). They also
propose that VR provides the following learning affordances of 3D virtual environments:
(1) VRs can be used to facilitate learning tasks that lead to the development of enhanced
spatial knowledge representation of the explored domain (p. 9). (2) VRs can be used to facilitate
experiential learning tasks that would be impractical or impossible to undertake in the real world
(p. 10). (3) VRs can be used to facilitate learning tasks that lead to increased intrinsic motivation
and engagement (p.11). (4) VRs can be used to facilitate learning tasks that lead to improved
transfer of knowledge and skills to real situations through contextualisation of learning (p.12).
(5) VRs can be used to facilitate tasks that lead to richer and/or more effective collaborative
learning than is possible with 2-D alternatives (p.14).
Hfner et al. (2013) has underlined the significance of immersion, interaction and
imagination of VR among their students involving interactive, computer simulations, (p. 252).
Abulrub et al. (2011) and Hfner et al. (2013) conducted research where students were given
projects for analysis. They discovered that the harder and challenging the work was, the more
motivated the students were and completed the given assignments (p. 253).
Dalgarnos definition of presence as the subjective sense of being in a place, and
immersion as the objective and measurable properties of the system or environment that leads to
a sense of presence. In sum, VR immersion depends on the technical abilities to execute sensory
stimuli as opposed to presence which in context is dependent and draws on the individuals
subjective psychological response to VR (p. 4). Abulrub et al. (2011) assert that through their
case studies they have been able to demonstrate that real-life practicals produce creative learning
that meet up-to-date student generation (p. 7).
Dalgarno et al., explains that in a virtual world there is what he terms being there and
being there together with other geographically dispersed users. The being there together is
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what they refer to users all over the world participating in the virtual world. The idea of co-
presence is shared by some to be an increase of social presence within the sphere of human-
computer interaction that started in the 1970s. Therefore, the sense of presence or co-presence as
it were, results from different feature of the environment rather than being a characteristic of
virtual environments. What Dalgarno calls co-presence, Abulrub et al. (2011) refers to as
cooperation among learners in the virtual world (p. 5).
Hfner et al. (2013) did a case study using their students in a VR program that run for
fifteen weeks. The students were given lectures and demonstrations from week one to the third
week in VR engineering. After three weeks students worked autonomously yet they were able to
account for the project successes using a constructivist approach of instruction (p. 255).
Engineering education is a complex field different from liberal studies; hence, the
application of VR in teaching has great benefits and prospects for students and instructors. VR
technology is very beneficial to engineering education because students can apply what they
learn to increase their practical knowledge. Abulrub et al. (2011) points out that laboratories are
designed to improve student ability to investigate and solve engineering problems with
appropriate levels of independent thought and creativity; and also to demonstrate suitable levels
of reporting technical information. For this reason, industries depend on astute skills to innovate
and compete (p. 1). Hence, it is vital for educational institutions to prepare and support the
emerging technology in both infrastructures and policies.
VR design, as an educational tool is hampered by technical challenges. According to
Hfner et al., 2013, Burdea was one of the first authors to highlight the challenges of teaching
VR. He cited the shortage of experienced lecturers, textbooks and laboratories. Further, he
pointed out that there was need for broad usage of VR technology and for such courses in order
to sustain a growing job market for VR specialists (p. 252). Huang et al. (2011) also draws
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attention to some of the challenges VRLE are facing such as poor usability that impedes the
effective delivery of instructions. VR educators are challenged by lack of programming skills as
there is need for them to use higher level of programming than the traditional 2D resources that
they use. For example, the immersive VR learning system requires high level of programming
skills (p 1180).
VR is a simulation of the real world. As a result, learners might have a negative feeling
about learning in a VRLE. However, interactive design technologies are advancing enabling VR
designers to create environments that can accommodate mixed reality spaces where reality is
increased. When learners immerse themselves in mixed reality environments can lead to
innovative learning, which in turn leads to interactive, effective, relevant and powerful among
young students (Huang, p. 1180).
VR educators experience difficulties with regards to delivering instructions as some
students suffer from motion sickness. This is why Huang et al., advocate for measures to
investigate this phenomenon as to what causes simulation sickness and what can be done to
reduce their effects (Huang, p. 1180). This might be because of poor fidelity in the environment.
When fidelity is low it may also become factor actor in demotivating learners in a VR
environment. Abulrub et al. (2011) also acknowledges that VR learning has key challenges due
to the costs involved in the installation of necessary hardware and software pedagogical
materials (p. 7).
According to the various literature reviewed, research indicates that VR and engineering
pedagogy is an unconventional method of teaching in comparison with those degree courses
offered in mainstream schools. However, there is room for expansion in the future as observed
by some universities that have taken on the challenge to teach via VLEs.
Virtual worlds, such as Second Life, are redefining the idea of being there. These global,
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3D immersive spheres draw people globally to interact with one another in real-time, as well as
to explore, manipulate, and visualize. For this reason, virtual worlds are referred to as
transformative development that may change the way we use the Internet to learn over the next
decade (Cooper, 2009, p. 106).
Dillenbourg et al., stated that VLE are potentially effective tools in education.
Nevertheless, the authors are careful not to proclaim the idea that VLE can improve education at
the same time they do not want to criticize that concept entirely. They contend further that it
would not be honest to claim that virtual learning environments will improve the quality of
education or reduce the costs of educational systems as these environments have some potential
effects (p. 7). Dalgarno et al., also mentions that the use of a particular technology or media form
does not guarantee the specific learning outcomes or benefits (p. 18) They posit that albeit huge
funding is being pumped into harnessing the pedagogical potential of virtual environments by
industries, governments, and academia, however, there is not enough empirical studies
conducted that prove that the quality of knowledge is improved for students participating in 3D
environments (p. 11).
Theoretical Framework
Lev Vygotsky and John Deweys constructivist theory forms the theoretical framework in
this study. The independent variables are the characteristics in the VR environment while the
dependant variable is the learning or skills acquisition from the VR environment. Motivation,
attitude and engagement from the VR system are the intermediate variables. The characteristics
of the VR system are immersion, fidelity and active learner participation. The constructivist
theory is connected to experiential learning where through experience a learner acquires new
knowledge to what they already have. Therefore, when learners are immersed in the VR
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environment, their senses are stimulated by the technology and there is a feeling of presence
(learner feels like they are part of the simulated environment) (Barney Dalgarno, 2010).
Dalgarno argues that fidelity and immersion are connected characteristics and explains that
higher fidelity increases immersion and the learners sense of presence becomes stronger (p. 13).
Active Learner Participation is called immediacy of control by some authors. This is the
learners ability to undertake embodied actions, including view control, navigation and object
manipulation. According to Lee, 2010 Control and active learning are positively related to
learning outcomes in VR-based learning environment, And concludes that the higher the level of
control and active learning afforded by the VR-based learning environment, the better the
learning (p. 1436).
The findings of Kartiko 2010 are that even the least amount of visual complexity in a VR
promotes some feelings of presence, this correlates to motivation, enjoyment and ease of use (p.
888). Motivation creates a positive attitude to gain knowledge and increases learner engagement.
The final result is skills acquisition or learning.

Huang et al. (2011) identifies constructivist learning as the pedagogical engine driving the
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construction of VRLE. Animation and multimedia were used as teaching tools but now there is
an extension of VRLE that includes a more immersive, interactive, and intuitive VR learning
milieu.
VRLE simulate the real world through the use of 3D mediums that initiates interaction,
immersion and trigger the imagination of the learner. Imagination in the VR system invokes
innovation in the learner. Learners ought to take a proactive role in the learning process so that
they can connect their previous knowledge to construct their new knowledge within a
constructivist paradigm. Dewey believes that learning should be real and applicable in everyday
life, meaning that the learning process should be experimental and experiential. The
constructivist approach stresses the establishment of a learners abilities in solving real-life
problems, adding that knowledge is a dynamic quality based on the process of discovery (Hsiu-
Mei Huang, 2010).
Interactions in VR environment enable learners to accomplish goals they would not
achieve individually. Vygotsky postulated the zone of proximal development (ZPD) that
classifies thinking and problem-solving skills into three categories. First, some learning can be
performed independently by the learner. Second, some learning cannot be achieved even with
help from others. And third, between these two extremes are the tasks that learners can perform
with the help from others such as teachers or fellow learners (p. 1173). Therefore co-presence is
important for learning in the VR environment.
Chapter 3 Methodology
This is a secondary research paper in which peer reviewed papers have been analysed to
investigate the research question. The research for this paper relied on traditional meta-synthesis
to analyze qualitative studies which were closely related to the research question. The papers
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were coded using dominant themes in the papers (Au, 2007). In addition to papers focused on
VR, it was important that instructional design be included since VR is useful to the extent that it
effectively carries the required learning components of an instructional strategy (Dick, 2009).
The search for literature was limited to scholarly journals published between 2009 and 2014.
Only articles in the database that had full text containing the key words in the research question
were selected. The scholarly journals were selected because they have been peer reviewed. VR
technology is developing rapidly, therefore literature used had to be less than five years old.
So the question being addressed by this research is: What characteristics of VR are most
effective at motivating bachelors of engineering technology students?
The major research databases used are those accessed through the University of Ontario
Institute of Technology (UOIT). Education Source which includes more than 79 journals not
indexed by ERIC was used first. The book The Systematic Design of Instruction by Walter
Dick, Lou Carey and James O. Carey was consulted on analyzing the context of the learner. The
search terms used to find the journals were the key terms in the research question. These were as
follows: "Virtual Reality", Engineering, and Motivation.
Data Collection
The dominant themes were coded according to Table 3 and the literature was coded
according to the theme code in Table 2. The coded dominant themes are as follows: virtual
reality, engineering, motivation, instructional design, attitude and constructivist theory.

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Table 2 Qualitative Meta-synthesis Studies and Codes
Article Code
Abulrub VR, ENG, MOT
Hfner VR, ENG, ID
Neely VR, CON
Haung VR, ATT
Dillenbourg VLE, ID
Dick ID
Dalgarno VR
Lee VR, MOT
Kartiko VR, MOT

Table 3 Qualitative Meta-synthesis Code Template
Dominant Themes Code
Virtual Reality VR
Engineering ENG
Motivation MOT
Instructional Design ID
Attitude ATT
Constructivist Theory CON

Chapter 4 Findings
My findings are that motivation increases with increased immersion in a VR environment.
VR has potential of being a powerful learning environment which could greatly benefit
Engineering students through the affordances within the virtual learning milieu. With regards to
motivation, it is asserted that the ability of VR environment for a person to be motivated they
have to be immersed, meaning that increase or high fidelity interaction and learner active
participation will increase motivation of a learner which will increase the attitude and in turn
increase skill acquisition and learning. Instructional design is significant to the learner. Most of
the literature that was reviewed agreed that good instructional design was most importance in
virtual learning environments. Virtual learning environment enable the learner to acquire
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experiential and experimental learning which is consistent with Deweys theory.
Abulrub et al. (2011) demonstrates that motivation is pivotal for engineering students to
acquire strong technical knowledge and creativity that enables them to be able to come up with
various feasible solutions. Interactive virtual environments encourage students to develop
positive attributes such as intellectual motivation, teamwork and individual confidence. The goal
of implementing VR in schools is intended to enhance student motivation and attitude so that
they can broaden the scope of knowledge gained (p. 7). Huang et al. (2011) alludes to Abulrub et
al. that VRLE stimulates users motivation and aspiration toward collaborative learning as (p.
1174). Adding to what other scholars claim, Hfner et al (2013) alleges that students are
motivated by challenging projects or situations as opposed to doing simple tasks, the motivation
in a team increases so much that most students often work on the project in their spare time,
(p.260).
The literature reported positive attitudes after students used the VR environment. Abulrub
et al. states that enhancing student motivation and attitude were the reason for implementing VR
at Warwick because it helped students to gain knowledge (p. 7). While Huang et al. (2011) noted
that learners had a positive attitude toward VRLEs because of interest, enjoyment, reality and
easily understood learning concepts (p. 1176).
The literature suggested that students developed soft skills while using VR. According to
Neely (2010) one of the critical principals for a rich environment for active learning is the
development of metacognitive skills (p. 96). Abulrub et al. (2011) observed that using the VR
environment students developed autonomous problem solving and communication skills (p. 6).
While Huang et al. (2011) noted that the ability of providing highly interactive learning
experiences is one of the best-valued features of VR. Since Constructivism advocates that
interaction with an other is relevant for a learning process, interaction in a VRLE can be a
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reasonable and valuable substitute for real experience. Learners can undertake activities that
allow them to put new understanding and new skills into practice (p. 1179).
Abulrub et al. (2011) holds that VR features such as 3D visualization, photorealistic,
interactive and immersive virtual environments are beneficial to students because they are able to
communicate complex information between teams and develop problem solving skills. Thus, the
students are in a position to examine engineering problems in various ways. In addition, VR can
be used as a tool to promote creativity and develop effective communication skills so that
students can practice their theoretical knowledge and logic in making sound engineering
opinions and decisions (p. 6).
The paper has used qualitative approach to explore and understand the dynamics involved
in VRLEs with regards to explaining how students ascribe their success to this method of
learning. Dewey held that people acquire knowledge through their experiential and experiments,
which they use to respond to situations and problems alike (Dewey, 1938; Vygotsky, 1978). This
is the reason why, it can be asserted that VR is drawn from a constructivist theory due to its
pedagogical method that stimulates and engages students. In addition, literature supports the idea
that multimedia learning fosters an atmosphere of social belonging that boosts interest in
learning. Also instructional design strategies are said to be a vital resource that allows students to
use VR tools successfully. There are some challenges experienced by educators and students in
terms of lack of know-how and the cost of implementation. There is need for the education
system and learners to equip themselves with regards to meeting those challenges and solving
problems that arise in VR technology. Schools that have implemented VRLEs need to keep
updating their hardware devices, and software applications. Thus, VR has become an important
topic for the engineers of tomorrow.
It is without a doubt that the emergence of VR technology has turned out to be crucial in
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some industries such as the US military and in hospitals where surgeons use VR technology to
conduct non-invasive operations. Some of the VR technology literature demonstrates that real-
life case studies can be employed to produce creative learning and training using engineering
material and environments.
There were findings that indicated some of the development challenges of VR such as the
environments usability, which may cause problems ranging from creating motion sickness to
users getting lost inside the application. Therefore, it is necessary to research why some user
responses lead to simulation sickness, what their causes are, and what can be done to minimize
their effects. Another issue is when learners developed negative attitude toward learning in a
VRLE because it is an approximation of reality. It is important to mention that most literature
argued that using a virtual learning environment does not guarantee effectiveness per se. It must
be integrated with rich pedagogical scenarios and these scenarios must profit from the
technologys various facilitating features.
The constructivist theory forms the theoretical framework in this study. The independent
variables are the features of the virtual reality environment while the dependant variable is the
learning that occurs. Motivation, attitude, engagement and feedback are intermediate variables.
The literature identifies constructivist learning as the pedagogical engine driving the
construction of VRLE. Animation and multimedia were used as teaching tools but now there is
an extension of VRLE that includes a more immersive, interactive, and intuitive virtual reality
learning setting. VRLE simulate the real world through the use of 3D mediums that initiate
interaction, immersion and trigger the imagination of the learner. John Dewey believed that
learning should be real and applicable in everyday life, meaning that the learning process should
be experimental and experiential. The constructivist approach stresses the establishment of a
learners abilities in solving real-life problems, adding that knowledge is a dynamic quality based
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on the process of discovery.
Chapter 5 Conclusion
The objective of this study was to determine what characteristics of VR were most
effective at motivating engineering technology students through the use of a constructivist
perspective in order to verify this phenomenon. The research found three characteristics of VR,
namely immersion, fidelity and active learner participation. These characteristics are complex
and interrelated and influenced by external and internal factors. Although the literature indicated
that VR environments motivated learner through their affordances, more research is needed to
answer the research question.

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