Learning in virtual reality The relationship between cognitive load, interactivity, and learning outcomes

This study aimed to gain an understanding of what makes learning effective in educational virtual reality (VR) experiences. By integrating insights from cognitive load theory and the limited capacity model of motivated mediated message processing, we investigated the role of different dimensions of cognitive load as potential predictors (i.e., intrinsic and extraneous load) and outcomes (i.e., germane load) of interactivity and consequently learning. A one-group pretest-posttest laboratory experiment was conducted among young adults (N = 102). The results show that intrinsic load hinders learner-content interactions, whereas extraneous load hinders overall interactivity. However, interactivity did not affect germane load, nor was germane load found to predict learning scores. Taken together, these findings call for refinements in cognitive load theory to account for the interplay between the different types of cognitive load in VR learning environments. Furthermore, the results suggest that instructional designers should be cautious in assuming that more interactions will necessarily lead to better learning outcomes. Instead, the focus should be on facilitating high-quality learner-content interactions that are directly aligned with learning objectives.