Using the Summarizing Strategy to Engage Learners: Empirical Evidence in an Immersive Virtual Reality Environment

According to the current literature, it is unknown whether summarizing can enhance learning and engagement in an immersive environment. To fill this gap, we conducted an experimental study to investigate the potential effects of using summarizing strategy in an immersive virtual reality learning environment on comprehension, cognitive load, and intrinsic motivation. Seventy-five college students were randomly assigned to one of the four conditions formed by a 2 × 2 factorial design with the immersive environment (virtual reality vs. interactive video) as one factor and the use of the summarizing strategy (yes vs. no) as the other factor. The results indicated that (a) summarizing significantly reduced learners’ perceived effort; (b) summarizing resulted in lower perceived success than not summarizing in the interactive video condition; and (c) learning from the immersive virtual reality environment led to increased interest and value. These findings suggest the use of appropriate strategies in immersive learning environments.