From Abstract Concepts to Engaged Learning: An IVR Game-Based Framework for Physics Education

Physics education often faces challenges in communicating abstract concepts effectively and maintaining student interest. This study explored the integration of immersive virtual reality (IVR) with game-based learning to improve educational impact and student engagement. The designed IVR game included the principles of inquiry-based, constructivist, and situated learning. It included four levels that mimicked real-world physics situations, each focusing on a particular physics concept and featuring interactive puzzles. This setup enabled students to progress throughout the game while improving their understanding of abstract concepts. The addition of characters such as guides and opponents enriched the storyline and elevated the immersive experience. The experimental results of 19 participants from four different majors demonstrated positive gaming experiences and an improved understanding of the physics concepts. Most of the participants rated the physics education game highly for its positive impact and participation, showing a significant interest in learning through the IVR platform. In general, 95% of the participants gave the game high ratings for its educational value and overall learning experience. The study highlighted the promise of game-based IVR learning in the advancement of physics education and highlighted ways to increase student motivation and participation. Received: 31 October 2024 | Revised: 18 December 2024 | Accepted: 14 February 2025 Conflicts of Interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to this work. Data Availability Statement The data that support the findings of this study are available upon reasonable request to the corresponding author. Author Contribution Statement Ying Zhang: Conceptualization, Methodology, Validation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Resources, Data curation, Writing – original draft. Ruiqi Zhang: Conceptualization, Methodology, Software, Validation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Writing – review & editing, Visualization. Boon Giin Lee: Conceptualization, Validation, Writing – review & editing, Supervision, Project administration, Funding acquisition.