Enhancing learning stickiness in virtual simulation experiments through the dynamic design of user interface

Purpose Virtual simulation experiments, which are widely utilized by educational institutions, can mitigate the high cost, high risk, long cycle and complex implementation issues associated with traditional experimental teaching, and have become an effective supplement to conventional teaching. However, users often exhibit insufficient learning stickiness when utilizing virtual simulation experiments. This paper aims to improve users’ learning stickiness through the Dynamic Design of User Interface. Design/methodology/approach This paper summarizes dynamic design strategies for virtual simulation experiments based on the theory of emotional design. A comparative experiment was designed with the dynamic design strategies of user interface as the independent variable. Two hundred university students were invited to participate and divided into two groups, and they completed the comparative experiment and the same questionnaire. Findings The results indicate that the experimental group that utilized dynamic design exhibited significantly higher learning stickiness than the control group that did not utilize dynamic design ( P < 0.05). Moreover, feedback on dynamic design varies between genders, with men experiencing a more pronounced increase in learning stickiness compared to women. In conclusion, the dynamic design strategies of the user interface, based on the theory of emotional design, are effective and significantly enhance users’ learning stickiness. Originality/value This paper uses the related theories of design to provide a solution to the problems existing in the teaching environment: enhancing learning stickiness can be improved through the dynamic design of the user interface. Additionally, tailored dynamic design strategies can also be formulated based on the gender distribution in different fields of study.