What is the role of immersive virtual reality (IVR) in the development of creativity skills and engagement among students in STREAM (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics)-based learning?

With the growing availability of immersive technologies, such as Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR), students are now afforded greater opportunities to explore diverse educational domains, including Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STREAM). However, there remains a paucity of research investigating the efficacy of IVR-based STREAM approaches in enhancing students' creativity and engagement. The present study seeks to address this gap by designing and evaluating an IVR-based STREAM approach tailored specifically for religious studies in middle school education. The primary objective of the research is to assess the impact of this innovative approach on students' creativity and engagement. A sample of 40 seventh-grade students was recruited and randomly assigned to one of two groups: the experimental group, which engaged with the religious studies lesson using Head-Mounted Displays (HMD), and the control group, which utilized desktop-based virtual reality (DVR) to interact with the same content. To evaluate the outcomes, pre- and post-intervention questionnaires were administered to measure student engagement, while creativity was assessed using a standardized rubric. The findings of the study indicate that students in the experimental group, who interacted with the lesson through IVR, exhibited significantly higher levels of creativity and engagement compared to their counterparts in the control group. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of IVR-based STREAM approaches in religious education and highlight the benefits of immersive technologies in formal education. The study offers valuable insights for educators and policymakers, advocating for innovative, interactive teaching methods that enhance creativity and active student engagement.