The important thing neglected: integrating bloom's taxonomy into VR safety training model development

As an emerging technology, virtual reality (VR) is being widely used in the field of safety training. However, a potential drawback arises when the learning theory is weakly considered during the development of safety training models. This oversight may result in several defects, such as a lack of alignment with training priorities and needs, ultimately affecting trainees' learning outcomes and diminishing safety awareness. To address this issue, this study introduces a systematic framework that integrates Bloom's learning taxonomy with VR safety training model development, named the VR Safety Training Goal Taxonomy Framework (VR-Safety-TGT). VR-Safety-TGT provides a comprehensive method for safety trainers and VR model developers to communicate and understand each other's perspectives. Specifically, it assists VR model developers in better-aligning safety training learning objectives. The efficacy of VR-Safety-TGT is examined through a pilot study involving a sample of 91 university students. The students were divided into three groups, each subjected to one of the following training modalities: slideshow-based training, traditional VR training, and VR-Safety-TGT training. The experimental results reveal that the VR-Safety-TGT group exhibits a significant advantage compared to the other two groups. VR-Safety-TGT demonstrates superior outcomes in terms of knowledge acquisition, knowledge retention, self-efficacy, and users’ acceptance of technology.