Mobile 360° Panoramic Visuals as Effective Learning Tools for TVET Education

Integrating immersive technologies into teaching methods has been of utmost importance to improve engagement, spatial knowledge, and knowledge recall, particularly in technical and vocational education. This paper reports the development and evaluation of two interactive learning tools using mobile technology, JKEEscape360 and V360 Object Shot Size (ObSS) Trainer. Both trainers utilize 360° panoramic imagery taken using smartphone technology and processed using Orbix 360 software to provide an immersive learning environment accessible using smartphones. JKEEscape360 is designed to enhance students' spatial knowledge of emergency escape routes in Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) training, whereas V360 ObSS is intended to improve students' understanding of basic shot sizes in video production courses. 30 students and 10 lecturers participated in the evaluation of JKEEscape360, whereas 70 students participated in testing the V360 ObSS Trainer. Pre- and post-test measures and perception surveys were used in both studies. Outcome results showed considerable improvements in students’ spatial knowledge for both trainers, with Cronbach’s Alpha measures of 0.782 and 0.920, respectively. Students and lecturers both rated both tools very high in usefulness and ease of use. This paper further provides a simple deployment guide for installing the tools using a mobile device to further ease the trainer deployment. In conclusion, the utilization of 360° panoramic imagery using the mobile-friendly platform provides a low-cost, scalable, and pedagogically effective solution to technical education outcomes.