Virtual Reality in the Caribbean Classroom: Boosting Undergraduate Chemistry Motivation and Performance with 3D Virtual Reality

Student motivation plays a vital role in academic success, particularly in chemistry, which many undergraduates find challenging. This study evaluated the impact of 3D Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) on motivation and performance among first-year undergraduate chemistry students at The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine. For motivation, a quasi-experimental pretest-post-test design was used while, for performance, an experimental post-test only design was used. Students were assigned to either a control group, receiving traditional instruction, or a test group, experiencing the same instruction supplemented with 3D IVR using MEL VR software and head-mounted displays. Motivation was measured using the Chemistry Motivation Questionnaire II (CMQ-II), which assessed five dimensions: intrinsic motivation, self-efficacy, self-determination, grade motivation, and career motivation. Performance was measured with a 30-question chemistry quiz, given after the VR exposure time was completed. For motivation, the test group showed statistically significant gains in overall motivation and in four of the five subscales, while the control group showed no significant change. Additionally, the test group outperformed the control group in the post-test comparison. These findings highlight the potential of IVR to enhance chemistry motivation and performance in higher education and suggest broader applications for immersive technologies in STEM teaching across Caribbean institutions.