BRIDGING VIRTUAL REALITY AND CULTURAL HERITAGE EDUCATION: A MULTIMODAL APPROACH FOR ENHANCING COGNITIVE OUTCOMES IN VISUAL COMMUNICATION DESIGN

The evolution of art and design education is intricately intertwined with societal advancement, as digital teaching methodologies reshape pedagogical paradigms. While emerging technologies have garnered significant attention in educational contexts, research on virtual reality (VR)-based intangible cultural heritage (ICH) instruction within design curricula remains underexplored, underscoring the necessity for innovative approaches. This study investigates the effective integration of VR into traditional culture education for art and design students. A curriculum framework was devised to incorporate ICH into professional courses, thereby enhancing design education while promoting cultural preservation. A total of 100 Visual Communication Design (VCD) students participated in this study, utilizing a self-developed VR Chinese Intangible Cultural Heritage (CICH) program embedded in coursework that encompassed theoretical instruction, collaborative learning, self-directed study, hands-on practice, and assessment. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining quantitative analysis of performance changes with semi-structured interviews to capture subjective experiences. The findings indicate that a VR-based multimodal interactive framework significantly enhances students' CICH knowledge while optimizing learning through dynamic cognitive load regulation. Furthermore, the study validates VR's effectiveness in contextualized learning and cross-media knowledge transfer, offering an efficient technological pathway for the dissemination of digital cultural heritage. By encouraging a shift beyond theoretical constraints, this research provides valuable insights into reforming art education, fostering a deeper alignment with societal needs.