Beyond algorithms: Validating immersive ideation and virtual bodystorming for computer science undergraduates

The transition from two-dimensional (2D) interfaces to volumetric Virtual Reality (VR) design presents a significant dimensionality mismatch for Computer Science (CS) undergraduates. While game engines offer extensive functionality, their high perceived cognitive load stifles early-stage creativity. Consequently, traditional 2D tools lack essential spatial capabilities. This dichotomy forces novices to prematurely fixate on technical implementation, sacrificing pedagogical intent, or incur a cognitive “Translation Tax” by relying on flat representations. Resolving this friction requires an intermediate prototyping paradigm that abstracts programming complexity while preserving 3D affordances. Although immersive no-code tools offer a solution, comparative empirical evidence in formal CS education remains limited. To address this gap, this study investigates immersive ideation via a counterbalanced within-subjects experiment involving 63 undergraduates. Participants rotated through three conditions: a 2D baseline (Quant-UX), a game engine (Unity 3D), and an immersive no-code tool (ShapesXR). Quantitative analysis indicates the no-code tool occupies a “Goldilocks Zone”, showing significantly higher ease-of-use than Unity 3D while retaining spatial affordances absent in 2D software. Crucially, we identify a “Tool Proficiency Paradox”: prior technical experience showed no significant correlation with game engine proficiency, suggesting syntax barriers impede spatial reasoning even for algorithmic experts. Qualitatively, students leveraged “Algorithmic Bodystorming” to physically validate abstract STEM concepts but encountered a logic ceiling: limited interactivity constrained prototypes to linear, museum-like narratives. These findings advocate for a “Pedagogical Hybrid Pipeline” that formally decouples spatial ideation from technical implementation. By delineating concrete pedagogical bottlenecks like this logic ceiling, this study provides a principled foundation for integrating future AI-assisted immersive design, aligning with human-AI co-creation research in Extended Reality (XR) education.