Promoting Cultural Learning Through a Two-Tier Questioning Approach in Spherical Video-Based Virtual Reality: Effects on Learning Quality, Sense of Presence, and Visual Attention for High Versus Low Performers

Spherical video–based virtual reality (SVVR) offers authentic and immersive contexts for cultural learning, but immersion alone may not ensure deep understanding. Without pedagogical scaffolding, learners may experience fragmented visual attention, unstable presence, and superficial engagement. This study examined a two-tier questioning (TTQ) approach designed to guide interpretation and reasoning in SVVR-supported cultural learning. In a 15-day intervention, 90 Hong Kong high school students were randomly assigned to an experimental group using TTQ or a control group using one-tier questioning (OTQ). Measures of learning quality, sense of presence, and visual attention were collected. Results showed that TTQ was especially beneficial for low-performing students, producing greater gains in cultural learning performance, learning quality, and presence than OTQ. Visual attention data further indicated that low-performing students in the TTQ group attended more purposefully, with fewer distractions. The findings highlight the value of combining immersive technology with structured questioning for deeper cultural learning.