The impact of high-immersion virtual reality on anatomy learning, enjoyment, presence, and cognitive load

Abstract The acquisition of science concepts is necessary for fostering analytical and problem-solving skills. The complexity of heart anatomy, obscured within the human body, presents a challenge that high-immersion virtual reality (VR) holds promise in addressing. This study explored the impact of VR versus screencast video instruction in learning anatomy, which is a core life science topic within the broader science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) domain. College students ( N = 91) were randomly distributed into two groups. One group learned heart anatomy through an immersive VR tutorial, while the other group watched the identical tutorial presented via screencast video. Both groups were assessed on (1) learning content, (2) enjoyment, (3) sense of presence, and (4) cognitive load. The multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) indicated that the VR group, despite reporting significantly higher enjoyment ( p ≤ .0001) and sense of presence ( p ≤ .0001), scored significantly lower on a heart anatomy knowledge test ( p = .003) compared with the video group. Both groups reported comparable levels of cognitive load ( p = .65). This study adds evidence confirming the potential benefits and challenges of integrating VR into higher educational settings, suggesting that, in a tightly controlled, single, and short lesson on anatomy, VR enhances enjoyment and presence but does not lead to superior immediate learning outcomes compared with video instruction.