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Virtual and Augmented Reality in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education: An Umbrella Review

Authors :
Yiqun Zhang
Miguel A. Feijoo-Garcia
Yiyin Gu
Voicu Popescu
Bedrich Benes
Alejandra J. Magana
Source :
Information, Vol 15, Iss 9, p 515 (2024)
Publication Year :
2024
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2024.

Abstract

The application of extended reality (XR) technology in education has been growing for the last two decades. XR offers immersive and interactive visualization experiences that can enhance learning by making it engaging. Recent technological advances have led to the availability of high-quality and affordable XR headsets. These advancements have spurred a wave of research focused on designing, implementing, and validating XR educational interventions. Limited literature focuses on the recent trends of XR within science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. Thus, this paper presents an umbrella review that explores the exploding field of XR and its transformative potential in STEM education. Using six online databases, the review zoomed in on 17 out of 1972 papers on XR for STEM education, published between 2020 and 2023, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The results highlighted the types of XR technology applied (i.e., virtual reality and augmented reality), the specific STEM disciplines involved, the focus of each study reviewed, and the major findings from recent reviews. Overall, the educational benefits of using XR technology in STEM education are apparent: XR boosts student motivation, facilitates learning engagement, and improves skills, for example. However, using XR in education still has challenges that must be addressed, such as the physical discomfort of the learner wearing the XR headset and technical glitches. Besides revealing trends of using XR in STEM education, this umbrella review encourages reflection on current practices and suggests ways to apply XR to STEM education effectively.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
15090515 and 20782489
Volume :
15
Issue :
9
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Information
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.4ba0badfa1a24985a3f8f0944db8d9b3
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/info15090515