Hello everyone, I am a graduate student. I would like to share a paper I recently read.

Paper Title: The effect of educational virtual reality game on primary school students’ achievement and engagement in mathematics
Authors: Akman, E., & Çakır, R.
Journal: Interactive Learning Environments
Volume/Issue/Pages: 31(3), 1467–1484
Year of Publication: 2020
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2020.1841800

1. Introduction
1.1. Current Educational Challenges
Fractions are among the most abstract and difficult topics to teach in elementary school mathematics, and students continue to struggle with understanding them from the fourth grade through higher grades. Common error patterns include treating the numerator and denominator as separate numbers, applying integer calculation rules to fractions, and failing to correctly represent fractions on a number line. This paper points out that in traditional face-to-face instruction, individual guidance is difficult, textbook models are disconnected from students’ life experiences, and there is a lack of support for concretization.

1.2. Importance of Student Engagement
Student engagement is a critical variable for predicting academic achievement and dropout risk, consisting of three dimensions: emotional engagement (interest/attitude), social engagement (interaction behavior during class), and cognitive engagement (immersion in thinking). There is a positive, cyclical relationship between engagement and academic achievement; higher engagement leads to better grades, which in turn further increases engagement. However, the paper argues that the tedious nature of fraction instruction easily leads to a decline in engagement, creating a vicious cycle.

1.3. Educational Potential of VR Technology
The three core characteristics of VR are navigability, which allows for free exploration of virtual space; interactivity, which enables real-time interaction with virtual objects; and immersion, which provides a psychological experience of “being there.” While it has been confirmed that immersive digital environments enhance learners’ interest and experience, empirical research in the field of elementary school mathematics remains insufficient. Previous studies have suggested that VR has the potential to improve learning motivation and achievement, but empirical evidence in elementary mathematics is inadequate. To fill this gap, this study aims to develop a VR fraction learning game and systematically verify its actual impact on academic achievement and student engagement.

1.4. Research Questions
(1). How does a VR game affect the academic achievement of fourth-grade students in fractions?
(2). How does a VR game affect students’ engagement in mathematics (including the three dimensions)?
(3). From the teacher’s observational perspective, how did students’ engagement change?

2. Research Methods
2.1. Research Design
A mixed-methods approach was adopted, combining quantitative research (quasi-experimental pre-test, post-test, and retention test) and qualitative research (teacher observation records). The design type is a concurrent nested design, collecting qualitative and quantitative data simultaneously.

2.2. Research Participants
The study was conducted at a private school in Samsun, Turkey, with 64 fourth-grade students (32 in the experimental group, 32 in the control group). The gender distribution was 17 boys and 15 girls in the experimental group, and 13 boys and 19 girls in the control group. The school had previously divided classes equally by academic ability, and the researchers neutrally assigned the experimental and control groups.

2.3. Intervention Materials
The experimental group used the VR game “Kesfet Kurtul” (Explore and Survive). This is a VR educational game developed based on the ADDIE model, featuring a story about surviving on a deserted island where students solve mysteries and escape using knowledge of fractions. It consists of four chapters, each corresponding to one week of learning objectives, with a play time of 10–15 minutes per session to protect eye health. The operation method is gaze-based (selecting by looking at an object for a few seconds), and to prevent guessing, the positions and values of the options are randomly changed after incorrect answers. Auxiliary functions include voice guidance and hint displays.
For the control group, the school’s standard method was used, involving three types of tablet apps and workbook problems for review. These were used for one hour during the final math class each week, and the content was deemed equivalent to the VR game by experts.

2.4. Measurement Tools
A fraction achievement test was used to measure knowledge and calculation ability, and the Student Math Engagement Scale was used to measure the three dimensions of emotional, social, and cognitive engagement.

2.5. Experimental Procedure
In the first week, a pre-test was conducted for both groups. From the second to the fifth week (four weeks), one out of five math classes per week was allocated to the VR game for the experimental group and the standard method for the control group. A post-test was conducted in the sixth week, and a retention test was conducted in the tenth week (one month after the post-test). During the intervention period, teachers and researchers simultaneously recorded classroom observations.

3. Results
3.1. Academic Achievement
According to the achievement test results, the experimental group improved from an average of 9.66 in the pre-test to 18.13 in the post-test, and the control group improved from 11.06 to 19.53. Both groups showed significant improvement over the pre-test scores, but there was no significant difference between the groups. In the retention test, there was no significant difference, with the experimental group scoring 19.53 and the control group 20.38. The core conclusion is that both the VR game and the standard method effectively improved students’ academic achievement in fractions, and this effect was stably maintained two months later; however, there was no statistically significant difference between the two methods, meaning the VR game has an effect equivalent to the standard method in improving academic achievement.

3.2. Student Engagement
Regarding engagement, the experimental group’s overall engagement was maintained at 3.18, whereas the control group’s decreased from 3.39 to 3.01. Emotional engagement increased from 3.22 to 3.43 in the experimental group, while it decreased from 3.68 to 3.56 in the control group. Social engagement decreased from 2.98 to 2.62 in the experimental group, but decreased significantly from 2.99 to 2.11 in the control group, showing a significant difference between the two groups. Cognitive engagement increased from 3.35 to 3.50 in the experimental group, while it decreased from 3.49 to 3.37 in the control group. The core conclusion is that the VR game was significantly superior to the standard method in the social engagement dimension. While there was no statistically significant difference in other dimensions, the experimental group’s indicators were maintained or increased, whereas the control group’s generally declined, indicating that VR effectively suppresses the decline in engagement.

3.3. Teacher Observation Records (Qualitative)
From the teacher’s observation records, an increase in intrinsic motivation was observed, such as a student saying, “I wanted to come to school even though I felt sick today because I wanted to play this game.” Statements indicating immersive experiences, such as “I fell into the water” and “I am there right now,” were also recorded. Additionally, there were unexpected findings: students voluntarily asked the teacher questions about the game content after math class, and students who usually have low math ability cleared the game faster than others. Furthermore, students were seen spontaneously thinking about and writing down the continuation of the game’s story, and completing all parts quietly and with focus, without the need for teacher prompting. The core conclusion was that the VR game elicited a high level of student engagement, including emotional immersion, immersive experiences, and autonomous exploration.

4. Discussion
Regarding academic achievement, the reason VR was not significantly superior to the control group may be that the tablet apps used by the control group were also technology-supported educational methods, and both were superior to traditional lecture formats. Other studies have reported similar findings, and the authors argue that VR being “no worse” in terms of grades does not mean it is ineffective; rather, it demonstrates its feasibility as an alternative to traditional methods and brings other benefits that cannot be captured by achievement tests.

Regarding engagement, the reason VR was superior in social engagement is attributed to the fact that the VR game had a complete storyline and situational setting (deserted island survival), which evoked a common experience and shared motivation. The chapter-based design maintained freshness every week and prevented fatigue from repetition, and the sense of immersion promoted a sense of belonging, making the psychological state of saying “I am there right now” more likely to lead to active interaction and peer communication during class.

Regarding the relationship between engagement and achievement, this study did not prove that VR improves grades, but it did prove that it maintains or improves engagement. The authors argue that since engagement itself is a key predictor of long-term academic success, and considering that the control group’s downward trend in engagement might eventually reflect in grades if the intervention period were extended, the significance of VR lies in breaking the negative cycle.

Limitations of the study include: the representativeness of the sample (N=64, only one private school), which prevents generalization to public schools or different regions; the intensity of the intervention, which consisted of only 15 minutes of VR experience per week for four weeks, potentially insufficient to produce larger effects; the fact that VR’s immersion and storytelling themselves are additional variables, making it not perfectly equivalent to tablet apps; the possibility that insufficient 3D model and music resources affected the upper limit of the immersive experience; and the possibility that the “novelty” of the new technology partially contributed to the experimental group’s maintenance of engagement (Hawthorne effect).

5. Conclusion
In fourth-grade fraction classes, educational VR games have been shown to have an effect equivalent to standard technology-supported instruction regarding academic achievement. However, a significant advantage was observed in maintaining and promoting learner engagement, especially in the dimension of social engagement, revealing that it brings about a more active subjective learning experience. The authors conclude that the evaluation of VR education should not use “score improvement” as the sole criterion, and that the effect of protecting learners’ motivation and class participation also has significant educational value.

Reflections
For me, there are two major takeaways. First, the value of educational technology should not be measured by grades alone. The fact that the experimental group was able to maintain engagement while the control group’s engagement continued to decline is an educational achievement in itself, and I felt that interest is the foundation for long-term learning. Second, the storytelling and immersion of VR are not just for “fun,” but have an educational function of evoking social engagement through common experiences. I realized that while such effects do not appear in achievement tests, they have the power to change the quality of a class.