Enhanced e-learning experience using simulation technologies – An experimental evaluation of intelligent simulation systems in a virtual classroom

Augmented and Virtual Reality simulation technologies are among the fast-growing consumer-level intelligent simulation technologies and have been great solutions to enhance the user experience (UX) and interactivity. Many studies have shown that these technologies do help in virtual educational applications, but a discussion and comparison of their effects on students’ eLearning is quite limited. This experimental study focuses on evaluating the potential of AR and VR applications specially designed for eLearning purposes and tests the effects of intelligent simulations used in an e-learning virtual environment. This was done by presenting an online lecture both in VR and AR to two different groups of learners. The study was conducted among the students of multimedia in a reputed private university in India. The simulation technologies were compared in terms of participants’ test scores, engagement, excitement, and level of distraction. Scores of both the groups were compared and reported along with the participant's perception of each simulation technology. Quantitative and Qualitative data acquired from both groups have been analyzed and the results indicate that AR works best when incorporated into e-learning. This is one of the first conceptual studies of comparison between VR and AR for interactive online teaching. Further, this paper discusses the inevitability of making new tools to enable instructors to become creators of AR/VR experiences in education.