A Systematic Review of the Transformative Role of Virtual Reality in Physics Education

This study reviews the use of Virtual Reality (VR) in physics education, focusing on its effects on student learning outcomes and engagement. The rationale for this study is that the high complexity of physics concepts presents challenges for students and there is a paucity of practical teaching approaches to address this issue. The study aims to determine the effects of VR integration with different educational models, such as problem-based learning and discovery learning, on students’ learning outcomes. Specifically, this study proposes the following research question: How does VR influence students' knowledge acquisition over time? The study selected 400 articles that examined the application of VR in improving motivation, critical thinking, and learning performance in physics education between 2013 and 2024. It employed a systematic review method, utilizing the PRISMA model to select articles. Only articles related to VR and physics education were retrieved from Google Scholar by using keywords. The analysis demonstrates that VR facilitates students learning and increases their focus on lessons. The study also revealed that VR is most effective when integrated with interactive learning models. This study highlights the potential of VR in physics education and its capacity to enhance students’ achievement and motivation during discussion. However, results indicate some limitations such as bias-related work and issues with VR applications.