The Impact of Collaborative Learning Virtual Environments on Student's Performance

Abstract

This research explored the potential of collaborative virtual environments (CVEs) in delivering and assessing course content in higher education. The study examined the role of “asymmetric” (i.e., one participant interacting within the virtual reality (VR) setting and the other “guiding” outside of it) and “symmetric” (i.e., both participants taking a quiz within the same VR setting) interactions in the overall VR experience. It also investigated participants' preferences for a collaborative VR setting over a traditional physical lab quiz. A convenience sample of 184 participants/trainees participated in a VR experiment in single-user, asymmetric collaboration, and symmetric collaboration modalities, with 102 from the Computer Science department and 82 from the Aviation Engineering department of a higher education institution in the U.A.E. The VR experiment (quan-titative) was followed by a survey (qualitative) to gather their reflections on the experiment. The results indicate a significant improvement in success rates for completing the VR experiment in collaboration modalities compared to the same in single-user VR mode. They also suggest that, while participants enjoyed the VR experience, they prefer a blended approach to delivering and assessing course content in higher education. These findings have substantial implications for decision-making processes in higher education institutions.