The impact of sound and immersive experience on learners when using virtual reality and tablet: A mixed-method study

Multisensory-rich VR experiences, which encompass visual, auditory, and haptic stimuli, have the potential to enhance engagement, motivation, and learning. However, extensive sensory stimuli could also compromise learning through sensory overload. In museum settings, visitors who are inundated with excessive stimuli such as unrelated background music or competing visual options may not experience optimal learning. This mixed-methods study addressed this potential problem by exploring the impact of sound on learning, enjoyment, sense of presence, and the development of interest among museum attendees (N = 255) who used two different types of technology: high-immersion VR or a tablet. Results from a one-way MANOVA revealed that learning and sense of presence were unaffected by the technology used unless sound was added. Using a tablet with sound lowered the sense of presence. Participants in the VR condition with or without sound had significantly higher enjoyment scores than those in either tablet condition. The development of interest was not significantly affected by any condition, regardless of whether sound was used. The research findings have implications for implementing VR for learning in museum settings. For instance, VR can enhance a sense of presence in museum exhibits, but a sense of presence may be significantly diminished when museum visitors use tablets with sound. Additional recommendations for the use of multimodal VR in museums are provided.

Practitioner notes

What is already known about this topic

• VR can support an immersive and engaging experience for users.
• VR is more immersive than tablets.
• When designed effectively, sound can increase immersion and engagement.
• When integrated into the visual environment, sound can add authenticity to the learning content.
• VR can complement museum exhibits as it allows museum visitors to extend their learning experiences.

What this paper adds

• VR enriched with sound can significantly and positively impact sense of presence.
• Compared with a soundless VR exhibition, VR enriched with sound enhances engagement of museum visitors by drawing their attention to the content of the exhibits.
• VR with and without sound can support learning and add enjoyment to museum visitor experiences.

Implications for practice and/or policy

• Developers interested in adding sound to VR should ensure that the visual and auditory experiences are directly related to the desired content delivery.
• Museum exhibit creators and curators should consider the use of VR to provide dynamic learning experiences that increase enjoyment and presence.