Affordable Immersive Learning: Integrating Low-cost Virtual Reality and Problem-based Learning to Enhance Science Comprehension and Digital Literacy

Abstract

This study examines the effectiveness of integrating low-cost Virtual Reality (VR) into Problem-Based Learning (PBL) in supporting elementary students’ visualization of science concepts and development of digital literacy. Despite growing interest in immersive technologies for education, few studies have examined the combined use of affordable VR and PBL to simultaneously enhance digital literacy and science comprehension in resource-constrained primary school settings. Using a quasi-experimental design with purposive cluster sampling and random allocation of schools to conditions, the study involved 136 students from six public schools in Semarang, Indonesia. The experimental group (n = 68) learned the Human Digestive System using Google Cardboard headsets in a PBL-VR model, while the control group (n = 68) received conventional instruction. Statistical analysis using the Mann-Whitney U test revealed significant differences in post-test scores between groups; the experimental group recorded a mean gain of 13.77 in digital literacy and 17.62 in science comprehension, compared to the control group’s gains of 3.44 and 7.83, respectively. Effect size analysis indicated a medium effect on digital literacy (r = 0.42) and a small-to-medium effect on science comprehension (r = 0.27). These findings suggest that integrating low-cost semi-immersive VR within a PBL framework may effectively support students’ digital literacy and science understanding, offering a potentially scalable approach for technology-enhanced learning in resource-constrained educational settings in developing countries.