Can S2 pupils’ motivation in learning History be improved by using Virtual Reality?

Abstract

‘Motivation is the force which provides the impetus for human behaviour, causing individuals to initiate and sustain goal-directed actions.’ (Alkaabi et al., 2017: p.193). This definition succinctly explains why motivation has been an important area of research within the education community. Motivated pupils are likely to be more engaged, show less behaviour issues and are more likely to achieve their academic potential. However there is currently a problem with motivation in schools, particularly those in poor socio-economic areas (Scottish Parliament Information Centre, 2016).
Virtual Reality (VR) is a rapidly developing technology and its benefits for education are only starting to be understood. However, it is still in its infancy in terms of classroom use and the research surrounding it is limited, particularly in History teaching. Although there is research to suggest that using VR in classrooms could improve motivation among pupils, there is not a consensus in the literature surrounding it.
Therefore, this enquiry set out to examine the motivation of S2 pupils in learning History and whether it could be improved by using VR in the classroom. It planned to use a mixed method approach within an interpretivist paradigm, using pre-and post-intervention questionnaires and group interviews. The intervention itself involved participants undertaking a four-week course on ‘Civil Rights’ with VR experiences regularly built in. However, the closure of schools due to Covid-19 meant that the data collection and intervention could not take place.
All conclusions, then, are based on the research from the literature review. Although this does suggest that VR could improve pupil motivation, the findings are not unanimous. More research is needed in this area and it is hoped once schools re-open, this enquiry will be completed.