Multidimensional Interest and Achievement Outcomes Following Immersive Virtual Reality Integration in Undergraduate Chemistry: A Quasi-Experimental Study in a Caribbean Context

Abstract

The use of Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) as a pedagogical tool for chemistry has gained momentum over the past decade. However, less is known about the specific dimensions of student interest that may or may not shift following IVR integration under authentic instructional constraints. This quasi-experimental pre-test post-test study examined the effects of smartphone-based IVR implementation on undergraduate chemistry interest and academic performance in a Caribbean university context. Two equivalent groups (Test, n = 58; Control, n = 58) completed the Chemistry Study Interest Questionnaire (C-SIQ) before and after the intervention, and a 60-item achievement test across six introductory topics. The Test group demonstrated significant gains in overall interest (p = 1.52 x 10-2) and in the dimension of intrinsic orientation (p = 4.47 x 10-4), while feelings-related and value-related valences did not change significantly (p > 0.05). Achievement outcomes favoured the Test group overall (p = 1.27 x 10-21). These findings are consistent with theoretical perspectives suggesting that IVR affordances may align more strongly with intrinsic motivational processes than affective or value-based components. The study contributes evidence from a resource-constrained Small Island Developing State (SIDS) context and highlights the importance of theoretical alignment and topic sensitivity in evaluating IVR integration in chemistry education.