Extended Reality in Applied Sciences Education: A Systematic Review
Source abstract
Abstract
Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and Mixed Reality (MR) technologies—collectively known as Extended Reality (XR)—have ushered in a new era of immersive and interactive instruction in applied sciences education. This systematic literature review aims to examine the application of XR technologies across various scientific and educational domains, evaluate their impact on learning outcomes, and identify the challenges hindering their broader integration. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, a literature search was conducted using Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and IEEE Xplore, focusing on empirical studies published between 1 January 2010 and 1 November 2024, resulting in the inclusion of 56 studies. Among these, 32 studies (53%) employed VR, 25 studies (42%) utilized AR, and 3 studies (5%) adopted MR, with 4 studies exploring the combined application of VR and AR. The findings indicate that VR is primarily applied in higher education settings, such as universities and graduate programs, whereas AR is more prevalent in primary and secondary education; although MR is less frequently used, it exhibits distinct advantages in disciplines requiring high interactivity and realism. Overall, each XR modality can enhance learning motivation, efficiency, and immediate knowledge acquisition in short-term interventions, while long-term implementation may contribute to improved memory retention, increased learner confidence, and sustained engagement. Despite persistent challenges—including high equipment costs, spatial and temporal constraints, small sample sizes, and insufficient longitudinal evidence—these findings underscore the transformative potential of XR technologies in applied sciences education.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Augmented Reality Applications · Virtual Reality Applications and Impacts · Educational Games and Gamification
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
Department of Information Management, National Taichung University of Science and Technology, Taichung 404, Taiwan
Doctoral Program of Intelligent Engineering, National Taichung University of Science and Technology, Taichung 404, Taiwan
Funding
Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan
References (71)
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