Evaluating the Efficacy of a Desktop Virtual Reality Field Trip for Public Outreach

This evaluation study examines the implementation of a desktop virtual reality field trip (dVFT) for public outreach. After experiencing the dVFT, 139 participants completed a survey to examine their immersion, presence, engagement, perceived learning about the local environment, VR design features, and affective learning. The majority of participants reported favorable outcomes regarding all the variables above. No significant differences were found between male and female learners for each of the six constructs. No significant differences were found between adults’ and youths’ perceptions of immersion, presence, and attitudes. Adults ages 19 and older had statistically significant higher mean engagement levels, mean perceptions of learning about the local environment, and VR design features than youth. Our findings support that learning about one’s local environment with a dVFT can have a positive impact on engagement and learning, particularly in public outreach settings.