Investigating Learners’ Engagement and Chinese Writing Learning Outcomes with Different Designs of SVVR-Based Activities

The goal of this study is to explore the affordances of spherical video-based virtual reality (SVVR)-based learning activities by comparing the students’ learning engagement models and their writing learning outcomes in a double-loop SVVR-based (DL-SVVR) learning activity and a single-loop SVVR-based (SL-SVVR) learning activity, respectively. For this purpose, we conduct an empirical study involving 82 fourth-grade students. The statistical results show that the students in the DL-SVVR group had higher learning behavioral engagement and better writing learning outcomes than those in the SL-SVVR group. Furthermore, as for the interrelationship between the subscales of students’ learning engagement, we find that, for the students in SL-SVVR group, their behavioral engagement can be positively predicted by the emotional engagement, while in the DL-SVVR group, students’ behavioral engagement can be positively predicted by their social engagement. For both groups, their social engagement can positively predict the emotional engagement. Importantly, our empirical results also show that the double-loop learning approach can potentially promote students’ writing learning outcomes by shifting their social engagement and behavioral engagement. The qualitative analysis results indicate that peer interaction has a positive impact on improving students’ learning interest and writing outcomes.