Systematic review and meta-analysis of the impact of virtual experiments on students’ learning effectiveness

Virtual experiments are widely used in the field of education for their low cost, strong interaction, hyperspace and safety advantages. While some researchers have analysed the impact of virtual technologies such as AR or VR on teaching effectiveness, few researchers have comprehensively explored the impact of virtual experiments on students’ learning effectiveness. In view of this, this study uses meta-analysis method to systematically review 62 experimental and quasi-experimental studies on the educational applications of virtual experiments published in international journals to systematically examine the impact of virtual experiments on students’ learning effectiveness. The results of the study find that the impact of virtual experiments on learning effectiveness is influenced by five moderating variables (subjects, academic level, sample size, experimental period, and virtual forms). Based on this, this study makes recommendations in three areas: the design, conduct and evaluation of virtual experiments.