Realidade Virtual e ensino de Geografia: uma investigação experimental com alunos do Ensino Fundamental I

Abstract

The incorporation of Digital Information and Communication Technologies (DICTs) into the educational context has expanded the possibilities for instructional mediation, particularly in the teaching of content that requires spatial visualization and contextualization. Among these technologies, Virtual Reality (VR) stands out, as it enables immersive experiences capable of bringing students closer to phenomena that are hardly accessible within the traditional school environment. In Geography education, this discussion becomes especially relevant due to the abstract nature of certain contents and the need for strategies that promote spatial understanding in the early years of Elementary Education. In this context, the present study is delimited to the analysis of the use of VR as a resource for instructional mediation in the teaching of Geography to 5th-grade students in public schools within the municipal education system of Foz do Iguaçu. The general objective of the study was to examine the influence of VR usage on the academic performance of 5th-grade students in Geography learning. To this end, the research adopted a quantitative approach, with an experimental design characterized as between-subjects in Experiment 1 and a longitudinal follow-up design, specifically within-subjects, in Experiment 2. The participants were students from municipal public schools in Foz do Iguaçu, organized into a control group and a treatment group. The control group attended a dialogic expository class without immersive technological support, whereas the treatment group participated in a similar class associated with the use of a 360º VR video, viewed through a low-cost smartphone-based device. Learning outcomes were measured through assessment instruments applied after the interventions, in addition to a perception questionnaire administered to the treatment group. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and non-parametric statistical tests. The results of Experiment 1 revealed a statistically significant difference between the control and treatment groups, indicating an association between improved student performance and the VR-based intervention. In Experiment 2, descriptive results indicated the maintenance of central tendency measures and stability in the performance of the treatment group over the analyzed period, suggesting evidence of learning retention. Furthermore, students reported high levels of satisfaction, attention, and interest in repeating the immersive experience. The findings indicate that VR, when integrated into pedagogical planning and supported by effective teacher mediation, can serve as a relevant instructional tool for Geography education, fostering more contextualized, interactive, and visually meaningful learning experiences.