Smartphone-Based Immersive Videos in Elementary Level: Effects on Science Learning Achievement and Critical Thinking

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of smartphone-based immersive videos on science learning achievement and critical thinking among elementary students. The objective was to examine differences in students’ performance before and after virtual exposure and to compare outcomes between control and experimental groups. A true-experimental pretest–posttest control group design was employed. The population comprised Class V students of government elementary schools in Odisha, with the accessible population limited to Cuttack city. Using a simple random sampling technique, one school was selected, and all 60 students in a single section of Class V participated. Instructional content covered two units of the science curriculum: Forest, Erosion of Soil and Water Pollution, and Air Pollution. Data were collected using a researcher-developed science learning achievement test and the standardized New Jersey Test of Reasoning Skills/Critical Thinking. Descriptive statistics and independent-sample t-tests were used for data analysis. Findings revealed that the experimental group significantly outperformed the control group in science achievement after exposure to smartphone-based immersive videos, demonstrating the positive effect of immersive, low-cost technologies. However, no significant difference was observed in critical thinking skills, likely due to the short intervention period of 10 days. The study is limited by its small sample size, single-school setting, and short duration, warranting caution in generalization.