Social learning dynamics influence performance and career-related attitudes in career-oriented educational virtual environments

Educational virtual environments (EVEs) are defined by their immersiveness and fidelity to real-life scenarios. EVEs are associated with positive learning outcomes, but research has largely not explored the psychological processes underlying these outcomes. We present two studies that explore this phenomenon in welding skills training. Study 1 provides evidence that welding career exploration in EVEs is associated with positive career-related attitudes. Study 2 explored psychological mechanisms that may explain the attitudinal and performance outcomes of skills training in career-oriented EVEs through a social learning perspective. Since EVEs vary in their level of immersion and fidelity, this study compared groups training with VR to groups using a desktop simulation. Findings indicated strong social learning dynamics in both EVE contexts, but effects were stronger for the VR condition. Learners within groups converged on performance, and the performance of group members who functioned as behavioral models significantly predicted the performance of other group members. Performance at the individual level, in turn, predicted career self-efficacy but only for men. Overall, we observed that social dynamics were powerful among both EVE conditions and that these processes influenced learner performance and attitudinal outcomes. We conclude with recommendations for implementing career-oriented EVEs in skills training and implications for STEM workforce development.