From Observation to Embodied Creation: Unpacking the Learning Trade-Off in Virtual Reality for Cultural Heritage

From Observation to Embodied Creation: Unpacking the Learning Trade-Off in Virtual Reality for Cultural Heritage | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article From Observation to Embodied Creation: Unpacking the Learning Trade-Off in Virtual Reality for Cultural Heritage Yidan Zhu, Xin Shu, Lei Shi This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8250721/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Designing effective learning experiences in virtual reality (VR) confronts a critical design dilemma: the trade-off between conceptual understanding and skill transfer. While high-interactivity (HI) systems are lauded for fostering engagement and skill application, they risk imposing cognitive loads that impede foundational learning. Conversely, low-interactivity (LI) approaches may optimize for conceptual clarity at the expense of developing transferable skills. Although this trade-off is widely recognized, the field lacks concrete, replicable design patterns for systematically navigating it. To address this gap, we introduce and empirically validate the Embodied Creation and Agentic Consequence (ECAC) framework, a structured, two-phase mechanism designed to reconcile these competing pedagogical goals. We conducted a between-subjects experiment situated within the demanding context of ancient mural painting. Comparing an HI (ECAC) group with an LI "observer" group, our mixed-methods analysis empirically confirms the trade-off and demonstrates the efficacy of our framework: the LI condition yielded superior knowledge understanding, whereas the HI condition fostered significantly greater knowledge transfer. Our research contributes a validated and actionable design pattern, offering instructional designers a structured approach to balance cognitive load and interactivity, thereby optimizing VR environments for both foundational learning and higher-order skill application. Virtual Reality Cultural Heritage Co-creator Embodied Creation and Agentic Consequence Cognitive Load Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8250721","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":598877611,"identity":"b1dd6c62-1fa1-4daa-a83c-93e62f8082bf","order_by":0,"name":"Yidan Zhu","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Yidan","middleName":"","lastName":"Zhu","suffix":""},{"id":598877612,"identity":"634abf0a-cb36-4819-beef-0b8304c918c1","order_by":1,"name":"Xin Shu","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA9ElEQVRIiWNgGAWjYHACNgaGChsYxwJKHyCk5UwalJ0gQaQWxpbDJGgxOMD+7DFvw/k8fonkhx9//pCQY2A//ICZ5wxuLZINPObGvDtuF0vOSDOW5kmQMGbgSTNg5rmBWws/Aw+bNO+Z24kbbucwSAMdltjAkMPAzPMBn0fYn0nztp1L3H87h/nnjwSJ+gb+N/i18DMwmAG1HEjcIJ3DJgF0WAKDBMgWPA6TbOYxk5xzJjlxxv1nZtY8aRKGbRLPDA7OweN9g+PtzyTeVNgl9vccfnzzh42NPD9/8sMHb47h1sLAjOk7QhE5CkbBKBgFo4AgAABw9EkKmIwP+QAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"","institution":"Newcastle University","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Xin","middleName":"","lastName":"Shu","suffix":""},{"id":598877614,"identity":"470d018e-dab4-490d-931e-ca6289129738","order_by":2,"name":"Lei Shi","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Newcastle University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Lei","middleName":"","lastName":"Shi","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-12-01 13:08:25","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8250721/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8250721/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":104400712,"identity":"5d6fe6ba-fb40-4aa0-8091-3ff01b270ec3","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-03-11 12:10:47","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":13994862,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"FromObservationtoEmbodiedCreationUnpackingtheLearningTradeOffinVirtualRealityforCulturalHeritage.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8250721/v1_covered_05323406-b861-446c-a0d0-2587eb2103e1.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"From Observation to Embodied Creation: Unpacking the Learning Trade-Off in Virtual Reality for Cultural Heritage","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Virtual Reality, Cultural Heritage, Co-creator, Embodied Creation and Agentic Consequence, Cognitive Load","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8250721/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8250721/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"Designing effective learning experiences in virtual reality (VR) confronts a critical design dilemma: the trade-off between conceptual understanding and skill transfer. 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