The Effects of Virtual Reality-based Practical Training on Physical Therapy Students

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Healthy Volunteers - Male and Female

• Registration Number: NCT07003217
• Lead Sponsor: Sahmyook University

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of virtual reality (VR)-based education and video watching-based education on physical therapy students' learning satisfaction, technology acceptance, learning motivation, and learning achievement during musculoskeletal special test training. As technology continues to evolve, tech-assisted learning has emerged as a notable approach in modern education. Among these technologies, VR has gained significant attention for its ability to provide immersive and interactive learning environments for both educators and students. VR applications have expanded into the medical field and are increasingly integrated into health science education. Recently, VR tools have moved beyond desktop-based systems to more accessible platforms like mobile apps and head-mounted displays. In medical education, 3D environments enable engaging and self-directed learning that helps learners understand anatomical structures and build confidence in practical skills. In physical therapy, practical education is important, as therapists must accurately choose and perform special tests. Studies suggest that VR-based training is effective in practical education in physical therapy. Although VR has been applied in rehabilitation for stroke and osteoarthritis patients, VR-based educational research targeting undergraduate physical therapy students is lacking. This study hypothesizes that VR-based practical education is more effective than traditional video watching-based education in improving students' learning satisfaction, technology acceptance, learning motivation, and learning achievement. Participants will be randomly assigned to a VR-based experimental group or a video watching-based control group.

Detailed Description

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of virtual reality (VR)-based practical education for college students in the department of physical therapy on learning satisfaction, technology acceptance, learning motivation, and learning achievement. The four specialized musculoskeletal tests were the pronator teres test, Hawkins Kennedy test, Yergason's test, and Neer's test. The participants of this study were students from the department of physical therapy at S University in Seoul, South Korea, and were classified into 28 participants in the experimental group using VR-based practical education and 24 participants in the control group using video watching-based practical education through random assignment. Both groups participated in the study for the same period of 1 day, a total of 1 time, for 10 to 15 minutes. When selecting participants for the study, a simulator sickness questionnaire (SSQ) was conducted along with general characteristics to evaluate the symptoms of motion sickness, and one or more of the 16 items were excluded from the study if they were at a 'severe level'. Pre- and post-surveys were administered on learning satisfaction, technology acceptance, learning motivation, and learning achievement.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2024-04-16
• Primary Completion: 2024-05-22
• Study Completion: 2024-05-22
• Status Verified: 2025-04
• Study First Submitted: 2025-05-01
• Study First Submitted QC: 2025-05-25
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-05-25
• Study First Posted: 2025-06-04
• Last Update Posted: 2025-06-04

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 52

Inclusion Criteria

• students enrolled in the Department of Physical Therapy at S University in Seoul, South Korea
• individuals who had received prior instruction on the four tests included in the study
• those who did not report any of the 16 SSQ items at the "severe" symptom level
• those who fully understood the purpose and procedures of the study and agreed to participate by providing informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria

• Individuals who have not learned about the four tests included in the study
• those with health issues that limit the use of VR equipment
• those who do not consent to participate in the study
• those who report 'severe' symptoms on any of the 16 items of the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ)
• individuals with disabilities, or pregnant women

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Learning Satisfaction	Immediately before and after intervention	The learning satisfaction scale consists of 19 items in total and is divided into three parts. It consists of three items on experience with the system, seven items on feelings about the system, and nine items on satisfaction with the learning approach. The reliability of the learning satisfaction survey used in this experiment is .91 with a cronbach 's α value.; The learning satisfaction survey items were composed of a 7-point Likert scale.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Technology Acceptance	Immediately before and after intervention	Technology acceptance consists of usefulness and ease of use of VR educational technology, and the questionnaire consists of 6 and 7 questions, respectively, for a total of 13 questions. The reliability is Cronbach 's α value of .95 for usefulness and .94 for ease of use. The technology acceptance questionnaire items consisted of a 7-point Likert scale.
Learning Motivation	Immediately before and after intervention	Learning motivation was designed as a questionnaire with reference to previous studies. It consists of a total of 7 items , including questions about the importance and value of the topic. The items were reorganized to be appropriate for this study with reference to previous papers. The reliability is .79 with Cronbach 's α value. The learning motivation questionnaire items were designed on a 7-point Likert scale.
Learning Achievement	Immediately before and after intervention	Learning achievement was assessed by a 12-item quiz to assess students' understanding of academics. The quiz items were validated by a doctoral degree holder and an educational expert with extensive experience in physical therapy practice education. The pre- and post-tests of learning achievement consisted of the same items.; Participants were undergraduate students in the Department of Physical Therapy who had studied four musculoskeletal special tests: the Pronator Teres Test, the Hawkins-Kennedy Test, the Yergason's Test, and the Neer 's Test. They were given three questions on each test. The 12 questions on the learning achievement quiz consisted of short answer or multiple choice questions.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Sahmyook University; 🇰🇷 Seoul, Dongdaemoon-gu, Korea, Republic of