The study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an inquiry-based virtual reality (VR) science lab used in junior high school science classes. The Scientific Investigation VR Lab (SIVRLAB) is designed for 9th-grade students to learn about electrochemical cells. It is situated in a guided problem-solving context, where learners need to review the concept of oxidation-reduction reactions and assemble a voltaic cell to save a robot. The SIVRLAB features several cognitive supports and guides for students to plan and record experiments and resolve the problem. It has both a head-mounted display (HMD) version and a desktop VR version. The study recruited 66 9th graders from three classes to evaluate the two versions of the SIVRLAB. The students were assigned to one of three conditions, namely, (1) using immersive HMD SIVRLAB individually, (2) using desktop SIVRLAB individually, and (3) observing one student use immersive HMD SIVRLAB. The students were briefly introduced to the concept of electrochemical cells in the first class and were instructed to use the SIVRLAB sessions in the next class. The results from knowledge pre- and post-tests, a user experience survey, and students’ reflections were collected and analyzed qualitatively. The findings revealed that students who used the desktop VR obtained the highest test scores among the three groups. However, in the follow-up physical laboratory test, the performance of the students in the original HMD VR experimental group was better than those in the desktop VR experimental group. The paper also discusses student feedback and teacher observations regarding the design and interaction with immersive VR. Lastly, the implications of the study and recommendations for future studies are presented.

该研究旨在评估初中科学课中使用的基于查询的虚拟现实（VR）科学实验室的有效性。在科学调查VR实验室（SIVRLAB）是专为第9年级学生了解电化学电池。它位于有指导意义的问题解决环境中，在此情况下，学习者需要回顾氧化还原反应的概念并组装一个伏打电池以保存机器人。该SIVRLAB设有数认知支持和引导，让学生计划和记录实验和解决问题。它具有头戴式显示器（HMD）版本和台式机VR版本。该研究从三个班级招募了66名9年级学生，以评估两个版本的SIVRLAB。将学生分配给以下三个条件之一，即（1）单独使用沉浸式HMD SIVRLAB，（2）单独使用台式机SIVRLAB，以及（3）观察一名学生使用沉浸式HMD SIVRLAB。在第一堂课中向学生简要介绍了电化学电池的概念，并指导他们使用SIVRLAB下一堂课。收集并定性分析了来自知识前测和后测，用户体验调查以及学生反映的结果。调查结果表明，使用台式机VR的学生在三组中获得最高的考试分数。但是，在后续的物理实验室测试中，原始HMD VR实验组的学生表现要好于台式VR实验组的学生。本文还讨论了有关沉浸式VR的设计和交互的学生反馈和老师的观察。最后，介绍了本研究的意义和对未来研究的建议。