Mathematics, a subject long known for its reputation as “difficult” or “intimidating,” has long been a subject complained about by children and teenagers, whether due to fear, difficulty, or laziness. On the other hand, they can spend hours exploring the digital world to entertain themselves. This raises the question: “Can technology be used to make learning math more interesting and enjoyable?”

A team of researchers from Padjadjaran University attempted to answer this question through a research journal article entitled “Exploring the impact of virtual reality-based mathematics learning on students’ motivation: Protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.”

Why is motivation important for learning?

First, it’s important to remember that learning methods can influence a child’s motivation to learn. But why is this motivation so important? Why must teachers use methods that motivate children? Motivation can be considered the “fuel” for learning. In this context, motivation is directly related to a person’s ability to learn mathematics well, and also interacts with other factors such as self-esteem and anxiety. High motivation is correlated with good learning performance, while low motivation is correlated with high levels of anxiety in learning mathematics.

Using VR for Learning Mathematics

VR, or Virtual Reality, is usually thought of solely for entertainment, whether in games or adventure simulations. However, this technology has great potential to aid mathematics learning as well. It can be used to more clearly illustrate various abstract concepts and provide a flexible medium for exploring and imagining those concepts. That is the power of VR: transforming abstract concepts into tangible visual experiences.

What was done in this study?

Shally Novita and her team designed a comprehensive review plan for various related studies conducted over the past seven years and published in English, German, and Indonesian. They will:

• Collect research on the use of VR in mathematics learning for students aged 7-15,
• Compare whether the motivation of students learning with VR is higher than that of students learning with traditional methods,
• Examine factors that influence outcomes, such as duration of VR use, material studied, student characteristics, and so on.

Using the meta-analysis method, researchers can obtain a more comprehensive and holistic picture than relying on a single study.

Potential and Challenges

Virtual Reality has good potential to encourage students to be more actively involved in their learning by making them more curious, more willing to experiment, and more likely to enjoy the learning experience. Furthermore, as digital natives (those born and raised in the digital technology era), this method becomes quite suitable for today’s students and their technology-savvy lifestyles.

However, researchers also note that the use of VR is not perfect and has its own challenges or drawbacks. Some students may experience dizziness or nausea when using this technology. Furthermore, not all schools have access to adequate VR devices to facilitate student learning, especially in areas with limited technological infrastructure.

The limitations of VR certainly don’t mean that teachers should avoid using it. The potential of technologies like VR to facilitate learning makes it worth exploring and understanding more deeply, despite its limitations. If the research findings do indeed show that VR is effective in increasing motivation, we can envision a future where mathematics is a more enjoyable and engaging subject, rather than something feared and avoided by most.

The upcoming final results of this study can provide valuable insights for teachers and policymakers. Teachers can use this research as a foundation for implementing new, more effective approaches. Meanwhile, policymakers, armed with the research findings, can also more thoughtfully design appropriate regulations for digital education. Ultimately, the use of technology in learning has become inevitable, so the question that needs to be answered is: “How can technology truly help students learn better?”

This article is based on the research from:

Novita, S., Setyowibowo, H., Kusuma, A., Erwina, W., Yudiana, W., Purba, F. D., & Noer, A. H. (2025). Exploring the impact of virtual reality-based mathematics learning on students’ motivation: Protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS ONE, 20(4), e0319664–e0319664. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0319664