Influence of onboarding length on PCS, TLX, UEQ and CAP
This dataset accompanies the empirical study titled "Closing the experience gap: Onboarding duration as an equaliser in VR-assisted learning". It contains anonymised experimental data collected fr
This dataset accompanies the empirical study titled “Closing the experience gap: Onboarding duration as an equaliser in VR-assisted learning”. It contains anonymised experimental data collected from 45 university students enrolled in hydrology courses to assess the impact of pre-experimental virtual reality (VR) onboarding duration on the overall user experience and perceived learning outcomes.
The primary objective of the study was to explore whether increased familiarisation time with VR mechanics could reduce extraneous cognitive load, thus negating the bias caused by participants’ lack of prior VR experience. Participants were randomly assigned to a “Short” (5 minutes) or “Long” (up to 20 minutes) onboarding session using Google Earth VR. Following onboarding, participants completed a custom Unreal Engine VR learning application focused on flood-water management. The dataset includes self-reported background metrics, completion times, and responses to four standardized questionnaires evaluating competence, cognitive load, user experience, and perceived learning.
Methodology & Study Design:
Design: A 2×2 between-subjects experimental design.
Factor 1 (Onboarding Duration): Short (5 min) vs. Long (5–20 min).
Factor 2 (Institution): Mendel University in Brno (MENDELU, Czechia) vs. Turku University of Applied Sciences (TUAS, Finland).
Participants: 45 adult university students across the two universities (MENDELU and TUAS), with cell sizes ranging from 10 to 14 participants per group.
Apparatus: Google Earth VR (for onboarding familiarisation) and a custom VR application simulating water channel profiles and flood stages (for the learning task).
Data Structure and Variables:
The dataset includes the following key variables and instruments:
Participant Background / Demographics:
Self-reported prior VR experience.
Self-reported gaming experience.
Prior hydrology background knowledge</sp
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Files are hosted on the source repository. Click download to access the full dataset.