Engagement of Learning Video Game Music Composition Techniques in VR

Although interest in applying education to virtual reality applications continues to grow, there is a lack of research in specialized fields such as composing video game music. This lends itself to a gap in the effectiveness of such contexts. In addition, research surrounding the topic of measuring engagement of learning music in virtual reality is insufficient, leading to a lack of clarity on whether users of virtual reality technology are motivated for continuous learning. This study developed and evaluated a virtual reality sandbox environment to teach composing video game music. Results revealed an average SUS score of 74.250, indicating good usability. Additional results revealed PENS scores of 5.228 for competence, 5.298 for autonomy, and 4.122 for relatedness, indicating that the environment engaged participants in learning video game music composition; the lower relatedness score reflects a need for features such as sharing. Within a modified MLM framework, identification and integration scores averaged 3.125 with a standard deviation of 1.486, indicating that the participants’ learning experiences varied. Nonetheless, intrinsic motivation was consistently high, was an average value of 5.236. While the findings showcase the potential of VR environments for learning to compose video game music, future improvements in application features and study design could improve user experiences and motivational outcomes.