Integrating virtual reality technology into architecture education: the case of architectural history courses

Purpose Virtual reality (VR) technology invaded various domains including architecture practice and education. Despite its high applications in architecture design education, VR has a high potential to be used in architectural history courses as well. This paper aims to examine the effect of using VR technology on the students’ learning abilities of history of architecture. Design/methodology/approach The experimental approach was used. Two experiments were designed by creating virtual environments for two selected architectural examples from the Modern Architecture course. The participants who were students of Modern Architecture class had to complete two questionnaires, one for each example. The first one was based on Bloom’s taxonomy, and the other was prepared to test the participants’ analytical and critical skills. Besides, participants had to fill out satisfaction and ease-of-use survey on a five-step Likert scale. Findings Participants in the VR condition achieved better grades in knowledge gain compared to those in the traditional conditions. Their analytical and critical thinking skills were improved in the VR conditions. Gender has a significant impact on analytical and critical thinking skills. Participants recorded a high level of satisfaction; however, male students were more satisfied than female students who reported concerns about the weight of the used tools and nausea symptoms. Research limitations/implications This study informs architecture education and provides insights into the potentials of using advanced technology in architectural history education. Teaching the various history of architecture courses will be improved, shifted toward a more student-centered curriculum, and may acquire more excitement and conscious curiosity. Originality/value Using VR in architectural education is rigorous in architectural design courses and students’ design projects’ presentations. This research expands architectural education research by examining other ways of teaching history of architecture courses and its effect on the students’ knowledge gain and performance.