Keyword: Virtual Reality

ABSTRACT: Immersive technologies such as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are increasingly used in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, yet their effects on student engagement, cognitive load, and transfer of learning remain fragmented. This systematic review synthesized empirical research on AR and VR in STEM learning environments to examine how these technologies influence behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement; intrinsic, extraneous, and germane cognitive load; and near- and far-transfer outcomes. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, we searched major education and psychology databases for studies involving AR/VR STEM interventions with quantified engagement, cognitive load, or transfer measures. Twenty studies met the inclusion criteria. Across the sample, immersive technologies consistently enhanced student engagement, particularly by increasing interest, enjoyment, and time-on-task, although effects on deeper cognitive engagement were more variable. Augmented reality frequently reduced extraneous cognitive load by integrating digital information directly into physical learning tasks, whereas fully immersive virtual reality sometimes increased overall mental effort when environments were perceptually rich or navigation demands were high. Transfer of learning outcomes was generally positive but modest: most studies reported gains in near transfer, defined here as applying what was learned to tasks or problems that closely resemble the original learning context, while evidence for far transfer, defined as applying learning to novel, more complex, or substantially different situations, was limited and inconsistently assessed. Taken together, the findings indicate that immersive technologies most reliably improve student engagement and near-transfer learning in STEM when instructional design deliberately manages cognitive load, rather than relying on immersion alone to produce learning gains. These results underscore the importance of aligning immersive features with targeted learning goals and providing structured guidance and reflection to support meaningful transfer of learning.