A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF GROUP AND INDIVIDUAL LEARNING EXPERIENCES IN A CULTURAL QUEST IN A VIRTUAL REALITY MUSEUM

Abstract

The study examines an impact of group collaboration and individual reflection on cultural competence and personal growth in a virtual reality museum quest. The objective of the study is to determine whether collaborative learning involving group discussion and collective decision-making increases cultural competence and language use compared to introspective individual reflection through note-taking tasks. A total of 54 participants (25 individual and 29 group) took part in a museum VR quest where they interacted with culturally relevant artworks. The study utilized a mixed-method design including pre- and post-quest questionnaires, structured observations, and performance evaluations by teaching assistants. Independent and paired t-tests were conducted to compare measures of cultural competence and personal connection between the two groups. Results indicated that individual participants demonstrated greater personal growth and deeper cultural connection, while group participants demonstrated slightly higher cultural competence scores due to collaborative discussions. The results emphasize the importance of balancing social interaction and individual reflection in virtual reality-based learning environments to achieve high cultural and linguistic learning outcomes.