Effect of Physical and Virtual Operations Sequences on Students’ Knowledge Acquisition, Learning Motivation, Engagement, and Cognitive Load in a C-STEAM Project

The aim of this study is to examine the impact of physical manipulation (PM) and virtual manipulation (VM) on students' learning experiences throughout the Timber Arch Lounge Bridge culture course, especially focusing on different stages of the course. A quasi-experimental approach was employed, wherein two teaching sequences were designed: "real first, then virtual" and "virtual first," utilizing physical teaching resource "Luban Lock" and virtual simulation teaching resource "E bridge APP" as examples. These two resource utilization modes were employed in teaching experiments, and the effects of the teaching sequences on students' knowledge acquisition, learning motivation, course engagement, and cognitive load were compared. The findings indicate that there were no significant disparities in knowledge acquisition and cognitive load between the distinct sequences of physical and virtual operations. Nevertheless, the "virtual first, then real" sequence substantially augmented students' motivation and engagement in the course. This study serves as a valuable reference for the development of teaching methods that integrate the virtual and physical realms. Specifically, it highlights how judicious use of virtual teaching at various stages of instruction can effectively amplify students' enthusiasm and motivation for learning. Future research could delve deeper into exploring different permutations of "virtual and real" sequences to optimize the utilization of teaching resources.