Illuminating the Scene: How Virtual Environments and Learning Modes Shape Film Lighting Mastery in Virtual Reality

In virtual reality (VR) education, particularly in creative fields like film production, the role of different virtual environments in shaping learning outcomes remains underexplored. This study investigates how three distinct environments—baseline, a dynamic beach setting, and a familiar office space—affect students' ability to learn film lighting techniques and whether team-based learning offers advantages over individual learning. We conducted a 3×2 factorial experiment with 36 participants to examine the effects of these environments on learning performance. Our results show for individual learners, the dynamic and potentially distracting beach environment increased frustration and effort but also heightened their sense of engagement and perceived performance. In contrast, team-based learning in familiar environments like the office significantly reduced frustration and fostered collaboration, leading to improved performance. Interestingly, team-based learning excelled in the baseline environment, whereas individual learners performed better in more challenging settings like the beach. These findings provide practical insights into optimizing virtual environments to enhance both individual and collaborative learning in VR education.