Jaclyn Steffan

Jaclyn's research interests and current projects address the role of virtual reality and it's impact on cognitive load and the transfer of schema.

She is also working as a research assistant within the School of Education conducting literature reviews, collecting and analysing data, assisting with the design and development of university courses and producing micro-credentials based on evidence-based educational practices to assist pre-service and in-service teachers.

Jaclyn is currently working on the following research project:

The effectiveness of virtual reality on cognitive load and schema acquisition of STEM students

There has been an increase in the use of virtual reality (VR) in schools, yet due to a gap in the literature educators and researchers have a limited understanding of how VR contributes to the development of schema and impacts on the human cognitive process.

This research aims to determine if VR has an impact on the acquisition of schema, and how VR effects the cognitive load of students compared with traditional teaching methods.

It is expected that VR will enhance schema and reduce effect on students’ cognitive load due to the vivid and lifelike simulations which afford students the ability to assimilate new learning to previous knowledge.