A Review of Research on the Design of IVR Reading Experiences for High-Cognitive-Load Texts
Abstract
Compared with traditional paper reading and screen reading, Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) provides new media and new experiences for reading. For high-cognitive-load texts such as ancient books, philosophy works and professional materials, reading needs continuous attention, meaning understanding and logical thinking. These texts also need stable and continuous reading conditions. This paper systematically reviews the current situation, main research points, basic structure and future directions of IVR reading experience design for high-cognitive-load texts. Existing studies show that IVR reading experience is not only decided by immersion. It is closely related to text interface, interaction control and virtual environment. This paper holds that the key of IVR reading design for high-cognitive-load texts is not to simply increase immersion. It is to support text understanding through text interface, interaction control and virtual environment. We need to balance immersion and text understanding. IVR should change from an immersive display medium to a reading medium that helps people understand complex texts deeply.
References
- Hu-Au, Elliot, and Joey J. Lee. "Virtual reality in education: a tool for learning in the experience age." International Journal of Innovation in Education 4.4 (2017): 215-226.
- Conrad, Matthias, David Kablitz, and Stephan Schumann. "Learning effectiveness of immersive virtual reality in education and training: A systematic review of findings." Computers & Education: X Reality 4 (2024): 100053.
- Sweller, John. "Cognitive load during problem solving: Effects on learning." Cognitive science 12.2 (1988): 257-285.
- Sweller, John, Jeroen JG Van Merrienboer, and Fred GWC Paas. "Cognitive architecture and instructional design." Educational psychology review 10.3 (1998): 251-296.
- Mayer, Richard E., and Roxana Moreno. "Nine ways to reduce cognitive load in multimedia learning." Educational psychologist 38.1 (2003): 43-52.
- Webster, R, 2015. Declarative knowledge acquisition in immersive virtual learning environments. Interactive Learning Environments, 23(4), 485–496. https: //doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2014.994533
- Petersen, Gustav Bøg, Giorgos Petkakis, and Guido Makransky. "A study of how immersion and interactivity drive VR learning." Computers & Education 179 (2022): 104429.
- Poupard, Matisse, et al. "A systematic review of immersive technologies for education: Learning performance, cognitive load and intrinsic motivation." British Journal of Educational Technology 56.1 (2025): 5-41.
- Scharinger, Christian. "Task-Irrelevant Decorative Pictures Increase Cognitive Load during Text Processing but Have No Effects on Learning or Working Memory Performance: An EEG and Eye-Tracking Study." Psychological Research, vol. 88, no. 4, 2024, pp. 1362–1388, https: //doi.org/10.1007/s00426-024-01939-8.
- Mayer, R. E. (2008). Applying the science of learning: Evidence-based principles for the design of multimedia instruction. American Psychologist. https: //psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2008-15778-032.html
- Ak, Oğuz. "Immersive virtual reality serious game studies in education: a brief review." Int J Higher Educ Pedag 5.1 (2024): 55-64.
- Bowman, D. A., Kruijff, E., LaViola, J. J., & Poupyrev, I. (2004). 3D User Interfaces: Theory and Practice. Addison-Wesley.
- Jacob, R. J. K. (1991). The use of eye movements in human-computer interaction techniques: What you look at is what you get. ACM
- Gabbard, Joseph L., J. Edward Swan, and Deborah Hix. "The effects of text drawing styles, background textures, and natural lighting on text legibility in outdoor augmented reality." Presence 15.1 (2006): 16-32.
- Moreno, Lourdes, et al. "Designing User Interfaces for Content Simplification Aimed at People with Cognitive Impairments." Universal Access in the Information Society, vol. 23, no. 1, 2023, pp. 99–117, https: //doi.org/10.1007/s10209-023-00986-z.
- Rau, Pei-Luen Patrick, et al. "Speed reading on virtual reality and augmented reality." Computers & Education 125 (2018): 240-245.
- Kojić, Tanja, et al. "User Experience of Reading in Virtual Reality — Finding Values for Text Distance, Size and Contrast." Unknown Journal, 2020, pp. 1–6, https: //doi.org/10.1109/qomex48832.2020.9123091.
- Novotny, Johannes, and David H. Laidlaw. "Evaluating text reading speed in vr scenes and 3d particle visualizations." IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics 30.5 (2024): 2602-2612.
- Altmann, E. M., & Trafton, J. G. (2002). Memory for goals: An activation-based model. Cognitive Science, 26(1), 39–83.
- DeStefano, D., & LeFevre, J.-A. (2007). Cognitive load in hypertext reading: A review. Computers in Human Behavior, 23(3), 1616–1641. https: //doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2005.08.012
- Wolfe, J. L. (2002). Annotation technologies: A software and research review. Computers and Composition, 19(4), 471–497.
- LaViola Jr, Joseph J., et al. 3D user interfaces: theory and practice. Addison-Wesley Professional, 2017.
- Ziegler, Jürgen E., and K-P. Fähnrich. "Direct manipulation." Handbook of human-computer interaction. North-Holland, 1988. 123-133.
- Mills, Kathy A., et al. "Virtual and Augmented Reality Text Environments Support Self-Directed Multimodal Reading." Interactive Learning Environments, vol. 33, no. 9, 2025, pp. 5460–5479, https: //doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2025.2482594.
- Cheng, Kun‐Hung. "Redundancy Effects of Information Design on Immersive Virtual Literary Reading: The Exploration of Cognitive Load, Empathy, and Reading Comprehension." Educational Technology Research and Development, 2025, https: //doi.org/10.1007/s11423-025-10554-2.
- Cauz, Maxime, Antoine Clarinval, and Bruno Dumas. "Text readability in augmented reality: a multivocal literature review." Virtual Reality 28.1 (2024): 59.
- Kaplan‐Rakowski, Regina, and Alice Gruber. "An experimental study on reading in high‐immersion virtual reality." British Journal of Educational Technology 55.2 (2024): 541-559.
- Khan, Rozemun, et al. "Assessing cognitive load using EEG and eye-tracking in 3-D learning environments: A systematic review." Multimodal Technologies and Interaction 9.9 (2025): 99.