Evaluating the efficacy of virtual reality-based pedagogical interventions on skill acquisition and cognitive engagement in technical education: A case study of Kogi state, Nigeria

Technical education is important in ensuring practical skills acquisition that are key for industrial and economic improvement, though traditional teaching methods often associated with deficit in promoting deep cognitive involvement and tangible skill acquisition in fields of technical context. This research work evaluate virtual reality (VR)-based pedagogical interventions and their effects on acquisition of skill and cognitive engagement within technical education students in Kogi State, Nigeria being an area under low exploration in such research methods. By implementing immersive VR simulations directed to local technical trades (e.g., automobile repair, electrical installation), this research determines the impacts of VR environments on the development psychomotor skill acquisition, knowledge retention, and learner encouragement compared to conventional instructional approaches. A mix mode design method was used, involving 120 students from four technical colleges in Kogi State, data gathered through pre- and post-intervention assessments, psychomotor skill evaluations, cognitive engagement surveys, and semi-structured interviews. Results indicate that VR-based interventions significantly enhance skill acquisition speed (p < 0.01), thereby improving knowledge retention by 32%, and improve cognitive engagement scores by 45% compare to the control sets. Qualitative results underscore students’ views of VR as a motivating and contextually relevant instrument, despite constraints such as inadequate technological infrastructure and the necessity for enhanced instructor training. This study examines VR’s application in technical education within a Nigerian context, providing insights for curriculum innovation, policy formulation, and possible technology adoption under resource-insufficient settings. Future research should dwell on long-term skill transferability and the cost-minimization of VR interventions across different technical education frameworks.