Exploring learning effectiveness of integrating mixed reality in educational settings: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

This study employed a systematic review and meta-analysis approach to retrospectively analyze the literature related to the application of mixed reality (MR) technology in education from 2009 to 2025. The goal of this study was to ascertain the developmental trends, advantages, and challenges of applying MR technology in current educational practice. It scrutinized the current status of MR technology in relation to education, explored factors influencing the learning effectiveness of students, and calculated the effect size of the impact of MR on learning effectiveness within educational settings. The criteria for inclusion and exclusion were established prior to the analysis, culminating in a comprehensive study and discussion of 124 selected papers. The selected literature was then systematically analyzed. To further clarify the key variables affecting the efficacy of MR in educational applications, thirty-two papers with complete and eligible experimental data were entered for the final meta-analysis. The results showed that the overall average weighted effect size $g_{+}$ was 0.56 using a random-effects model, achieving a medium effect size standard. This encompassed 72 comparisons and involved 2251 students, with a 95 % confidence interval ranging from 0.28 to 0.85. This result indicates that educational contexts using MR technology were associated with higher learning outcomes compared to those using traditional teaching methods. Furthermore, an analysis of the moderating variables within the study revealed that the integration of MR technology in education is affected by three distinct variables: course learning duration, frequency of MR equipment usage, and presence or absence of teacher assistance during the research process. These variables exhibited significant differences that influenced the learning effectiveness. The study concludes with specific recommendations for the development of MR technology in educational contexts, in hopes that the findings will contribute valuable insights to the field.