| Sumario: | Background: Generative learning activities, such as self‐explanation, have been shown to enhance learning outcomes. However, it remains unclear whether their benefits persist across different types of media with various levels of distraction. Objectives: This study addressed three questions: (1) a value‐added question, (2) a media comparison question and (3) an individual differences question. Method: On day one of the experiment, participants learned about ocean acidification in one of four randomly assigned conditions: immersive virtual reality (IVR) lesson with self‐explanation prompts (IVR+), IVR lesson without prompts (IVR), a slideshow lesson with self‐explanation prompts (slideshow+) or a slideshow lesson without prompts. Participants in the self‐explanation conditions were prompted to explain the previous segment during each of four pauses in the lesson. One week later, participants completed a delayed posttest as well as several executive function tasks. Results and Conclusion: Results demonstrated that participants who received self‐explanation prompts scored significantly higher on the posttest than those who did not, supporting the value‐added question hypothesis. Additionally, executive function scores significantly correlated with posttest scores for participants who learned in IVR, but not for those in the slideshow conditions, supporting the individual differences question. However, there were no significant differences in learning outcomes between the IVR and slideshow conditions, countering the media comparison hypothesis. The importance of these findings is discussed. Practitioner Notes: What is already know about this topic? ○The effect of immersive virtual reality on learning is not robustly established in well‐controlled research.○The use of generative learning strategies, like self‐explanation, is particularly helpful in multimedia learning environments.○Individual differences in executive function seem to be important in learning with certain kinds of media.What this paper adds? ○Well‐controlled media comparison research comparing immersive virtual reality to slideshow lesson.○Value‐added research investigating the impact of self‐explanation prompts across media.○Additional research focused on role individual differences play in learning with immersive virtual reality.Implications for practice and/or policy ○Provides further evidence for the impact of immersive virtual reality, in comparison to other instruction media, on learning.○Provides support for incorporating self‐explanation into learning across various learning media.○Promotes the importance of recognizing individual differences in executive function in learning with new instructional technology.
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