| Sumario: | Background: Previous research has shown that adding a pedagogical agent (PA) exhibiting humanlike embodiment cues into lecture videos has the potential to facilitate multimedia learning; however, empirical evidence regarding the impact of learning with these embodied PAs in virtual reality (VR) settings remains limited. Objectives: This study aims to investigate the effect of the media environment type and the presence of embodied PA on learners' learning performance, intrinsic motivation, social presence, and cognitive load in VR lecture video settings. Methods: A total of 125 participants were divided into one of four experimental conditions formed by a 2 (embodied PA: present vs. absent) × 2 (media environment: 2D screen vs. immersive VR) factorial between‐subjects experimental design. Results and Conclusions: Results indicated that (a) VR significantly enhanced intrinsic motivation and social presence; meanwhile, the interaction effects between the two variables were observed: (b) embodied PA in VR led to better learning performance and social presence than on the screen, while this effect on learning performance was reversed in no‐PA conditions; moreover, (c) under screen conditions, no‐PA resulted in higher learning performance and social presence than embodied PA. These findings highlight that the media environment serves as a boundary condition for embodied PA effectiveness, support the combined use of embodied PA and VR to enhance learning content, and also indicate the advantages of delivering verbal‐narrated video instruction via a 2D screen when it is difficult to create embodied PA and afford VR equipment. Summary: What is currently known about this topic ○High‐immersion VR is generally considered to enhance learning more effectively than low‐immersion platforms, although inconsistent findings have also been reported.○Embodied PAs hold the potential to enhance social presence and foster learning in video lectures.○There is less evidence of learning with the embodied PA in VR environments compared to 2D screen settings.What does this paper add ○Increasing the immersion level of the media environment enhances intrinsic motivation and social presence during learning in VR lecture videos.○The result shows that adding an embodied PA in the VR lecture video did not significantly increase cognitive load.○The immersion type of the media environment serves as a boundary condition under which embodied PA is effective, as the results showed that the embodied PA was better suited to immersive virtual reality than desktop‐based environments.Implications for practice/or policy ○Incorporating embodied PA with humanlike embodiment cues in VR has the potential to improve students' learning achievement and experience.○It is also encouraged to deliver verbally narrated video instruction via a 2D screen when it is difficult to create embodied PA and afford VR equipment.
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