📄 social_science

Impact of 2D and 3D Digital Storytelling within Interactive Simulation Environments on Mathematics Achievement and Geometry Skills of Students with Learning Difficulties

This quasi-experimental study involving 40 fifth-grade female students with learning difficulties in Oman demonstrates that while both 2D and 3D digital storytelling within interactive simulations improve mathematics achievement and geometry skills, the 3D approach yields significantly higher academic achievement with a large effect size.

Original authors: Zeyana Al-Hinai, Sami Al-Mazroui

Published 2026-09-03

📖 4 min read☕ Coffee break read

CC BY 4.0

Original authors: Zeyana Al-Hinai, Sami Al-Mazroui

Original paper licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). ✨ This is an AI-generated explanation of the paper below. It is not written or endorsed by the authors. For technical accuracy, refer to the original paper. Read full disclaimer

For many students, mathematics is not a series of abstract symbols but a landscape of shapes and spaces that feels impossible to navigate. This is especially true for those with learning difficulties, who often struggle to visualize the properties of objects, such as the number of sides on a shape or the symmetry of a pattern. In recent years, educators have turned to digital tools to bridge this gap, hoping that interactive stories could make these abstract concepts tangible. Two main approaches have emerged in this digital realm: flat, two-dimensional stories that play out on a screen like a traditional cartoon, and three-dimensional stories that allow learners to move around inside a virtual world. While both methods aim to engage the mind through narrative and interaction, it has remained unclear whether the added depth of a three-dimensional environment offers a genuine advantage over the simpler, flatter version for students who find geometry particularly challenging.

A team of researchers at the Arab Open University in Oman set out to answer this question by observing a group of fifth-grade girls who had been identified with learning difficulties in mathematics. The researchers created a specialized learning environment where these students could explore geometry through interactive simulations. In this setup, the students were not merely watching a video; they were active participants who could make decisions and see the results of their actions within a digital story. The study divided the forty participants into two equal groups. One group experienced the geometry lessons through three-dimensional digital stories, where they could interact with virtual objects in a space that mimicked real-world depth. The other group learned the exact same material through two-dimensional digital stories, which presented the same narrative and concepts but on a flat screen without the immersive spatial elements.

The results of the experiment were clear and encouraging for both groups. When the students were tested before and after the lessons, both groups showed statistically significant improvements in their understanding of the geometry unit. The students who used the three-dimensional stories saw their scores rise from an average of 8.90 to 14.00, while those in the two-dimensional group improved from an average of 8.60 to 11.95. This confirmed that both methods were effective tools for helping these students grasp difficult mathematical concepts. However, when the researchers compared the two groups directly, a distinct difference emerged. The students who learned through the three-dimensional stories achieved higher scores than their peers in the flat-screen group, suggesting that the ability to interact with the material in a more realistic, spatial environment provided a stronger boost to their academic achievement.

The study also looked at how well the students could actually perform the skills they had learned, rather than just answering test questions. Researchers observed the students as they worked through geometry tasks, checking their ability to identify shapes and understand their properties. Both groups showed remarkable growth in these practical skills, with their performance levels rising significantly from the start of the study to the end. Interestingly, when the researchers compared the final skill levels of the two groups, they found no statistical difference between them. This means that while the three-dimensional approach helped students score higher on tests, both the flat and the immersive stories were equally successful in helping the students master the actual hands-on skills of geometry.

These findings suggest that integrating digital storytelling into interactive simulations is a powerful strategy for supporting students with learning difficulties. The three-dimensional approach appears to offer a specific advantage in helping students achieve higher test scores, likely because the immersive environment helps them build clearer mental pictures of complex shapes. Yet, the fact that the two-dimensional method was just as effective at teaching practical skills indicates that even simpler digital tools can make a profound difference. For educators, this means that while adding depth and realism to digital lessons can be highly beneficial, the core element of an engaging, interactive story is what truly drives learning, regardless of whether the world it creates is flat or deep.

Technical Summary: Impact of 2D and 3D Digital Storytelling within Interactive Simulation Environments on Mathematics Achievement and Geometry Skills of Students with Learning Difficulties

Problem Statement
Despite the rapid integration of digital technology in education, there is a scarcity of empirical research comparing the effectiveness of two-dimensional (2D) versus three-dimensional (3D) digital storytelling when embedded within interactive simulation environments. This gap is particularly pronounced regarding students with learning difficulties in the context of basic education mathematics. Existing literature often focuses on general digital storytelling impacts or compares traditional methods against digital ones, without isolating the specific contribution of visual dimensionality (2D vs. 3D) to conceptual understanding and skill acquisition. Furthermore, limited attention has been paid to how these specific modes support female students with learning difficulties in Oman, a demographic often struggling with abstract geometric concepts, spatial reasoning, and mathematical operations.

Methodology
The study employed a quasi-experimental design to investigate the effects of two instructional approaches on mathematics achievement and geometry skills.

Participants: The sample consisted of 40 fifth-grade female students with learning difficulties in mathematics from a school in the Muscat Governorate, Oman. Participants were divided into two equal experimental groups (n=20 per group).
Intervention: Both groups utilized an interactive simulation environment developed using Articulate Storyline, based on the Grade 5 Cambridge Science and Mathematics Curriculum (Oman).
- Group 1 (3D): Received instruction via three-dimensional digital storytelling within the simulation.
- Group 2 (2D): Received instruction via corresponding two-dimensional digital storytelling within the same simulation environment.
Instruments:
- Achievement Test: A 20-item test assessing scientific knowledge related to the geometry unit (Cronbach's α = 0.69).
- Observation Checklist: A tool to measure the acquisition of performance-based geometry skills, rated on a three-point scale (Low, Moderate, Excellent). Reliability coefficients ranged from 0.71 to 0.85 across pre- and post-applications.
Procedure: Pre-tests were administered to both groups, followed by the instructional intervention. Post-tests were administered to measure changes in achievement and skills.
Analysis: Data were analyzed using SPSS. Descriptive statistics (means, standard deviations) were calculated. Paired-samples t-tests were used to compare pre- and post-test scores within groups. Independent samples t-tests were used to compare post-test scores between the two groups. Effect sizes were calculated and interpreted based on Cohen's (1988) criteria using eta-squared ( $\eta^2$ ).

Key Results

Within-Group Improvements: Both groups showed statistically significant improvements in mathematics achievement and geometry skills from pre-test to post-test ( $p \le 0.05$ $p \leq 0.05$ ).
- 3D Group: Achievement mean increased from 8.90 to 14.00 ( $\eta^2 = 0.93$ ). Geometry skills mean increased from 1.21 to 2.28 ( $\eta^2 = 0.96$ ).
- 2D Group: Achievement mean increased from 8.60 to 11.95 ( $\eta^2 = 0.93$ ). Geometry skills mean increased from 1.15 to 2.26 ( $\eta^2 = 0.99$ ).
Between-Group Comparison (Achievement): A statistically significant difference was found in post-test mathematics achievement scores between the two groups, favoring the 3D group ( $M=14.00$ ) over the 2D group ( $M=11.95$ ), with a large effect size ( $\eta^2 = 0.67$ ).
Between-Group Comparison (Skills): No statistically significant difference was found between the two groups in the post-observation assessment of geometry skills ( $p = 0.824$ ). Both groups achieved comparable levels of practical skill mastery ( $M_{3D}=2.28$ vs. $M_{2D}=2.26$ ).

Key Contributions

Comparative Efficacy: The study provides empirical evidence that while both 2D and 3D digital storytelling within interactive simulations are effective for students with learning difficulties, the 3D modality yields significantly higher gains in overall mathematics achievement.
Skill vs. Achievement Distinction: The research highlights a nuanced finding where 3D storytelling significantly outperformed 2D in academic test scores, yet both modalities resulted in equivalent development of practical geometry skills as measured by observation checklists.
Contextual Application: The study successfully adapted interactive simulations to the Omani educational context, integrating local cultural elements (e.g., traditional architecture) into geometric learning tasks, aligning with Oman's Vision 2040 for inclusive education.

Significance and Claims
The authors claim that integrating digital storytelling within interactive simulation environments is a highly effective instructional strategy for supporting mathematics learning among students with learning difficulties. The study concludes that:

3D Superiority in Achievement: Three-dimensional digital storytelling offers distinct advantages for enhancing academic achievement, likely due to richer visual and perceptual experiences that facilitate the construction of mental models for abstract geometric concepts, aligning with the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning.
Equivalence in Skill Development: Both 2D and 3D approaches are equally effective in developing practical geometry skills, suggesting that the interactive narrative structure itself is a primary driver of skill acquisition, regardless of dimensionality.
Pedagogical Recommendation: The study recommends incorporating both approaches into mathematics instruction but prioritizing 3D digital storytelling for its added benefits in boosting academic achievement. It further suggests that 2D storytelling remains a valuable tool, particularly for learners requiring simplified, structured content before advancing to complex 3D formats.

The authors maintain a modest stance, acknowledging that while 3D showed superior results in achievement, the lack of significant difference in skill observation suggests that both modalities are viable, effective tools for this specific learner population. The study does not claim universal superiority of 3D over 2D in all contexts but emphasizes its specific efficacy in improving test-based achievement for fifth-grade female students with learning difficulties in Oman.

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