University of the West of Scotland

An Early-Stage Feasibility and Usability Pilot for an Immersive Serious Game to Support English Spelling and Semantic Skills

This early-stage feasibility pilot examined whether an AI-assisted virtual reality serious game could support adult English spelling and semantic skills, with the broader aim of addressing persistent literacy challenges.

• The pilot found that spelling errors fell from a pre-test mean of 3.86 to a post-test mean of 3.07, a medium effect (Cohen's d = 0.514), but the change was not statistically significant (p = 0.077).
• Completion time also decreased with a medium effect (Cohen's d = 0.447), yet this too was not statistically significant (p = 0.118).
• Self-reported gains were high, with 75% of participants reporting improved spelling and 87.5% reporting semantic benefits, though subjective measures carry their own limitations.