An Empirical Study on Virtual Reality Assisted Table Tennis Technique
Training
Ying Hao#
College of physical education
Northwest Normal University
Lanzhou, China
haoying_0204@163.com
#Co-author
Francis Frimpong
College of physical education
Northwest Normal University
Lanzhou, China
f_frimpong@outlook.com
Abstract-The purpose of this study was to explore the impact
of applying virtual reality teaching on table tennis teaching in
colleges and universities under the guidance of Bloom's
educational objective classification theory. The virtual reality
technology was applied through modern educational practice,
and the goal-oriented curriculum design improved students'
cognition degree of theoretical knowledge and skills in table
tennis, as it promoted the formation of movement skills. A total
of 60 female college students of non-physical education major
were the research participants. A randomized controlled trial
was conducted to evaluate their movement skills before and after
the experiment in a 4-week intervention from September to
October 2019. The results showed that the students acquired a
deeper mastery of the skills caused by the change in cognitive
degree of the knowledge they have learned. It was evident that
virtual reality assisted table tennis training system was effective
in promoting the formation of table tennis movement skills.
Key words: Virtual reality technology; Bloom's educational
objectives classification theory; Movement skill formation
I.INTRODUCTION
Virtual reality (VR) is a high-end human-computer
interaction medium, including real-time simulation and real-
time interaction through various sensory channels such as
vision, hearing, touch, smell and taste[1]. Since its
development in the 1980s, virtual reality technology has some
characteristics, such as immersion, interaction and
imagination[2], enabling its widely use in computer science,
psychology, neuroscience, engineering and other
interdisciplinary fields of technology. With the continuous
improvement and development of virtual reality technology, it
is increasingly integrated with people's daily activities, which
not only changes people's cognition of time and space, but
also brings new opportunities for educational reform. As
educational reform is a main technical means to improve the
quality of personnel training in our country, there have been
outstanding achievements in the aspect of talent cultivation,
1
Tao Liu#
College of physical education
Northwest Normal University
Lanzhou, China
lt520111@outlook.com
#Co-author
Xiaodong Wei*
College of physical education
Northwest Normal University
Lanzhou, China
wxd1633@163.com
*Correspondence Author
however, there is still a single model in teaching table tennis
within colleges and universities in China. The teaching
method is not new, the content emphasizes more on skills and
less on theory, teaching evaluation is subjective with other
practical problem, and students’ interest in learning table
tennis is easily overlooked leading to declined enthusiasm in
participation. In the end, although the quality and effect of
teaching expected in a lesson within certain periods are
achieved as required, the students’ emotions and attitudes are
obviously deficient in the learning of table tennis skills. In
virtual teaching, users conduct real-time interaction and
collaborative learning with people, objects and peers in virtual
situations by matching relevant VR devices in the network
environment[3]. Through a variety of sensory devices,
learners can realize the real-time interaction of vision, hearing
and touch, and form the meaning of knowledge construction
in the context of information transmission[4] to master
knowledge and skills. Compared with conventional teaching
methods, virtual reality teaching is rich in content and form,
which can effectively stimulate students' learning
motivation[5], deepen the degree of cognition[6], improve the
teaching effect, and ensure the quality of teaching. Therefore,
making use of virtual reality technology in school teaching
improves students' learning effect, establishes a modern
teaching model based on virtual reality, it provides students
with more detailed and complete information, and makes
students master and apply skills and knowledge while paying
attention to the cultivation of emotional attitude and the
establishment of lifelong sports consciousness simultaneously.
Psychologists P.M. Fitts and M.I. Posner analyzed the
specific process of movement skills formation from the
perspective of cognitive holistic theory, and proposed
movement formation theory[7], which mainly includes three
stages: 1) cognitive phase, 2) associative phase, and 3)
automation phase. In the process of forming motor skills, it is
considered that the human body first perceives the objective
things and makes the overall response. After the initial
understanding of the movement, it enters the practical
operation stage. Through the stimulation of the environment,
the movement skills are repeatedly practiced, and finally the
nervous psychology and excess movements are eliminated to
reach the proficient stage. The formation of movement skills
is a complex process, and how to quickly and completely
acquire movement skills is key[8]. In the study of cognitive
ability in modern cognitive psychology, it is believed that
teachers’ emphasis on the essential characteristics of skills
during teaching is linked to students’ ability to break through
key and difficult points to improve their cognitive level
according to teaching contents and students' characteristics. At
the same time, the field of cognitive linguistics proposes that
cognition cannot be separated from the body and is
personified with the core idea of ‘mind is embodied’
emphasizing that human cognitive activities are based on their
physiological structure, the process of perceptual movement
and the interaction between body and environment[9].
Therefore, with the help of virtual reality technology, students
can learn in the virtual environment, which is conducive to
enhance students' interest in learning and their cognitive level
of knowledge. The key point of teaching reform is to improve
students' cognition of the movement skills they have learned,
so that students can deeply understand the principles of
movement techniques, leading to improved teaching and
learning effects, and improve the teaching condition.
This study was aimed at exploring the effect of virtual
reality teaching in teaching table tennis at college level based
on Bloom's educational objectives classification theory.
Through the goal-oriented curriculum design to enhance
students' cognitive level of theoretical knowledge and skills of
table tennis. Virtual reality technology was used as a means of
teaching to improve the learning effect, achieve the training
effect and teaching purpose, and cultivate the habit of physical
exercise.
Figure 1. Teaching Scheme
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II. LITERATURE REVIEW
A. Research Object
This study took the influence of virtual reality technology
applied in teaching college level table tennis as the research
object, and explored the application value of virtual reality
technology in college table tennis teaching by implementing
the teaching scheme designed by Bloom's teaching objective
classification theory. 60 female college students were
randomly selected as the participants for the experiment.
B. Research methods
a) Experimental method
Based on the characteristics of table tennis training, a
completely random training experiment was designed, and the
training effect of virtual reality technology assisted table
tennis training was verified by experimental results. Sixty
female students of non-physical education major in a
university were recruited and randomly divided into two
groups (routine training group, n = 30; virtual reality training
group, n = 30). The recruitment conditions were good health,
dominant right hand, no table tennis training experience,
which ensured the smooth progress of the experiment.
b) System design
The VR equipment used in this experiment was HTC vive
virtual reality headwear equipment produced by HTC
company, consisting vive professional head display, virtual
glasses, two lighthouse base station infrared laser emitters and
two control handles; the application system selects the virtual
reality game "Eleven: Table Tennis" developed by For Fun
Labs. Virtual table tennis table is located in a 4 x 4 meter
space constructed by two locator devices. It enables users to
materialize the virtual environment formed by the computer
through virtual glasses, cooperate with the control handle to
interact with the virtual environment in real time. With the
adaptation of the virtual environment and the mastery of table
tennis movement techniques, users were able to choose the
way suitable for their own learning objectives for training.
The setting of different parameters made it suitable for the
training of different learning stages, providing users with
more choices and strengthening the user's sense of experience,
preventing the poor learning effect caused by unclear self-
orientation.
C) Teaching plan design
Based on Bloom's six stages of cognitive domain of
teaching objectives classification theory[10], combined with
virtual reality technology, this study designed the virtual
reality table tennis curriculum program. The cognitive goals
in the teaching theory are remembering, understanding,
applying, analyzing, evaluating and creating. Remembering
and understanding are the low-level objectives of learning
activities, and evaluation and creation are the high-level
objectives.
Remembering stage: the educational objective of
remembering level refers to the ability of students to obtain
and copy intuitive information, which requires students to
store the information in their brain in a certain learning setting,
so as to ensure information reproduction and recognition.
Teaching implementation: Firstly, the teacher systematically
explains the composition of the equipment framework (Eleven:
Table Tennis VR), the game principle, and operation method.
After preliminary understanding, the students enter the
learning stage of table tennis skills. According to the lesson
plan, the teacher gradually explains the table tennis grip,
serving and serve reception techniques, the movement
principles of forehand and backhand attack techniques, and
demonstrates the movements.
Understanding stage: as the most basic requirement of
higher education personnel training, the educational objective
of the understanding level can be realized through traditional
classroom teaching, scientific curriculum design and complete
teaching arrangement. The educational objective of the
understanding level is the process by which students
continuously understand the essence of the acquired
experiences and knowledge after processing. Teaching
implementation: in the learning process, students can explore
the technical movements that are difficult to understand by
traditional intuitive teaching through virtual presentation, so
as to deepen students' understanding of table tennis technical
movements and improve their ability of observation and vivid
thinking. Based on the original movement cognition, students
can complete the re cognition of the increased information.
 Applying stage: as the main stage of knowledge
internalization, students break down and recombine the
conceptual knowledge and procedural knowledge learned
before class to construct a knowledge system of self-cognition,
which is a process of explicit expression of language and
physical behavior characteristics in the new setting. Teaching
implementation: students enter the practice stage by
transforming knowledge into applied skills based on the
teacher's explanation and demonstration. Through observation,
guidance, evaluation and other ways, teachers can correct the
students' problems in the learning process, constantly
3
strengthen the students' understanding and mastery of
movement skills. According to the learners' own needs, adjust
the difficulty in the exercise model, so that students can
immerse themselves in the movement training with a relaxed
and happy mentality.
 analyzing stage: in the analysis stage, students are
required to refine the declarative knowledge and procedural
knowledge, seek the differences between them, and explain
the relationship between the part and the whole. Therefore, in
the teaching of table tennis, on the basis of mastering the basic
theory and movement skills, the differences between the
acquired knowledge and the taught knowledge are analyzed to
improve the knowledge structure. Teaching implementation:
while some students practice, the teacher guides the rest of the
students to watch the real-time interactive screen between
those practicing and the system, so that students can make
suggestions and comments and understand their own
problems and shortcomings. Then, the teacher first.takes
group discussion to find out the key points to the problem, and
then collective teaching is carried out to cultivate the
motivation of learners' table tennis skills.
Evaluating stage: it refers to the judgment made
according to a certain standard, including all the examination
and comments in the cognitive process. The learners express
the knowledge and skills they have learned through the test
method. In this process, the learners combine their own
understanding and acquisition of movement skills to show the
learning results purposefully. The teacher tests the students'
learning skills in table tennis to achieve the purpose of
feedback, in order to have a deeper understanding of the
students' mastery of technical movements, enabling further
guide the students. Teaching implementation: in this stage, the
learners' table tennis skills have initially entered the
automation stage, and the technical movements gradually
form the movement stereotype. At this time, the teaching
enters the teaching evaluation stage. The teacher tests the two
groups of students according to the test scheme, and evaluates
the students objectively according to the teaching objectives.
Creating stage: as the highest level of cognitive goal,
creative stage is rational and profound cognitive judgment.
Teachers guide students to self-analyze the skills they have
learned, summarize the acquired skills in the process of
learning, and can solve some problems promptly in table
tennis, such as the training of specific skills, the
implementation of training plans, the cultivation of skills and
tactics, and stimulate students' exploratory and creative
thinking in the way of self-analysis.
D) Methods of technique assessment and evaluation
The skill test included forehand hit, backhand block
movement technique score, forehand hit and backhand block,
each accounted for 50% of the movement technique score.
The subjects were comprehensively evaluated using both
subjective and objective technique evaluations. The
movement technique evaluation was based on the direct
counting of forehand and backhand rallies, as shown in Table
1.
 Table 1
Movement Technique Test and Evaluation Standards.
Score Forehand \Backhand Rally
1-3 points 1-5 complete rallies
4-6 points 6-10 complete rallies
7-9 points 11-15 complete rallies
10-12 points 16-20 complete rallies
13-15 points 21-25 complete rallies
III. RESULTS AND ANALYSIS
3.1 Analysis of Skill Evaluation Results for Routine
Training Group
In traditional table tennis course, learners gradually form
the imaginary movement through the teacher's teaching and
movement demonstration. In the specific practice, students
take this as the reference target of practice, and repeatedly
compare with it in the process of practice, and finally connect
the various parts to realize the preliminary automation of
movement skills. To explore the effect of traditional teaching,
paired sample T-test was used to compare the effect of routine
teaching, as shown in Figure 2.
In analyzing of the learning effect of the routine training
group, the overall increase of the skill evaluation results of the
students in the group after learning the table tennis course for
one semester was relatively large, among which the backhand
block index was particularly obvious. It showed that the
curriculum design based on Bloom's teaching objectives in the
learning process was conducive to the formation of students'
movement skills, especially in the acquisition of more
difficult movement skills, and can effectively promote the
development of movement skills after repeated practice.
Figure2.Analysis of Skill Evaluation Results for
Regular Training Group
4
Figure 3. Analysis of Skill Evaluation Results for Virtual Reality
Training Group
3.2 Analysis of Skill Evaluation Results for Virtual
Reality Training Group
With the in-depth integration of virtual simulation
technology and education, an immersive teaching scene was
created for learners. Students used a variety of hardware
devices to interact and provided feedback between humans
and machines from a first-person perspective to enhance their
learning experience. However, an exact answer is yet to be
realized whether or not virtual reality teaching can promote
the effect of table tennis teaching. In order to explore the
potential value of the virtual reality-assisted training system, a
paired sample T-test was used to longitudinally compare each
test content in the virtual reality training group.
In terms of skill evaluation results, there were significant
differences between pre-test and post-test results of the
subjects' forehand and backhand attacks. It verified that the
virtual reality system assisted teaching had a positive impact
on the students' movement performance. In the immersive
virtual reality table tennis training, learners used the correct
hitting technique in the virtual reality table tennis assisted
training system to obtain feedback on the learning effect. At
the same time, it effectively saved time and broke the space-
time limitation. Therefore, there was significant changes
between the pre-experimental and post experimental test
results of table tennis skills.
3.3 Post-test Analysis of Skill Evaluation Scores
differences between the Virtual Reality Group and the
Routine Group
In order to explore whether the virtual reality table tennis
assistant system can effectively promote the mastery of table
tennis skills, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA)
combined with LSD pairwise test was used to horizontally
compare the test content of the learners in the two groups.

Figure 4. Difference in Skill Evaluation Results
As shown in Figure 4, the virtual reality training group
had higher average results in the forehand attack and
backhand attack skill evaluation than the routine training
group, and the data characteristics had significant differences.
It was verified that the virtual reality table tennis assisted
practice system was superior to the routine training group in
terms of skill mastery. The reason may be that the new
technical methods stimulated the interest of learners, leading
to more complete movement techniques for students to master
in a shorter time. Secondly, the virtual reality assisted practice
system displays movement techniques from any angle
according to the student’s wish, further reflecting the central
idea of teaching as supplementary learning, so that learners
could form a more complete technical representation before
learning new content, suitable for the formation of movement
skills.
IV. DISCUSSION
4.1 The impact of virtual reality teaching on learning
effect
In this research, we found that both teaching strategies can
effectively promote the learning effect of students. Compared
with the routine training group, the virtual reality training
group had significant differences in the skill evaluation results
after the teaching experiment compared with the pretest
results. The relationship between virtual reality and the
improvement of learning effects was positive. At the same
time, the virtual teaching environment constructed by the use
of virtual equipment was conducive to learners, which
enhanced their subjective feelings on the basis of stimulating
learning motivation and innovative ability, thereby enhancing
their cognitive levels of sports participation and improving the
learning effect. The reasons for the results of this study may
be as follows: 1) based on Bloom's classification of cognitive
skills, higher goal orientation in the teaching process
stimulated students' learning motivation, and highlighted the
key and difficult points of teaching. At the same time, the
detailed and quantitative teaching objectives avoided the
randomness and blindness in teaching to a certain extent. 2)
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The deep coupling of virtual reality technology and modern
education dealt with the boring feeling in the traditional
mechanical training. The teaching of knowledge paid more
attention to the stimulation of students' interest and the
cultivation of sports literacy, so that students could obtain a
sense of pleasure in the process of sporting activities, it
further stimulated students' interest, and gave students the
psychological tendency to participate in sporting activities and
engage in physical exercises. 3) The teaching model based on
virtual reality system dealt with the limitation of time and
space on the allocation of teaching resources, and enabled
students to interact with the environment in real time during
the learning process. Each sensory system was immersed in
the environment created by the virtual reality system, which
improved the cognitive level of knowledge and improved the
learning efficiency. In the future, the teaching model based on
virtual reality will become a new teaching hotspot[11].
4.2 The impact of virtual reality technology on
teaching effect
From this study, it was confirmed that the application of
virtual reality technology can promote the improvement of
table tennis movement skills, and effectively improve the
teaching effect, but there are still limitations in the evaluation.
The characteristics of learners can affect the training
effect[12],therefore, the subjects selected in this study had no
table tennis training experience and were right-hand dominant.
The skill evaluation before the experiment was consistent, but
it did not indicate the consistency in other aspects, such as: 1)
whether the participants have a unique solution to the virtual
reality system and have participated in such activities; 2) their
own personality, motivation and cognitive level factor[13].
From the perspective of information processing theory,
knowledge can be divided into two types (declarative and
procedural)[14],the application of virtual reality technology to
the study of improving declarative knowledge can help
achieve better teaching effect, while the procedural learning
of operational nature such as skill formation has less influence.
However, the results of this study are different from this point
of view. In the table tennis experiment in colleges and
universities, teachers choose teaching forms according to
teaching objectives, curriculum characteristics, teaching
facilities, students' characteristics and other factors. The
combination of theory and practice shows the stage and level
in the teaching process. Students can form a certain memory
and strengthen the application of technical movements to
further improve their sports performance. Students' learning in
virtual reality environment is mainly based on perception, and
perception is considered as a cognitive task, so knowledge
cognition is very important for movement skills in the real
world[15]. This research was based on Bloom's educational
objective classification and virtual reality technology-based
teaching design, which was conducive to deepen students'
cognitive level in the learning process, and enabled them to
master relatively complete movement techniques, that led to
improved teaching effect.
 V. CONCLUSION
5.1 The subjects selected in this experiment were students
without table tennis training experience, and there was no
significant difference in the pre-test skill evaluation results.
After four weeks of intervention experiment, there was a
significant difference between the virtual reality training
group and the routine training group in the skill evaluation
results, which shows that the virtual reality table tennis
assisted practice system can effectively promote the formation
of table tennis movement skills.
5.2 This research shows that the virtual reality table tennis
assisted training system has significant differences in
improving table tennis techniques, which is mainly manifested
in the deepening of students' mastery of skills caused by the
change of their cognitive level of the knowledge they have
learned, and the enhancement of students' ability to grasp the
movement skills when interacting with virtual situations, and
ultimately in the improvement of learning effect.
5.3 Virtual reality teaching can be used as an effective
means to stimulate learners' potential learning ability. It can
promote the development of sports skills while achieving a
higher cognitive level of the knowledge learned. It is a new
teaching concept for physical education curriculum reform,
which is conducive for improving the teaching quality.
Acknowledgment
This work was supported in part by the National Natural
Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 62067009) ， and
Education Innovation Foundation of Gansu(2020A-004).
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