Visual narrative Game: an exploratory study on the role of visual communication in virtualworlds for socio-emotional learning in preadolescents.

This paper describes an exploratory study conducted with 298 students in the first year of lower secondary school (about 11 years old), aimed at investigating the educational potential of narrative virtual worlds as immersive visual environments for socio-emotional learning. The project involved the creation of a three-dimensional interactive world with FrameVR, inspired by a treasure hunt on the theme of trust, where traditional games were reinterpreted in a digital and collaborative narrative context. Visual communication played a central role in the design: narrative space, symbolic interaction, and visually meaningful settings were integrated to create a sensory and relational ecosystem. Storytelling was implemented through both embedded plotlines and participant- driven engaging experience. Drawing on narrative-based learning theories and game-based education models, the study explores how storytelling fosters meaning-making and emotional resonance, emphasizing the multimodal and visual dimension of communication in immersive contexts. A mixed-methods approach was adopted: motivation was assessed with the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ), digital skills with a DigiComp 2.2 inspired grid, transversal skills with the Life Skills Assessment Scale (LSAS) and the Life Skills Survey Tool (LiSST), and usability with the System Usability Scale (SUS). Focus groups were also conducted to qualitatively investigate learners’ engagement and meaning-making. Preliminary results highlight significant student engagement, increased perceived self-efficacy, and a positive evaluation of the virtual environment in terms of accessibility, stimulation, and inclusiveness. These findings suggest that combining traditional games, immersive storytelling, virtual technologies, and visual digital languages creates a powerful multimodal ecosystem for authentic and inclusive learning experiences.