Virtual Reality (VR) presents a promising avenue for enhancing student engagement and learning outcomes in education. This work aimed to identify key design principles for effective VR learning environments and evaluate VR’s impact on student engagement, motivation, and knowledge retention. The research revealed considerable potential for VR-based learning in the STEM field, particularly in the area of human-computer interaction (HCI). This was achieved through a comprehensive approach involving online surveys, expert and student interviews, and mixed-methods VR studies. The results show that memory, attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction improve compared to traditional methods described in the Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction (ARCS) model. The Technology Acceptance Model further highlighted VR’s high acceptance and usability among students, suggesting its strategic incorporation into educational frameworks. Leveraging VR’s immersive capabilities can invigorate student learning experiences, creating dynamic environments that resonate with modern learners through experiential learning and real-world applications. The VR system developed here effectively engages students with a “learning by doing” approach. However, it also highlights ongoing issues, including time-consuming setups, limited user control, and accessibility challenges in VR learning.