This paper reviews a set of studies that examined what students learn in various virtual reality environments (VREs) designed to promote an understanding of environmental science. The goal of the reported studies was to provide an update to the classic distinction between the role of media versus method in promoting learning (Clark, 1999). Media was varied by comparing how students learn from an instructional game delivered via a desktop display (D), head mounted display without walking (H), and head mounted display with walking (W). The instructional method was varied by comparing how students learn when words are presented as on-screen text (T), narration (N), or both(NT). (Contains 20 references.) (Author)