Virtual and Augmented Reality in Education

A special issue of Education Sciences (ISSN 2227-7102). This special issue belongs to the section "Technology Enhanced Education".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 November 2023) | Viewed by 11360

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Computer Science, International Hellenic University, 570 01 Nea Moudania, Greece
Interests: immersive technologies; AR; VR mixed reality; XR; mobile learning
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Computer Science, International Hellenic University, 570 01 Nea Moudania, Greece
Interests: educational technology; immersive technologies in education; learning analytics; serious games
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As immersive technologies are becoming more user-friendly and affordable, they tend to represent very promising technological tools for education.

Technological development such as augmented/virtual or mixed reality will affect education, having a major impact both for the educators and the students.

Students can make use of virtual spaces, teleport to new words, become immersed in different locations around the world without even leaving their desks, or become content creators via AR experiences or mixed reality outdoor activities, creating new opportunities in educational activities even for students with mobility impairments.

On the other hand, educators can now access different types of highly engaging educational material, even for topics that initially seemed of low interest to the students, due to a plethora of pervasive immersive apps. Collaborations, skill transfer and creativity are reformed via the immersive technologies as a new set of competencies seems to arise.

This Special Issue aims to compile a comprehensive review of educational use cases of XR technologies across the globe, highlighting the benefits, the risks and the limitations and adoption challenges of immersive technologies.

Prof. Dr. Avgoustos A. Tsinakos
Dr. Ioannis Kazanidis
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • immersive technologies
  • mixed reality in education
  • augmented reality
  • virtual reality

Published Papers (3 papers)

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30 pages, 5741 KiB  
Article
Critical Immersive-Triggered Literacy as a Key Component for Inclusive Digital Education
by Chrysoula Lazou and Avgoustos Tsinakos
Educ. Sci. 2023, 13(7), 696; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13070696 - 09 Jul 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2035
Abstract
The present empirical study investigates, analyzes, and discusses the affordances and limitations of an augmented reality (AR)-based educational intervention for the critical digital awareness of secondary school students through a sociocultural framework of instruction. The design of the educational intervention focuses on the [...] Read more.
The present empirical study investigates, analyzes, and discusses the affordances and limitations of an augmented reality (AR)-based educational intervention for the critical digital awareness of secondary school students through a sociocultural framework of instruction. The design of the educational intervention focuses on the empowerment of students’ critical digital skills in the new media produsage ecosystem in parallel with the development of target language skills through content and language integrated learning (CLIL) in a mobile augmented reality (MAR)-based transnational educational setting. This study focuses on examining the usefulness rather than the digital use of MAR from a socio-constructivism perspective with 77 participants from diverse socio-cultural backgrounds and educational settings. More specifically, an investigation of the potential of internalization of new knowledge through immersive-triggered inclusive educational practices is carried out, examining the effectiveness of the universal design for learning principles (UDL) as a pedagogical framework for AR-based instruction related to long-term memory retention, the synthesis of meaningful learning instances, and the creation of new knowledge. The study findings suggest that AR-based instruction, if incorporated into a robust pedagogical framework, can enhance attention and long-term memory retention, provide meaningful, inclusive learning opportunities, and facilitate digital well-being in the ever-evolving complex learning ecosystem. This study concludes by proposing the term of critical immersive-triggered literacy (CIT Literacy), defined as a skill development framework that triggers learners’ attention and facilitates digital well-being for meaningful learning instances via immersive technologies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Virtual and Augmented Reality in Education)
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19 pages, 328 KiB  
Article
Enhancing Cultural Empathy in International Social Work Education through Virtual Reality
by Komalsingh Rambaree, Nessica Nässén, Jörgen Holmberg and Göran Fransson
Educ. Sci. 2023, 13(5), 507; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13050507 - 16 May 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2134
Abstract
School-based bullying is a major global social problem affecting societies around the world. It is argued that Virtual Reality (VR) offers benefits and possibilities in social work education. Within this context, a study was carried out with the aim of analysing students’ experiences [...] Read more.
School-based bullying is a major global social problem affecting societies around the world. It is argued that Virtual Reality (VR) offers benefits and possibilities in social work education. Within this context, a study was carried out with the aim of analysing students’ experiences with a school-based bullying scenario through Head-Mounted Display Virtual Reality (HMD VR), and exploring the pedagogical potential of this technology to support the enhancement of cultural empathy in international social work education. Using cultural competence and social constructivist perspectives focused on empathy theory, this article addresses the following research questions: How do the research participants describe experiencing the bullying scene with HMD VR? How do the research participants account for their HMD VR experiences in connection with empathy? How can the pedagogical use of HMD VR enhance international social work students’ cultural empathic skills? Data for the study were gathered through four Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with 38 volunteer research participants based on their postexposure to a scenario on school-based bullying through HMD VR. ATLAS.ti v.23 software (Atlas.ti, Berlin, Germany) was used to undertake a deductive thematic analysis. The findings reveal that HMD VR plays an important role in enhancing different dimensions of empathy, which is an essential element in transformative learning in social work education. The overall implications of using HMD VR in international social work education for enhancing cultural empathy are discussed. The article concludes that HMD VR has a promising role; however, several ethical, practical, and pedagogical aspects need to be considered for this technology tool to provide the sought-after pedagogical value in social work education. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Virtual and Augmented Reality in Education)

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13 pages, 618 KiB  
Systematic Review
The Effect of Virtual Laboratories on Improving Students’ SRL: An Umbrella Systematic Review
by Amalia Sapriati, Astri Dwi Jayanti Suhandoko, Audi Yundayani, Rafidah Abdul Karim, Udan Kusmawan, Airil Haimi Mohd Adnan and Ardiansyah Azhary Suhandoko
Educ. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 222; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13030222 - 21 Feb 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 6074
Abstract
Virtual laboratory (VLab) has been observed for its function for the merit of online course delivery. It is believed that the existence of VLab may enhance students’ academic achievements. However, the study which researches its impact on the students’ independence is still limited. [...] Read more.
Virtual laboratory (VLab) has been observed for its function for the merit of online course delivery. It is believed that the existence of VLab may enhance students’ academic achievements. However, the study which researches its impact on the students’ independence is still limited. This systematic review study aims to determine students’ self-regulated learning (SRL) on the use of VLab by implementing PICOS (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome, Study Design). Further, we examined whether the strategies of SRL, such as cognitive, metacognitive, motivational, behavioral, and contextual strategies owned by students at higher education levels, increased because of leveraging the VLab. We identified 267 articles from Scopus and the Web of Science databases, then utilized the PRISMA guidelines to specify the 249 eligible articles. As a result, only 20 articles passed the criteria of the feasibility stage (1) higher education level, (2) informing online learning, (3) containing materials discussing VLab, and (4) representing the concept of SRL. However, the finding showed that all interventions had positively affected students’ performance. Based on the analyzed data, we confirm that VLab can be considered for providing the learning experience since it bridges the gap between students’ prior knowledge and experience and provides an active social experience. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Virtual and Augmented Reality in Education)
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