Exploring Virtual Reality: a Theoretical Review of Educational Goals, Learning Design, and Evaluation

Abstract

The article provides a comprehensive overview of the basic principles for effectively integrating virtual reality (VR) into education. It is divided into separate sections, each focusing on a specific aspect of the integration process. The initial step in incorporating VR into education involves aligning the capabilities and applications of VR with the learning objectives of a particular subject or study program. The alignment includes defining the types of knowledge that VR use should support, emphasizing the critical need to synchronize these goals with a chosen VR application. The following section discusses the concept of educational design and explains the common strategies used for selecting or developing VR applications in an educational context. The third section delves into evaluating user experience design and learning outcomes, including a comprehensive typology of different learning outcomes. This can serve as a basic framework for evaluating the effectiveness of VR in educational settings. The article concludes by providing a set of basic guidelines to help educators and designers select or develop VR applications that align with educational goals.