Assessing the impact and development of immersive VR technology in education: Insights from telepresence, emotion, and cognition

Abstract

Immersive Virtual Reality (VR) technology is increasingly used in education. However, research on its impact and development in education, specifically from the perspective of telepresence, emotion, and cognition, remains limited. Therefore, this study aims to reveal the effects of three dimensions and their interactions in education by addressing proposed six research questions. Specifically, it explores the impact of VR technology on learning experiences and its future development through experiments conducted across seven subjects: History, Bioengineering, English, Chinese Language and Literature, Music, Art Design, and Physical Education. Our findings reveal that emotional engagement plays a pivotal role in driving cognitive engagement within VR environments, challenging traditional perspectives on negative emotions by demonstrating their potential as motivators. We recommend enhancing emotional design elements by strategically invoking certain negative emotions to enrich the emotional challenge in VR environment. Furthermore, the study underscores the importance of leveraging visual preferences, integrating suitable auditory stimuli, and utilizing telepresence characteristics to develop immersive VR environments that foster a sense of agency, autonomy, and critical thinking among learners. This research provides critical insights to guide the future development of VR technology in education, contributing to global learning, addressing widespread educational inequalities, and making a positive impact on society.