Comparison of Direct and Vicarious VR Learning Experience: A Perspective from Accessibility and Equity

Abstract

A common challenge for adopting virtual reality (VR) in education is that limited VR devices are often shared among a large group of students. Consequently, there are two types of VR learners: Performers who acquire virtual learning experience through direct engagement in VR and observers who acquire such experience vicariously through observation. To explore the influence of learner type on VR learning, this study conducted a quasi-experiment with 53 elementary school students to examine the difference in VR learning experiences between the performers and the observers. The study results supported the observed VR learning experience as an adequate alternative to direct VR engagement as the observers demonstrated overall comparable learning patterns in reflection, emotion, engagement, and social interaction during the post-VR debriefing, except for the behaviors of recall and interpretation. The research findings can shed light on the issues of accessibility and equity in VR-based instruction and inform the design and implementation of large-scale VR educational programs.