Digital Immersive Virtual Environments and Instructional Computing

Abstract

This article reviews theory and research relevant to the development of digital immersive virtual environment-based instructional computing systems. The review is organized within the context of a multidimensional model of social influence and interaction within virtual environments that models the interaction of four theoretical factors: theory of mind, communicative realism, behavioral systems level, and situational self-relevance. The ways in which social interactional processes in digital immersive virtual environments may be easily filtered and transformed in ways relevant to instructor–learner interactions are discussed. Relevant experimental investigations are reviewed that indicate their potential to increase the adaptivity of immersive virtual environment systems for learners and instructors.