The empirical research on university instructors’ competencies in virtual reality environment from the perspective of students’ learning experience

Abstract

The integration of virtual reality (VR) and education is a key way to realize the modernization of higher education. Instructors’ competencies directly affect students’ learning experiences and achievements. Based on the IBSTPI competency standards compiled by the International Board of Standards for Training, Performance, and Instruction (IBSTPI), this study developed an instructors’ competencies scale suitable for the VR environment from the perspective of students’ learning experience and conducted an empirical research on the current situation of instructors’ competencies in VR environment. The scale categorizes of instructors’ competencies included six dimensions: establishing and maintaining learning motivation competencies, expressing competencies, questioning competencies, giving feedback competencies, promoting knowledge consolidation competencies, and facilitating knowledge transfer competencies. The results showed that the competencies of university instructors in VR environments have been in the upper middle level and there were differences in the level of instructors’ competencies in different dimensions. Necessary is for universities and instructors to optimize the cultivation of instructors’ competencies in VR environment.