The Impact of Virtual Reality on Historical Education: An Investigation into the Effectiveness and Efficacy of Immersive Learning Experiences

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Purpose: The aim of this study is to investigate the impacts of virtual reality on historical education emphasizing the effectiveness and efficacy of immersive learning experiences. Methodology: The study adopted a desktop research methodology. Desk research refers to secondary data or that which can be collected without fieldwork. Desk research is basically involved in collecting data from existing resources hence it is often considered a low cost technique as compared to field research, as the main cost is involved in executive's time, telephone charges and directories. Thus, the study relied on already published studies, reports and statistics. This secondary data was easily accessed through the online journals and library. Findings: The findings revealed that there exists a contextual and methodological gap relating to the impact of virtual reality on historical education. Preliminary empirical review demonstrate its positive effects on learning outcomes, student engagement, and motivation. The immersive and interactive nature of VR experiences provide students with a unique and engaging way to explore historical contexts, develop critical thinking skills, and deepen their understanding of historical events. VR in historical education has shown to enhance knowledge retention, foster historical inquiry skills, and promote long-term retention of learned information. The findings suggest that integrating VR technologies into historical education can significantly enhance the overall educational experience and improve students' learning outcomes. Unique Contribution to Theory Practice and Policy: The Constructivism theory, Presence theory and the Social Learning theory may be used to anchor future studies relating to the impact of virtual reality on historical education. Based on the reviewed studies, educators are recommended to integrate VR experiences into the curriculum for historical education; to ensure access to high-quality VR content; to provide adequate training and professional development opportunities for educators as well as have more forums for continued research and evaluation.