Virtual Reality-Based Education (VRBE): Understanding Students’ Readiness and Expectancies

Abstract

Driven by the rapid advancement in the field of Science and Technology, students regardless of areas and programmes are now exposed to a variety of immersive technologies. Therefore, it has become a challenge for educators in designing a meaningful learning experience. The use of such technologies has led to the emergence of new approaches in a learning experience, namely one that involves Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR). Thus, understanding students’ readiness and expectancies is very important in leveraging the use of these technologies in teaching and learning. This study was conducted with the aim of addressing 2 objectives which are to identify the level of readiness of law students at the Faculty of Law, UKM in using VR in their learning; and, to identify the students’ expectancies when using VR in learning. Questionnaires were used to obtain data that were intended to measure the student’s readiness and expectancies. The findings showed that most of the students at the Faculty of Law have the technological readiness to use VR in their learning in law classrooms. However, some considerations need to be taken especially the availability of devices which does not ensure the existence of total willingness to accept something as new as using VR in a law class. As a conclusion, the findings of this study have brought into attention that VR technology can be used in law classrooms despite its discipline which has always been traditional (lectures and tutorials) and conventional (numerous readings, note-takings, and listening). However, the preparation of students’ affective domain is crucial especially in providing them with the strategies to learn with the help of VR technology.