Virtual reality for the promotion of historical empathy: A mixed-methods analysis

Abstract

ABSTRACT Historical empathy may be enhanced by virtual reality (VR) technologies, which provide varying degrees of immersion into other time periods and places. This study explored the effects of combining semi-immersive and fully immersive VR with a follow-up writing task to promote historical empathy with adult learners. Thirty-six participants were randomly assigned to view a brief historical film on either a flatscreen or a head-mounted device (HMD). Afterward, participants were again randomly assigned to either a first-person perspective or a factual recall writing prompt before then responding to questionnaires gauging their situational interest. Quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed to provide a holistic interpretation of participants’ development of historical empathy. Results suggest that although type of writing task remains instrumental in promoting historical empathy, immersive VR with an HMD also plays a promising role. Our findings pose important implications for post-secondary, museum, and teacher educators interested in scaffolding VR experiences to promote historical empathy.