Embedding immersive virtual reality in classrooms: Ethical, organisational and educational lessons in bridging research and practice

摘要

Increasing numbers of children and young people are experiencing immersive virtual reality as part of leisure and schooling. Immersive virtual reality mediated through head-mounted displays presents significant challenges as well as tantalising opportunities for learning within schools. The purpose of this paper is to report on key issues that arose when embedding immersive virtual reality for learning into ICT and science classes in low-income high schools by providing a fine-grained account of how the research team negotiated scholarly and practical problems. The mixed method research used a participatory approach with teachers as co-researchers. Three areas are explored: (ⅰ) the ethical and safety issues of using IVR in classrooms; (ⅱ) negotiating the organisational context of a school system and problem-solving within the context of institutional restrictions on internet access; and (ⅲ) educational reflections on collaborative learning and gendered dynamics. We conclude that classrooms, as socially active and sometimes unpredictable places, yield unique and credible insights into the deployment of highly immersive virtual reality for learning.