1 Chapter 1: A brief review of the literature on Immersive Learning

As this SATLE-funded project got underway in 2023, the use of immersive technologies such as Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality was gaining traction in different disciplines in higher education. Fracaro et al. (2022) had conducted a systematic review of the literature to explore the use of immersive technologies for training in the process industry, concluding from their analysis of 44 articles that there was a need for an effective-efficiency model to evaluate the immersive experience from a training / learning perspective. The use of immersive technologies within engineering education was the focus of a study by Halab (2019), which concluded that course outcomes were improved as a result of using VR. Specific areas of interest for this research study was learners’ communication and problem-solving skills; however, the author noted the need for a robust framework for evaluation of learning gains of VR.

In the health sciences, immersive learning has made significant strides, due to the need for simulation-based training experiences. Dhar et al (2021) conducted a review of augmented reality opportunities in medical education, highlighting benefits such as enhanced comprehension of complex information, and improved practical and social skills. Cost was cited as a major challenge to implementation, both in terms of purchasing the head-mounted devices (HMDs) and developing the medical simulation platforms. Pottle (2019) provides a number of examples of VR use in medical education, noting that VR simulations can (and should) complement human-led instruction for a variety of educational opportunities.

A study by Tang et al (2022) explored both sense of presence and extraneous cognitive load as they related to VR learning within the field of art education. Focusing on the technological affordances and psychological effects of VR learning, researchers invited 60 participants from a public university in Bejoing to experience an art programme through highly immersive virtual reality (IVR) and on a low immersion iPad. Results indicated that IVR increased participants sense of presence, while reducing cognitive load. However, it is worth noting that this study was based on a brief (10-minute) experience of VR, reducing its ability to report of challenges relating to motion sickness, often associated with immersive learning.

A critical review of 84 articles was also conducted by Bretos et al (2024) on the use of augmented and virtual reality for the tourism experience. They conclude that while many studies group these technologies together, they are in fact quite distinct and merit a separate research agenda. Their paper includes such a research agenda with exploratory research questions to guide future projects in the area of immersive tourism experiences. Focusing on areas such as the digital pre-experience stage, personalised information and post-experience behaviours, it seems that the potential applications for XR in Tourism and Hospitality are manifold.

While the above gives a brief insight into the XR applications in various domains, at the beginning of this project the wider application and use in higher education was still focused on performance and usability, rather than learning-oriented applications (McDermott et al., 2023). More recent publications have added to the literature on immersive technologies in education, such as Yang et al. (2024) and Cooper et al (2024) who focus on STEM; Liu et al (2023) and Saab et al (2023) who researched the use of VR in Nursing and Elsayed 2023 who explored student use of VR in Tourism-related disciplines. It is against this backdrop that this project began to explore the use of extended reality (XR), starting with the team familiarising themselves with the MR/XR continuum.  The  1994 reality-virtuality continuum (Figure 1) developed by Milgram and Kishino helped to distinguish between the real and the virtual environment,  and attempted to provide a taxonomy of the main aspects of each class.

Bretos, M. A., Ibáñez-Sánchez, S., & Orús, C. (2024). Applying virtual reality and augmented reality to the tourism experience: a comparative literature review. Spanish Journal of Marketing-ESIC, 28(3), 287-309.