This article advocates for the widespread adoption of digital technologies as the primary method of teaching and learning in higher education institutions. It emphasizes the importance of this transition for several reasons, including the improvement of student retention and the enhancement of educational effectiveness. There is ample evidence to…

Field learning is fundamental in geoscience, but cost, accessibility, and other constraints limit equal access to these experiences. As technological advances afford ever more immersive and student-centered virtual field experiences, they are likely to have a growing role across geoscience education. They also serve as an important tool for…

Virtual reality (VR) as an emerging technology has extreme potential to revolutionize online higher education for adult students through immersive and engaging learning experiences. Lower cost and advancing research in VR technology and immersive simulation software offers unique opportunities for adult students to engage in a virtual learning…

Chemistry simulations using interactive graphic user interfaces (GUIs) represent uniquely effective and safe tools to support multidimensional learning. Computer literacy and coding skills have become increasingly important in the chemical sciences. In response to both of these facts, a series of Jupyter notebooks hosted on Google Colaboratory…

A review of the literature shows that much academic effort has been expended studying information system usage and information technology adoption. However, these theories/models based on psychological research are not specific to the virtual reality context and may not fully capture the nature of virtual reality-based learning system (VR-BLS)…

Metaverse, an amalgamation of diverse information technologies, is seen as the future of the internet and holds promise for transforming education. Leveraging metaverse media for immersive learning has the potential to reshape education practices. Despite being a novel concept, metaverse-based education has the capacity to enrich online learning…

The purpose of this three-article dissertation is to better understand the role emerging technologies are playing in learning. This dissertation explores tools on a spectrum of reality from fully immersive virtual reality (VR), semi-immersive VR, non-immersive VR, augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR), and extended reality (XR). Three studies…

Ray tracing is a computer graphics technique used to produce realistic visuals by physically simulating the behavior of light. Although this technique can be described straightforwardly, fully comprehending it might be challenging. It is typically taught in the classroom using the 2-D formats, such as paper or a blackboard. We propose using…

VR has been widely acknowledged for its capacity to allow perspective-taking, increase empathy, engage learners, and facilitate experiential learning; however, the availability, accessibility, and limitations of the content have slowed implementation. One instance of this can be seen in implementing XR content to engage global citizens with…

Forty-eight (48) K-12 teachers in two US states completed five repetitions of a 15-minute simulated teaching lesson in which six of their 12 simulated students in a class were labeled as having and were embodied with special learning needs, while the other six were without special learning needs. Analysis of three measures of differential focus in…

The use of different technologies and technological solutions for learning purposes is no longer a novelty in the educational environment. Digital teaching materials are being developed that can be used both in classroom activities and for providing students with opportunities for independent learning. However, alongside these materials, there are…

Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) platforms now support shared, immersive experiences that enable people to directly physically and perceptually engage with mathematical objects, including shared objects. These new forms of AR/VR technology -- which we call "shared holographic AR/VR" (shAR) -- enable multiple learners to…

In this study, we investigated whether intercultural communication can be learned as effectively through desktop-based social virtual reality (social VR) as it can through online study, and if social VR improves the motivation to gain cultural intelligence in distance learning. Two groups of international students attended a seminar called…

This study examines the impact of instructor presence on cognitive load and learning outcomes in video-based learning environments, addressing a significant gap in optimising instructional design for digital education. Utilising eyetracking technology to measure pupil dilation, a reliable proxy for cognitive load, this research compares three…

Background: Recent advances in technology and computer simulation have expanded the use of virtual manipulatives in engineering education. However, especially in disciplines in which tactile concepts (e.g., force) are included, it has been claimed that learning could be compromised by substituting physical materials with computer simulations.…