{"title":"Development and validation of a framework for promoting metaverse literacy among senior primary and university students","authors":"Siu Cheung Kong , Yin Yang , Hanqi Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.cexr.2025.100121","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cexr.2025.100121","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The development of technologies such as real-time 3D rendering, extended reality, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things (IoT) has significantly increased the social impact of metaverses. There is a growing need to promote metaverse literacy among students to enable them to benefit from its development while mitigating potential risks. This study proposes a framework for promoting metaverse literacy, hypothesising that increased engagement in metaverses can enhance their social impact both directly and indirectly by improving people's understanding of them. We designed a metaverse literacy survey to verify this proposed framework and collected data from 415 primary school students and 574 university students. After confirming the validity and reliability of the survey, we applied confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling to the primary school data and university data. Our results from the structural equation model (SEM) of the primary school data set supported the framework, showing a significant direct and indirect effect of engagement on social impact mediated by understanding. Results from both SEMs of the primary school students' and university students' data sets indicated the importance of providing opportunities for students to engage with metaverses to better understand their social impact. This research elucidates the relationships among the three dimensions of engagement, understanding, and social impact within the proposed framework.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100320,"journal":{"name":"Computers & Education: X Reality","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100121"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145362020","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"How is it going? - Virtual Reality used in student counselling - practices and experiences from using VR for personal conversations","authors":"Erik Kristiansen , Else Lauridsen","doi":"10.1016/j.cexr.2025.100119","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cexr.2025.100119","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Virtual Reality (VR) has been utilized for years to create immersive learning experiences by simulating real-world scenarios. Social VR, a branch of VR, has recently gained traction for professional meetings, using avatars to represent participants and fostering a sense of \"being together\" compared with traditional video conferencing.</div><div>This paper explores the potential of Social VR for student counselling, a unique learning situation typically involving only a counsellor and a student. We investigate how VR, using avatars in a simulated office space, can support the personal conversations characteristic of student counselling. The study is based on qualitative methods using interviews and questionnaires with both students and counsellors to gather insights on their experiences with VR counselling.</div><div>Key findings include the enhanced feeling of \"being together\" and the use of personalized avatars, which provided a more distanced representation of oneself compared to video conferences, increasing comfort for some students. Counsellors reported meeting students with fewer preconceptions compared to face-to-face interactions and appreciated not having to focus on their appearance. However, counsellors missed eye contact with the students, and challenges included technical difficulties with VR and students' difficulties adapting to the technology.</div><div>These results suggest that while Social VR holds promise for enhancing student counselling, addressing technical barriers and improving user adaptation are crucial for its successful implementation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100320,"journal":{"name":"Computers & Education: X Reality","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100119"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145324674","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Analyzing the transformative power of Immersive Web Environments in classroom through the lens of Bloom's taxonomy","authors":"Ricardo Carvalho, Carlos Santos, Fernando Ramos","doi":"10.1016/j.cexr.2025.100118","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cexr.2025.100118","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examines the integration of Immersive Web Environments (IWE) in education, exploring their pedagogical application through Bloom's Taxonomy. Rather than attributing learning improvements to technology itself, this research focuses on how teachers' structure and implement IWE within their instructional strategies. To assess teachers' perceptions and intentions following IWE training sessions, we surveyed two cohorts of educators from diverse subject areas, employing descriptive statistics and the Mann-Whitney <em>U</em> test for analysis. The findings indicate positive teacher perceptions of IWE's potential, with moderate to high intentions to integrate these tools into their teaching. However, the study highlights that successful IWE adoption depends on instructional design, professional development, and institutional support. Beyond evaluating teacher readiness, this research offers insights into effective IWE integration strategies, emphasizing the need for structured training, sustained support, and pedagogical alignment. This study contributes to the growing literature on immersive learning environments, outlining key considerations for long-term adoption and scalability. Future research should explore the sustained impact of IWE on teaching practices and student learning outcomes, as well as strategies for broader implementation across diverse educational settings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100320,"journal":{"name":"Computers & Education: X Reality","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100118"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145219100","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Josua Dubach , Sofia Anzeneder , Sebastian Tempelmann , Trix Cacchione
{"title":"Effects of school-based immersive virtual reality interventions on learning in the K-6 range: A systematic literature review","authors":"Josua Dubach , Sofia Anzeneder , Sebastian Tempelmann , Trix Cacchione","doi":"10.1016/j.cexr.2025.100117","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cexr.2025.100117","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Immersive virtual reality (IVR) is a rapidly evolving technology that has the potential to enhance learning. Recent experimental studies report higher learning gains in IVR environments compared to other VR types or analog teaching methods. However, effect sizes vary significantly, suggesting that IVR's effectiveness may be constrained by moderators related to IVR affordances (presence and agency), underlying motivational and cognitive factors, individual characteristics (age, prior knowledge of curriculum content), and IVR instructional setting. To address this issue, we conducted a PRISMA-guided systematic review of randomized controlled and quasi-experimental studies with K–6 learners across four databases (PsycINFO, PubMed, Web of Science, ERIC). Twenty-four studies were included. We analyzed IVR's effects on content-dependent knowledge acquisition and transfer, considering IVR affordances of agency and presence, underlying motivational and cognitive factors, and potential differential effects related to individual characteristics and IVR instructional setting (e.g. scaffolding measures). Results suggest that IVR can effectively enhance knowledge acquisition and transfer for K-6 learners, outperforming both analog teaching methods and non-immersive VR. These gains appear to be partially driven by increased agency and presence, as well as modulations in motivational and cognitive factors. However, contrary to previous evidence, individual characteristics such as age and prior knowledge do not consistently moderate IVR's effects on learning. Preliminary evidence further highlights the importance of instructional settings, particularly the inclusion of reflective activities and scaffolding measures. To maximize the potential of IVR in education, further research should systematically examine the individual and interactive effects of IVR affordances, cognitive and motivational factors, and instructional design.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100320,"journal":{"name":"Computers & Education: X Reality","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100117"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145158053","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Anna Maria Gianni, Nikolaos Nikolakis, Nikolaos Antoniadis
{"title":"An LLM based learning framework for adaptive feedback mechanisms in gamified XR","authors":"Anna Maria Gianni, Nikolaos Nikolakis, Nikolaos Antoniadis","doi":"10.1016/j.cexr.2025.100116","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cexr.2025.100116","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Rapid technological advancements present challenges in computer science education, as traditional instructional approaches often fail to maintain learner engagement or adapt effectively to diverse learning needs. To address these limitations, this study proposes an innovative adaptive learning framework integrating real-time feedback from large language models (LLMs), personalized learning via model-agnostic meta-learning (MAML), and game-theoretic incentives in an immersive XR environment. Learners are modeled as strategic agents whose individual and collaborative behaviors dynamically align with course objectives. Preliminary evaluation in a real-world computer science course demonstrated a 22 % increase in student-reported motivation and over 40 % fewer task retries compared to a traditional digital baseline. These early findings highlight the framework's practical potential to significantly enhance engagement, personalization, and effectiveness in technical education.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100320,"journal":{"name":"Computers & Education: X Reality","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100116"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145059977","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Virtual maker spaces: Enhancing student engagement through extended reality in the Co-creation of learning spaces","authors":"Jason Zagami","doi":"10.1016/j.cexr.2025.100115","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cexr.2025.100115","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the integration of virtual reality (VR) platforms, CoSpaces and Minecraft, and artificial intelligence (AI) tools into primary school technology education courses, focusing on their role in virtual maker spaces. With a quasi-experimental design, 140 pre-service teachers engaged in designing and using virtual classroom spaces, alternating between CoSpaces and Minecraft to examine the strengths of each platform. Virtual maker spaces served as collaborative environments where participants explored creative classroom layouts, instructional strategies, and the application of constructivist and situated learning theories. Findings revealed significant improvements in pedagogical confidence and understanding, with Minecraft excelling in fostering creativity and complex designs, while CoSpaces facilitated rapid prototyping and interactivity. High engagement and collaboration scores underscore the value of virtual maker spaces in simulating real-world teaching scenarios. Regression analysis identified self-efficacy as a key predictor of success, and rubric evaluations highlighted the educational relevance and innovation in virtual classroom designs. This research contributes to the growing discourse on immersive technologies in teacher education, providing actionable insights into the use of virtual maker spaces to prepare future educators for technology-rich classrooms.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100320,"journal":{"name":"Computers & Education: X Reality","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100115"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144987843","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"REACH: Extending reality for distributed collaborative making","authors":"Casey Smith, Mike Tissenbaum","doi":"10.1016/j.cexr.2025.100111","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cexr.2025.100111","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Makerspaces allow students to engage in 21st-century skills such as critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving through construction and sharing of projects that are personally meaningful. Based in constructivist and socio-cultural learning theories, these student-centered spaces support learners in a community of practice as they construct knowledge through shared work with peers. However, uneven access to local expertise and peer support can make equitable participation in maker activities challenging. In an effort to expand the benefits of co-located making to interactions at a distance, this study investigates the collaborative affordances of a camera-projector device, REACH (Remote Embodiment for Augmented Collaborative Help) that augments user's workspaces through projection of artifacts for shared viewing and gesturing. This technology enhances the physicality of learning across distances, allowing students to discuss, adjust, and explore artifacts together without a common physical space. REACH's innovative approach to gesture-driven collaboration supports cognitive and communication processes, allowing students to deepen their understanding through remote yet tangible interaction. This aligns with ongoing educational reform efforts to adapt teaching practices and tools to address the complexities of remote and digital learning, ultimately enhancing access to the benefits of making.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100320,"journal":{"name":"Computers & Education: X Reality","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100111"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144739255","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Miriam Mulders, Kristian H. Träg, Lilly Kaninski, Lara Rahner
{"title":"Past lives, present learners: Future directions for history education in virtual reality","authors":"Miriam Mulders, Kristian H. Träg, Lilly Kaninski, Lara Rahner","doi":"10.1016/j.cexr.2025.100114","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cexr.2025.100114","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the relationship between presence and learning outcomes in Virtual Reality (VR) environments, with a focus on both cognitive and affective learning. Using the <em>Anne Frank VR House</em>, a virtual replica of a hiding place for a group of Jewish people during World War II, 74 university students explored how the feeling of presence affects knowledge acquisition and perspective-taking. The results showed a significant positive correlation between presence and perspective-taking, but no effect on knowledge acquisition, meaning that a higher sense of presence predicted higher perspective-taking, while knowledge scores did not. These findings highlight VR's potential to create a sense of presence and thus foster emotional engagement in history education, suggesting that empathy-driven learning may be an effective way to engage students with complex socio-political issues beyond factual knowledge.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100320,"journal":{"name":"Computers & Education: X Reality","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100114"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144665610","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ioannis Vrellis , Tassos Anastasios Mikropoulos , George Koutromanos
{"title":"Teachers’ experience and situation awareness of airborne disease transmission through immersive augmented reality","authors":"Ioannis Vrellis , Tassos Anastasios Mikropoulos , George Koutromanos","doi":"10.1016/j.cexr.2025.100113","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cexr.2025.100113","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The COVID-19 pandemic created the need to raise awareness about airborne disease transmission via respiratory particles. Immersive Augmented Reality (AR) could increase Situation Awareness (SA) about this invisible phenomenon. Teachers play an important role in handling health emergencies by providing health literacy and promoting protective behaviors and thus could benefit from this technology. The aim of this study was threefold: (a) to develop an immersive educational AR application that creates awareness about airborne disease transmission, (b) to empirically evaluate its effectiveness in terms of SA and user experience among teachers and (c) to investigate design issues and more specifically the role of color of the visualized respiratory particles. Two versions of the application were created for Magic Leap 1 AR glasses representing respiratory particles as red or blue spherical shapes. An empirical study with forty-eight educators was carried out to measure SA and user experience in terms of presence, simulator sickness, workload, and satisfaction. The results showed that the application created high levels of overall SA for both colors. Presence and satisfaction were very high regardless of color and positively correlated. Simulator sickness and workload were low regardless of color and were not correlated with SA or presence. Participants’ comments confirmed their high levels of presence, SA and satisfaction. In terms of gender differences, women scored slightly higher in SA but were more vulnerable to simulator sickness. Overall, results imply that immersive AR can create high SA about airborne disease transmission while providing a positive experience.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100320,"journal":{"name":"Computers & Education: X Reality","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100113"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144661985","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Enhancing textile heritage engagement through generative AI-based virtual assistants in virtual reality museums","authors":"Pakinee Ariya , Songpon Khanchai , Kannikar Intawong , Kitti Puritat","doi":"10.1016/j.cexr.2025.100112","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cexr.2025.100112","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates how generative AI-based virtual assistants embedded within immersive virtual reality (VR) environments can enhance user engagement and cultural learning in virtual museums. Situated at the Wieng Yong House Museum in Thailand, the research addresses the challenge of preserving and promoting textile heritage in the digital age. The study aims to design, implement, and evaluate an AI-driven virtual docent capable of delivering personalized, multilingual, and real-time cultural information through interactive voice-based engagement. Using a purposive sampling technique, 25 university students participated in a convergent parallel mixed-methods study combining structured questionnaires and open-ended feedback. Quantitative findings from structured questionnaires revealed high user satisfaction, with mean scores of 4.40 for visual quality and 4.20 for ease of interaction, while response latency and voice clarity received lower ratings of 3.36 and 3.62 respectively, indicating areas for improvement. Qualitative analysis revealed four key themes: user experience with the system, communication quality, response effectiveness, and suggestions for improvement. The results demonstrate both the transformative potential and current limitations of generative AI in digital heritage settings. This study contributes to the development of more inclusive and engaging virtual museum experiences for the teaching and learning of cultural heritage, offering practical design insights for educators, curators, and developers.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100320,"journal":{"name":"Computers & Education: X Reality","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100112"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144614217","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}