2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

The use of extended reality (XR) such as Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) is becoming more prevalent in educational settings. Studies on virtual environments have illustrated the potential of such environments in improving student motivation, learning outcomes, and engagement. However, there is an absence of theoretical frameworks in studies of XR technology applications for learning, even though learning theories and educational frameworks play a central role in designing, implementing and evaluating technology in learning.

This paper seeks to identify theories used in XR studies and the application of the theories. It will present a systematic review that addresses the question: What theories and/or educational frameworks are applied in educational XR studies and how are they applied in the studies? The literature search was done using Eric and Scopus databases and papers are currently being reviewed based on exclusion and inclusion criteria. The findings are coded to identify a) theories used b) application of theories c) experimental set up d) results.

The paper will describe the detailed research approach and inclusion criteria, the themes emerging from the publications, and a synthesis of the findings. The findings will be presented in a format that will help both educators and instructional designers with selecting appropriate educational frameworks. Based on the application and desired learning outcomes, educators will be able to determine which frameworks will work best for their situation. Similarly, depending on the interaction model within XR and overall goal of the program, instructional developers will be able to use specific educational frameworks to guide their development and design selections.