Work-in-Progress—Context is Key in Immersive Learning Environments

Immersive environments intended to enhance learning are becoming more popular and accessible as technology evolves. As VR establishes itself as a viable platform for learning experiences, the research thus far remains focused on the virtual experience. This paper highlights observations from two different educational VR experiences, ELLE the EndLess LEarner and The Middle Passage Experience to assert the need for structured pre-VR and post-VR tasks to be considered as part of the VR activity. Logistical context must be explained to learners before they participate to ensure they can manipulate the controls and progress through the experience. Educational context must be included before and after the game/simulation to enhance learning. Participants should be guided to activate any prior knowledge about the content of the simulation beforehand. Likewise, after they leave the virtual world, participants should be encouraged to reflect on the experience. We propose a set of questions for designers of educational VR to facilitate the intentional creation of meaningful pre- and post-VR activities during the design process.