Why Not More Virtual Reality in Higher Ed Teaching and Learning?

Virtual reality (VR) is a promising tool for the field of training and education due to its potential in making the process more engaging and interactive. This study explored students' and academics' perceptions of why there is a lack of VR usage in the higher education teaching and learning (T&L) process. A qualitative approach was taken for this research where a number of focus groups sessions were arranged for volunteer participants to provide insights. Most participants were interested in the prospect of virtual technology; however, they diverge in agreement when it comes to the actual applicability and usefulness for T&L. There were five key themes uncovered for the lack of the practical usage of virtual reality in higher education based on the thematic analysis of the participants' response. Applicability to curriculum, Cost, Fear and familiarity, Comfort and practicality, and Content availability were themes of factors shared by the participants. There was also a mix of enthusiasm for the future adaptation of the technology on campus. Some participants were more optimistic about the presence of the technology in the future classroom but had cautioned on the need to prepare for it and overcome the challenges.