A virtual reality learning framework for improving student engagement at a selected tertiary institution, Cape Town, South Africa

Ethical clearance: FOBREC642

use of virtual reality (VR) in education has attracted the interest of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and introduced the opportunity for a renewed method of teaching and learning. Furthermore, the advancement of VR has enabled academics to create immersive experiences themselves and observe how students become more engaged in their learning as a result thereof.

The research problem states that due to a lack of using emerging technology such as VR in teaching and learning, a decrease in student engagement levels is noted. As a result, a drop in pass rates was also noted at a selected tertiary institution in Cape Town, South Africa (University X). The research questions focused on the extent to which VR technology can be incorporated into teaching and learning to improve the level of Human Resources (HR) student engagement and pass rates. Further research questions focused on the relevance of current teaching and learning methods used by University X and their academic staff’s preparedness to utilise VR.

This study investigated the impact of a VR-learning framework on HR student engagement at University X. A VR-learning platform was deployed to facilitate immersive learning experiences for higher education students.