Background: In multimedia learning environments, pedagogical agents have emerged as an innovative tool to enhance digital instruction, yet optimising their design for maximal learning effectiveness remains underexplored. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate how specific design elements of pedagogical agents, namely appearance and voice…

Students in secondary vocational education often have to learn and practice their skills in potentially dangerous situations, operating complex machinery or working in hazardous conditions. As a consequence, they need to be trained on how to work safely, to respect safety regulations, to wear protective gear and related equipment, to consider…

Background: The role of virtual reality (VR) in education is increasing, which raises questions about VR learning in multi-user settings. While collaborative VR learning, characterised by shared goals and low division of labour, is well-researched, cooperative VR learning, which emphasises role differentiation and task interdependence, remains…

We report on a study of the effects of laboratory activities that model fictitious laws of physics in a virtual reality environment on (i) students' epistemology about the role of experimental physics in class and in the world; (ii) students' self-efficacy; and (iii) the quality of student engagement with the lab activities. We create…

A design case is a form of scholarly writing in which the author embarks on a reflective journey sharing rich descriptions of their design, design processes, challenges, etc. This paper presents two design cases that demonstrate how learning theories and instructional design concepts were purposefully incorporated in two instructional applications…

The advanced visualisation and interactive capabilities make immersive virtual reality (IVR) attractive for educators to investigate its educational benefits. This research reviewed 64 studies published in 2016-2020 to understand how science educators designed, implemented, and evaluated IVR-based learning. The immersive design features (sensory,…

Secondary science students still struggle to master scientific concepts and apply content-based knowledge. The instructional design behind the incorporation of innovative technology and the use of game-based learning (GBL) could be a key to increasing student acquisition of science knowledge. Using a mixed methods design, this study examined the…

The term metaverse appeared for the first time in a novel published in 1992. Since the early 2000s, researchers have started to use this term to refer to digital technologies for learners to interact with other users with avatars. The term came to prominence in around 2020 due to the rebranding of Facebook. However, there was no consensus on what…

Developers and designers of virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) products are expressing concerns regarding accountability for ethical design and use of VR/AR products in virtual learning environments. Within the field of education, more research is needed to determine how VR/AR designers make decisions regarding ethical issues, and particularly…

A mixed methodology study measuring the usage rates of Augmented Reality (AR) information overlay mapping time-on-task in informal learning environments at a local art museum. This study investigates whether AR systems provide a uniquely beneficial learning context due to AR's native function to overlay information onto physical spaces at an art…

This paper describes how an Immersive Virtual Reality (VR) Classroom in a secondary school in Singapore is used to enhance learning through visualization and deepen understanding of science and increase interest and enjoyment in science. The VR Classroom is a futuristic classroom that taps the affordances of VR and AR to enhance HCI…

Video lectures (VL), considered an effective means for delivering course content and infusing teaching presence in the virtual environment, have become very popular in education. The purpose of this study was to investigate online student experiences with VL focusing on their opinion of usefulness of VL, their satisfaction with them and their…

Learner engagement matters, particularly in simulation-based education. Indeed, it has been argued that instructional design only matters in the service of engaging learners in a simulation encounter. Yet despite its purported importance, our understanding of what engagement is, how to define it, how to measure it, and how to assess it is limited.…

Management educators employ a variety of learning and teaching tools in order to engage students, with online business simulations being one of these tools. While many business simulations are available to management educators, they do not always fit the needs of the educator or have evidence to support their efficacy for achieving student…

We report on a design-based research study that was conducted over three iterations. It chronicles the design, development, and implementation of School Scene Investigators, a forensic science game series for middle school students that utilizes mobile augmented reality. Played on mobile devices while exploring the school environment, School Scene…