An interdisciplinary framework for the facilitation of research into the efficacy of virtual and augmented reality technology in teacher education

• In Event: Virtual Worlds, Real Learning: XR and Simulations in Teacher Training

Proposal

Teacher education programs aim to cultivate high-quality educators who derive satisfaction and longevity from their careers, however, despite entering the profession with altruistic motivations and aspirations to impact student learning and society (Kyriacou, Kunc, Stephens, & Hultgren, 2010), many novice teachers face significant challenges that lead to a disparity between their expectations and the realities of teaching. Notably, a substantial portion of newly graduated pre-service teachers (PSTs) never transition into the teaching profession (Lund, Vik, & Ghosh, 2017). Some struggle with the shift from academic to professional settings due to stress from diverse classroom demands and external pressures (Turner, Jones, Davies, & Ramsay, 2004). This adjustment can provoke strong affective responses such as anxiety and a sense of incompetence, although some view this cognitive dissonance as a necessary phase for developing professional maturity (Treacy & Leavy, 2023). In the context of Norway, the attrition rate is particularly high, with one-third of new teachers leaving within five years, highlighting the critical issue of recruitment and retention (Lund et al., 2017). In addition, a report from the Norwegian Ministry of Education highlighted that approximately 9,000 school employees had inadequate qualifications or subject knowledge (Det kongelige kunnskapsdepartment, 2012). To address this, practical experiences such as practicums are incorporated into teacher education to better integrate theoretical learning with practical skills to create educational environments that approximate the real-world contexts where skills will be applied, presenting relevant and challenging experiences.

In teacher education VR/AR has become an increasingly utilised tool to support learning when opportunities in the real-world are not available. VR has been utilised as a training enhancement tool in combination with real-life practicum experiences (Cohen, Wong, Krishnamachari, & Berlin, 2020). Furthermore, simulation sessions can be made available to all PSTs allowing for the delivery of training to remain consistent both in content of training lessons and frequency, as opposed to trying to organise practicums for everyone, and then these being of varying quality (Cohen et. al., 2020). VR has also been found to be beneficial as an alternate training source for experience and skill set building in niche areas such as parent-teacher consultations that are difficult to experience in real-life (Parish, Warnatsch, Torgersen, & Lugo, 2024).

Research interest in the use of VR/AR in educational contexts has soared as the technology continues to develop, as shown by recent reviews of the state of the art. Huang, Richter, Kleickmann, & Richter (2023) found, in their review of studies of simulators in teacher education contexts published between 2010-2020, that 56.5% of the studies they analysed were published in the final two years of the period. This explosion of interest also reveals a heterogeneity in the research base as different simulators are developed and tested in different ways, however, with few exceptions, recent reviews have found positive outcomes for classroom simulation experiences in a wide range of research studies (Ersozlu, Ledger, Ersozlu, Mayne, & Wildy, 2023; Huang et al, 2023).

Frameworks for the implementation of VR/AR are also on the increase. Buchner & Zumbach (2020) suggest a framework for teachers for the implementation of VR/AR in the classroom. Mbonye (2022) presents a framework for incorporating VR into teacher education as a way to prepare teachers to use VR in their teaching. Fischer, Arnold, Philippe, Dyrna, & Jung, (2021) developed a framework that proposes key elements to the implementation of VR into formal education contexts. These frameworks focus on how VR should be implemented in educational contexts, however, the theoretical framework proposed here contributes to this growing body of work by focussing on conducting research into the implementation of VR/AR interventions specifically in teacher education.

The framework presented in this paper facilitates a critical consideration of the application of VR/AR technology from an interdisciplinary starting point that incorporates ethical considerations, pedagogical and didactical theory, psychological-social impact, policy guidelines, and sustainability alongside the necessary technological development and user experience. The intention is that this framework can assist researchers to consider how they can approach research from an interdisciplinary standpoint to facilitate the incorportation of structure into research design and tools in such a way as to gain a more holistic understanding of the efficacy of VR/AR technology in teacher training. To date the authors are not aware of such a research-focussed framework that is specifically focussed on the use of VR/AR classroom simulators in teacher training, The framework also has the potential to be adapted for other educational contexts and types of simulation experience.

Further, to this we present in this paper a proposed application, evaluation and a case study of how the framework can be used in the context of a higher education institution in Norway where we are based. This theoretical framework for social science research into the contribution of VR/AR in teacher education is situated in the context of Europe and in this context there has been in increase in the development of and application of VR/AR technology into teacher education as a way to bridge the theory practice divide to support the transition into the teaching profession and reduce attrition. However, research into the impact and efficacy of these interventions is in its infancy and provides some challenges. As with any technological advancements, the application of VR/AR in teacher education programmes should not be advanced without a critical consideration of the impact and effect of that technology. Therefore it is hoped that this theoretically grounded research framework, that has been applied in the context of Norway, offers researchers in the context of Europe and beyond with a starting point from which to explore the efficacy of the VR/AR interventions.

Authors

• Karen Parish, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences

• Øystein Olav Skaar, Inland Norway University