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Journal: International Journal of Research in E-learning

Carrying the Burden of Innovation in Education: Becoming Educational Events Organizers in Social Virtual Reality

Jan Waligórski , Sylwia Butkiewicz , Aleksandra Cząstkiewicz , Jowita Guja , Zofia Samsel

Language: EN | Published: 30-06-2025 | Abstract | pp. 1-25

Recent laboratory-based research increasingly explores the use of virtual reality (VR) technology in education. While these studies confirm the potential of VR tools, they often overlook the challenges educators encounter in real-world implementation, potentially hindering the broader adoption of VR. Our study employs collaborative and analytic autoethnography of five educational event organizers in social VR to address this gap. We identified limitations in the use of social VR related to discomfort and low accessibility of head-mounted displays, the non-inclusivity of platform features, the risk of reduced educational content quality, and the need to acquire new digital skills. Organizers experienced significant responsibility and stress from managing technical and formal issues, impacting their well-being and increasing workload. Nevertheless, they also reported a strong sense of purpose and personal development, which reinforced their academic identity. Despite the challenges of organizing events in this immersive environment, organizers experienced significant professional growth. Their involvement not only enhanced their skills but also fostered valuable collaborations across academic institutions, cultivated community, and promoted inclusivity in education. To address social VR limitations in higher education and mitigate negative impacts on organizers, the authors provide recommendations for educators.

2025-06-30



Journal: International Journal of Research in E-learning

Through University Students’ Headsets: To Immerse or Not to Immerse in New Learning Experiences

Iwona Mokwa-Tarnowska , Viviana Tarnowska

Language: EN | Published: 12-12-2025 | Abstract | pp. 1-26

Integrating technology-enhanced resources and activities into university curricula necessitates a restructuring of teaching programmes. To achieve a synergistic effect, conventional methods should be replaced with active learning approaches that provide students with innovative, engaging, and collaborative ways of building knowledge suited to contemporary society. Virtual reality (VR) is among the technological innovations expected to transform education into interactive and immersive learning environments. This paper investigates whether integrating VR into university courses can, in students’ opinions, increase their interest in a deeper understanding of complex phenomena, and whether it may translate into greater engagement and improved achievement of learning outcomes. The challenges of implementing such instructional design are examined through an analysis of survey responses from bachelor’s and master’s students at Gdańsk University of Technology (Gdańsk Tech), collected in June and July 2025.

2025-12-12



Journal: International Journal of Research in E-learning

E-Tutor Tandems in a COIL Course – Design, Implementation and Evaluation

Lisa-Marie Langesee , Nelli Ukhova

Language: EN | Published: 27-06-2023 | Abstract | pp. 1-25

Research on digital collaboration scenarios in Higher Education (HE) is characterized by various approaches that often define the acquisition and development of global skills as learning goals. Virtual Collaborative Learning (VCL) in HE represents one approach to facilitating students’ global skills. Depending on the use case, these learning arrangements can include case study-based group learning under e-tutorial supervision. This paper focuses on the perspective of e-tutors – specially qualified student assistants – and their competence development during the summer semester of 2022. Based on previous research findings, a tandem setting was chosen for their competence development. This paper mainly compares expectations and experiences regarding the competence improvement of e-tutors in a multinational tandem. These expectations and experiences were queried through two quantitative questionnaires utilizing 5-point Likert scales and one short follow-up questionnaire after the finalization of VCL. In general, the positive expectations of the e-tutors were fulfilled, but not to a similar extent for each competence category. Especially the development of social and pedagogical competencies was positive, whereas the development of intercultural competencies was challenging. Several recommendations for action were derived, which impact further e-tutor training.

2023-06-27