Teacher perspectives on challenges and opportunities for immersive virtual reality learning integration in Australian schools

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24059/olj.v30i3.5154

Keywords:

Australian schools, educational technology adoption, immersive virtual reality (iVR), K-12 education, pedagogical integration, professional learning, teacher perspectives

Abstract

The impact of using immersive virtual reality (iVR) technologies is well known across the recreational gaming, training, and healthcare sectors. However, iVR’s trajectory into education, especially across schooling contexts, is less known and at an early adoption phase. Only a few studies have deeply interrogated the teacher perspective on the benefits of iVR or how it is positioned pedagogically alongside curriculum as a powerful digital learning technology. This article reports on an exploratory descriptive survey of 66 Australian school teachers, two-thirds of whom had experience using iVR in classroom. The survey combined closed- and open-ended questions to elicit teachers’ demographic and professional profiles, technical choices, pedagogical applications, perceived benefits, barriers to use, and professional learning needs. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were used to compare the perspectives of iVR users and non-users. Findings reveal that early adopters demonstrated innovative pedagogical applications and a strong emphasis on student engagement, while non-users cited cost, access, and curriculum alignment as key barriers. The study provides valuable insights into the enablers and constraints of iVR integration and contributes evidence to inform professional learning, policy development, and scaling strategies in Australian schools.

Author Biographies

Erica Southgate , University of Newcastle

Dr Erica Southgate is Associate Professor of Emerging Technology for Education at the University of Newcastle, Australia. She is founder and lead researcher on the VR School Study which investigates embedding virtual reality in primary and secondary school classrooms across subject areas.

Paul Unsworth, University of South Australia

Dr Paul Unsworth, University of South Australia, aims to investigate how virtual reality technologies enhance teaching and learning in ways that position learners in the creation of authentic, creative and collaborative virtual stories of inquiry. He is a member of the Centre of Change and Complexity in Learning and the Australian Research Centre for Interactive and Virtual Environments.

Matt Bower , Macquarie University

Dr Matt Bower is a Professor in the School of Education at Macquarie University. His research investigates whether and how teachers can use emerging technologies to enhance learning.

James Birt , Bond University

Dr James Birt is an Associate Professor and Associate Dean for External Engagement at Bond University, specialising in Educational Technology and the intersection of emerging technologies such as Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, and Games. He has contributed to the ISO/IEC 5927:2024 standard for AR/VR safety and serves on several key committees in educational technology research and AR/VR standardisation.

Michael A. Cowling , RMIT University

Dr Michael Cowling is a Professor and Director, Hub for Apple Platform at RMIT. He is an award-winning technology strategist and communicator (Universities Australia 2020 AAUT Award for Teaching Excellence - Physical Sciences). As a leader in educational technology for decades, he is committed to fostering thoughtfulness in technology for students, educators and the general public.

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Published

2026-09-01

How to Cite

Southgate , E., Unsworth, P., Bower , M., Birt , J., Tafazoli, D., & Cowling , M. A. (2026). Teacher perspectives on challenges and opportunities for immersive virtual reality learning integration in Australian schools. Online Learning, 30(3), 1–23. https://doi.org/10.24059/olj.v30i3.5154

Issue

Vol. 30 No. 3 (2026): Online Learning

Section

Section II

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Copyright (c) 2026 Erica Southgate , Paul Unsworth, Matt Bower , James Birt , Dara Tafazoli, Michael A. Cowling

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