The application of virtual reality (VR) in geography education is regarded as a progressive and proactive method that has still not gained sufficient attention in the educational policy in Hungary. The aim of our review is to find the ways and means to make it happen. We selected 47 works that are closely linked to geography teaching and analyzed their bibliometric (authorship and journal characteristics, types of works and applied methods, keywords, referencing, and co-citation networks) and contextual characteristics (research objectives, demographic, gender and social background, hardware and software specifications, advantages and disadvantages, conclusions, and predictions) which we expected to help us to understand the slow implementation and undeserved marginalization of VR in the curricular geography education. We used a mixed-method research analysis combining elements of quantitative and qualitative analysis using inductive reasoning. Our preliminary assumption that the application of VR technology is an effective and useful way of teaching geography was proved by our findings. The methods used by the authors of the reviewed empirical works, together with the recommended future research topics and strategies, can be applied to future empirical research on the use of VR in geography education.

Information about the paper titled "EXPERIENCES WITH THE USE OF VIRTUAL REALITY ENVIRONMENTS IN EDUCATION – IDENTIFYING DIFFICULTIES AND POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS DURING THESIS WORK" at IATED Digital Library

Enhancing spatial orientation and map-reading skills is a cornerstone of geography education, yet the comparative efficacy of physical versus virtual reality learning environments (VRLEs) remains a subject of ongoing debate. This study evaluates the development of navigational competencies through a counterbalanced crossover experimental design involving 20 geography and geography teacher major students. Participants performed standardized spatial tasks, including bearing calculation and distance estimation, in both the volcanic landscape of the Tapolca Basin, Hungary, and its smartphone-based 360-degree virtual reality (VR) counterpart. To assess longitudinal retention and cross-modal transfer, a three-month interval was maintained between the two learning phases, supported by a robust pre-test/post-test framework. Results indicate that while both environments are susceptible to spatial distortions driven by the visual dominance of physiographic landmarks, VR-based training effectively scaffolds the cognitive frameworks required for real-world navigation. The findings confirm that spatial mental models acquired in a virtual setting possess significant cognitive resilience, as navigational accuracy was maintained over the three-month interval. In conclusion, this research justifies a hybrid pedagogical approach, where immersive digital simulations serve as a preparatory tool for physical fieldwork. The synergy of both modalities is essential for cultivating the resilient spatial intelligence required for professional geographic practice.