The presented study aspires to utilize the gradually validated immense potential of collaborative immersive virtual environments (CIVEs) in higher education when designing and conducting geography lessons. These particular lessons focused on hypsography. A Research through Design approach and relevant qualitative methodology were used as we engaged two groups of domain experts (experienced geography teachers) to validate both the learning scenarios and the virtual environment we used. The lessons were administered via eDIVE—a novel platform for collaborative learning and teaching in virtual reality of our own design. The teachers underwent a hypsography virtual lesson and were randomly divided into two groups to be compared, which differed in the level of structure given to the lesson (one group received detailed instructions on what task they were to solve, while the other was given a free hand in exploring the environment and activities it afforded). The teachers’ experiences were then summarized in a post-lesson reflection and a subsequent focus group following the tasks. The participants’ expertise allowed insights to be gained into their first-hand experience as students, as well as their expert view of the lesson from an educational point of view. Virtual reality’s implementation into teaching practice was the key topic of the discussion.

This article investigates cross-cultural differences in analytic/holistic cognitive styles among participants from 11 countries: Armenia, Australia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Czechia, Germany, Ghana, Philippines, Slovakia, Taiwan, and Türkiye. Using a preregistered design, 993 university students were assessed with three perceptual tasks based on Navon's hierarchical figures and Gottschaldt's embedded figures. Analytic and holistic cognitive styles were estimated using reaction time modeling, specifically a Bayesian four-parameter shifted Wald distribution and a hierarchical linear ballistic accumulator model. The results revealed notable cross-cultural variations in cognitive styles, though these differences did not align with predictions from analytic/holistic cognitive style theory. Countries traditionally characterized as more holistic or analytic did not consistently show the expected cognitive style patterns. Multilevel modeling examined the influence of country-level variables, such as Hofstede's and Schwartz's cultural dimensions. While some dimensions, like individualism and long-term orientation, were associated with both analytic and holistic thinking, many cultural predictors had no significant impact on cognitive styles. Additionally, exploratory latent profile analysis assessed cognitive metastyles, such as flexibility and rigidity, but the findings do not support the presence of a rigidity metastyle. No profiles exhibited a strong preference for one cognitive dimension while showing a low preference for the other. These findings challenge the straightforward application of analytic/holistic theory across diverse cultural contexts and suggest a need for reevaluation of its generalizability. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

This study examines students’ experiences with Biomes, a Collaborative Immersive Virtual Environment (CIVE) designed to teach climate zones through virtual reality. The research employed a combination of Research through Design (RtD) methodology and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to explore how students view their CIVE experience and its perceived impact on learning. 16 students (aged 12–15) participated in structured lessons using Meta Quest 2 headsets, followed by semi-structured focus groups. The analysis yielded three overarching themes: challenges with object manipulation, perceived benefits, and desired additional functionalities. While participants encountered challenges with precise thumbnail placement and grip distance control, they reported high levels of enjoyment, appropriate difficulty levels, and notable knowledge acquisition. The immersive nature of the virtual environment created authentic experiences that traditional classrooms cannot replicate, although perceptions varied by age group, with younger students showing greater enthusiasm. The findings demonstrate that despite technical challenges, CIVEs have the potential to facilitate engaging educational experiences. It is imperative to integrate advanced interaction techniques, incorporate age-specific design elements, and strike a balance between technological innovation and pedagogical efficacy to optimise educational outcomes in virtual reality learning environments, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of future developments in this domain.

This paper investigates cross-cultural differences in analytic/holistic cognitive styles among participants from eleven countries: Armenia, Australia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Czechia, Germany, Ghana, Philippines, Slovakia, Taiwan, and Türkiye. Using a pre-registered design, 993 university students were assessed with three perceptual tasks based on Navon hierarchical figures and Gottschaldt’s embedded figures. Analytic and holistic cognitive styles were estimated using reaction time modeling, specifically a Bayesian 4-parameter shifted Wald distribution and a hierarchical linear ballistic accumulator model. The results revealed notable cross-cultural variations in cognitive styles, though these differences did not align with predictions from analytic/holistic cognitive style theory. Countries traditionally characterized as more holistic or analytic did not consistently show the expected cognitive style patterns. Multilevel modeling examined the influence of country-level variables, such as Hofstede’s and Schwartz’s cultural dimensions. While some dimensions, like individualism and long-term orientation, were associated with both analytic and holistic thinking, many cultural predictors had no significant impact on cognitive styles. Additionally, exploratory latent profile analysis assessed cognitive meta-styles, such as flexibility and rigidity, but the findings do not support the presence of a rigidity meta-style. No profiles exhibited a strong preference for one cognitive dimension while showing a low preference for the other. These findings challenge the straightforward application of analytic/holistic theory across diverse cultural contexts and suggest a need for re-evaluation of its generalizability.

This article provides a comprehensive framework for CIVE (Collaborative Immersive Virtual Environment) education, encompassing educational lessons and methods and the eDIVE platform, an original software solution designed for formal and non-formal education. Such a holistic and complex approach was employed to bring the actual implementation of CIVE a step forward finally. The rise of IVR (immersive virtual reality) technology, particularly head-mounted displays (HMDs), has enabled extensive use of this medium in education. However, this has led to new questions and needs concerning its practical utilization, including what software tools and functions to prioritise and how to implement this new medium in educational systems. Drawing on the results of previous research, the authors designed a new platform, teaching methods, and educational content that take advantage of CIVE, validating the solution by deploying it directly in both formal education at universities and high schools and non-formal education as part of the library system. To effectively deploy CIVE, it is essential to consider all three levels simultaneously: technological, instructional, and institutional. For example, the eDIVE platform was designed to allow collaboration in a fully immersive environment using HMDs, while also offering the possibility to participate using a conventional 2D user interface to ensure inclusivity. From an instructional design perspective, there is a need to move away from learning methods that have merit and advantages based in a real-world environment but fail to exploit the potential and strengths of the new medium fully. Conversely, it is necessary to reflect on the limits of CIVE and avoid topics and practices for which conventional RE (Real Environment) is more effective. At the institutional deployment level, appropriate forms of teaching need to be sought or existing ones adapted, such as synchronous distant learning through library networks. On the other hand, mass deployment of VR HMDs into mainstream classrooms and standard time-limited lessons has proved ill-suited. There are many creative and effective ways to use CIVE. Still, it is advisable to reflect on the limitations of the technology and instead use it primarily for topics in which its full potential will be utilised to the maximum extent possible.