Applications of immersive technologies in education : A systematic literature review

Abstract

Although advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality (VR) have been available since the 1950s, many educators still wonder how they can apply them in their practice. Before the release of Open AI and ChatGPT in 2022, no widespread applications of AI were reported in the literature, and after this breakthrough, most educators are focusing exclusively on this particular technology. There is a need to consider other types and other applications of AI. This paper reviews the evolution of the so-called immersive technologies and the status of their applications in education. This study aims to fill this gap by investigating the literature to identify current applications of AI and VR in education, focusing on real-life examples of how these technologies are currently being utilised. Besides, the paper provides a list of best practices in the utilisation of immersive technologies, and special attention is given to this new tool. It offers new and inspiring research topics and innovative research strategies for researchers in the field. The literature review not only sheds light on the types of journals publishing articles on AI and VR applications but also elucidates the nature of these articles. In the conclusion section of this paper, the limitations of prior studies are discussed and recommendations for future research are offered.