From adoption to social sustainability: Examining the factors affecting students’ use of virtual reality in higher education
Author Identifier (ORCID)
Nelson K.Y. Leung: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3697-2405
Abstract
The increasing integration of Virtual Reality (VR) in higher education has transformed traditional learning environments by offering immersive and interactive experiences. While prior research has extensively examined the technical affordances and short-term learning benefits of VR, there remains a significant gap in understanding its long-term social sustainability outcomes. This study addresses this gap by developing a research model that explains students’ adoption of VR in education by integrating Behavioral Reasoning Theory (BRT), the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), and Technology-Environmental, Economic, and Social Sustainability Theory (T-EESST). The data were collected from 282 university students with prior VR experience and analyzed using the PLS-SEM approach. The results revealed that reasons for adoption positively impact students’ attitudes toward VR, while reasons against adoption negatively influence these attitudes. Furthermore, attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control significantly enhance students’ use of VR. A key finding of this research is that VR use fosters social sustainability by promoting inclusivity and reducing educational disparities. However, privacy concerns emerged as a major barrier to VR use. These findings contribute theoretically by extending BRT, TPB, and T-EESST within the domain of VR adoption and practically by providing actionable insights for various stakeholders. Nevertheless, the study’s cross-sectional design and geographically specific sample limit the generalizability of the findings, highlighting the need for longitudinal and cross-cultural research.
Document Type
Journal Article
Date of Publication
1-1-2025
Publication Title
Education and Information Technologies
Publisher
Springer
School
School of Business and Law
RAS ID
83712
Funders
Tenaga Nasional Berhad / UNITEN through the BOLD Refresh Postdoctoral Fellowships (J510050002-IC-6 BOLDREFRESH2025)
Copyright
subscription content
Comments
Al-Emran, M., Al-Sharafi, M. A., Foroughi, B., Al-Qaysi, N., Leung, N. K., Yaseen, Z. M., & Ali, N. (2025). From adoption to social sustainability: Examining the factors affecting students’ use of virtual reality in higher education. Education and Information Technologies. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-025-13720-4