Learning to Teach with Virtual Reality: Lessons from One Elementary Teacher

In this article we make recommendations based on our qualitative inquiry into one elementary teacher’s iterative processes of designing and implementing technology-enhanced instruction using virtual reality (VR). The use of VR has gained more attention from educational researchers and practitioners but evidence-based demonstrations of how teachers can use this emerging tool effectively in K-12 classroom settings is rare. Therefore, we provide reflections on our observations of and interviews with one teacher, providing a model for how teachers might integrate VR into their own curricula and use emerging technologies to enhance their teaching practices more generally. Some instructional design suggestions include needs assessment for students’ prior exposure to VR, communication with parents, modification of existing lessons and selection of VR content to align with learning objectives, plan for alternative experiences as well as physical and technological setup.