Carrying the Burden of Innovation in Education: Becoming Educational Events Organizers in Social Virtual Reality
Carrying the Burden of Innovation in Education: Becoming Educational Events Organizers in Social Virtual Reality

Summary/Abstract: Recent laboratory-based research increasingly explores the use of virtualreality (VR) technology in education. While these studies confirm the potentialof VR tools, they often overlook the challenges educators encounter in real-worldimplementation, potentially hindering the broader adoption of VR. Our studyemploys collaborative and analytic autoethnography of five educational eventorganizers in social VR to address this gap. We identified limitations in the use ofsocial VR related to discomfort and low accessibility of head-mounted displays, thenon-inclusivity of platform features, the risk of reduced educational content quality,and the need to acquire new digital skills. Organizers experienced significantresponsibility and stress from managing technical and formal issues, impactingtheir well-being and increasing workload. Nevertheless, they also reported a strongsense of purpose and personal development, which reinforced their academicidentity. Despite the challenges of organizing events in this immersive environment,organizers experienced significant professional growth. Their involvement not onlyenhanced their skills but also fostered valuable collaborations across academicinstitutions, cultivated community, and promoted inclusivity in education. Toaddress social VR limitations in higher education and mitigate negative impactson organizers, the authors provide recommendations for educators.

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