EXPLORING THE AWARENESS OF IMMERSIVE TECHNOLOGY: POTENTIAL AND CHALLENGES

Immersive technologies, such as Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR), are gaining increasing attention in the education sector worldwide, including in Malaysia. This study aims to explore the level of awareness and acceptance of immersive technologies among teachers, students, and educational staff in Perlis. It also identifies effective strategies to enhance its implementation in the classroom. Data for this study was collected through a survey involving 90 respondents from the educational sector, including teachers and students. The findings indicate that immersive technologies have great potential to enhance student engagement and facilitate understanding of complex concepts in school subjects. Respondents reported that the use of AR and VR has made learning more engaging and interactive, thus increasing student motivation. However, several challenges were identified, such as the high cost of equipment, lack of training for teachers, and technical issues, including difficulties in accessing the technology in rural areas. This study also proposes several strategies to address these challenges, including expanding access to immersive technology equipment through collaborations with the government and private sectors, and providing comprehensive training to teachers to better prepare them for integrating this technology into their teaching. Additionally, the curriculum should be adjusted to align with the use of AR/VR to meet learning objectives. Nonetheless, immersive technologies hold great potential to improve the learning experience and increase student motivation, but more aggressive efforts are needed to ensure its successful implementation within the education system in Malaysia, particularly in Perlis.