Chinese teachers’ perspectives on opportunities and challenges of immersive virtual reality technology in higher art education

The application of virtual reality (VR) technology in higher arts education offers novel pedagogical approaches aims at enhancing students' learning experiences and comprehension. However, understanding remains limited regarding how technologies such as immersive virtual reality (IVR) can improve teaching and learning within higher arts education. This impedes educational policymakers from implementing further measures to ensure the availability of equipment and trained personnel. This study was grounded in constructivist theory, employed semi-structured interviews to gather data from higher arts education teachers regarding the opportunities and challenges they encounter when using IVR technology in teaching. Based on interviewes with 26 art and design faculty members, it provided a body of evidence and recommendations for employing IVR in arts and design instruction. Findings indicate that IVR offers a new creation platform, enhances the learning experience, and promotes perceived usefulness. However, its effectiveness is constrained by common challenges including technological thresholds, resource constraints, misalignment of needs, and health implications. The findings of this research offered insights for higher education art practitioners, applicaions developers, and researchers, provided literature support and guidance for future educational practices and academic research.