XR-powered ESP for IoT: Evaluating student perceptions across vocational learner backgrounds

Extended reality (XR)technologies have redefined how education is designed and experienced. This has sparked considerable interest in integrating such advanced tools into language education. However, most applications remain limited to English-only contexts and general English instruction. This study evaluates a bilingual XR-powered ESP platform that integrates English and Indonesian for Internet of Things (IoT) education in vocational higher education. The platform situates XR within a vocational ESP framework, extending its use beyond general English and applying it to a discipline-specific domain . A quantitative survey design was employed to examine student perceptions across various demographic factors, including gender, age, year of study, prior experience with XR, educational background, and English proficiency. The results indicated that the platform was broadly inclusive across most demographic factors, while differences in educational background and language proficiency significantly shaped affective and technological perceptions. Positive responses were particularly evident in Technology, Learning Outcomes, and Affective Elements, whereas lower ratings in Sense of Community suggest the need for stronger collaborative features. These findings demonstrate that XR-powered ESP functions as both a cognitive-technical tool and an affective-linguistic intervention, highlighting its potential to support bilingual and domain-specific learning. The study advances current understanding of XR in ESP. It aligns with the broader vision of revolutionizing language education through advanced XR technologies by contributing an inclusive yet differentiated model for vocational higher education .